5 comments about Star Bright: A Christmas Story.

1. Greeley's Irish Chicago meets sexy lay Russian Orthodox women's Christian mysticism somewhere between Boston College and Harvard Yard. Its improbability viz the Greeley corpus actually helps him compress a short, simple, yet spiritually sublime plot-and-reflections. (No Ryan family-tree to keep straight in your head!) If Odessa/Tatiana doesn't "seduce" you in many different (good!) ways, get your head, heart, spirit, and hormone-levels examined!

   This book is little, but read it nice and slow, sometimes a page a day when herself is showing boyfriend Jack, his disgruntled family, and us a truer world-next-door spiritually. And read it over and over...maybe every December during the crush of the holidays. (Deeper than that Christmas pageant story they put on TV back in the '80s.) You'll find more than one new gem each time through--'pearls of great price,' for no great price! And it might just improve your life...and that of your significant others! Give it to a friend or two, too.

   Profound, fun, cross-cultural, sexy but not "steamy" (Darn!), not a murder mystery but that's OK; further developments in Greeley's study and reporting of 'normal' Christians' approach to life. Technically, some typos and words missing, but it's usually clear what it is, so you lose no meaning. And stay with the meaning, because it's overflowing with it! And hardback is OK because it'll get used over and over for years to come. Sounds like he's working on a series of compressed, reflective, theological Christmas-y novels; great idea!




2. Andrew Greeley has written a magical tale of love, keeping in tune with the Christmas spirit. Greeley is one of my all time favorite authors, and I have yet to read one of his books, which has not captivated me and given me food for thought.

   The reader will find this heartwarming a tale a quick read, as the reader is held in suspense until the very end. Greeley weaves his wit, charm and mystical musings into the romantic tale of Jack, an Irish Catholic lad meeting a beautiful Russian college student at Harvard. Odessa, a bit of a Russian mystic, weaves her own kind of magic with everyone who comes into her presence. Her charming and innocent ways at looking at life incorporate the mystical and spirituality of her culture.

   Jack decides to bring Odessa home to Chicago to meet his family for Christmas. With her simplicity, innocence, charm, and grace, Odessa manages to mend the uptight Flanigan family and bring them closer together than anyone thought was possible!

   This is a wonderful tale and helps to bring home the message that people come into our lives for a reason, as God reveals him/her self to us in those that we meet.

   Another uplifting winner from Farther Andrew Greeley!




3. I'm a sucker for a Christmas story, and an admirer of Greeley's work. No one makes family dynamics more fascinating, or has a greater appreciation for women. This is an offbeat little love story, with love being the operative word. Tatiana, the Russian student Irish Catholic Jack takes home to meet the folks in Chicago for Christmas, is a magical heroine who brings joy and hope to a dysfunctional family. It leaves you smiling and believing in the wonder of the season.



4. Wow! A wonderful immersion into both the Irish-American Catholic and the Russian Orthodox cultures, this little book is full of Christmas spirit! While taking a class over at Harvard University, Boston College student Jack Flanigan meets an enchanting beauty named Tatiana. The two strike up an unlikely but sweetly romantic friendship. Jack reluctantly invites her to Chicago to spend Christmas with his large and quite boisterous family, fearing that the deeply religious Tatiana will be turned off by the commercialism and overwhelmed by the dysfunctional crowd. But as Tatiana has found a way into confirmed bachelor Jack's heart, she also manages to win over his family.
   
   There are no words to describe how much I loved this story. It was very well-written, with wonderful characterizations, descriptive settings, and positive dialogue. This couple, who personify true love, as well as the irresistable Flanigan family, will stay with me long after I put this book down.



5. Did not like this book. It is not up to the standard I usually read from Andrew Greeley.

1 comments about The Christmas Poodle.

1. This little book was a gift to me in more ways than one. My aunt gave it to me because I am a professional dog handler and I specialize in showing Poodles in AKC. I delayed reading it because of the Juvenile Fiction moniker, but carried it with me on several trips out of respect for the giver. Finally, with nothing else to read on a particularly long flight, I pulled it from my briefcase and gave it a read. This is an amazing little story and the author must be an amazing human being, else I would not be writing my first review ever. The Christmas Poodle stirred every emotion I have and constantly pummeled me with the plight of two homeless children. It made me realize just how fortunate I am and how unfortunate so many people are. This is a story for all seasons, a story that will most certainly bring anyone our of their shell into the realization that magical things happen during the month of December...things that have been happening for centuries. Obviously, I fell in love with Maximus, the "great Poodle". As a handler, I immediately recognized the attributes of this magnificent beast and recalled fondly so many Poodles I have had the pleasure of showing in the ring. The author captures so much of the breed in so few sentences that he must be certainly know the breed well. There is no way I can express the emotions that I went through as Jamie and Tessie endured hardships and victories in this very short book. I have to recommend it for any age group as it reads very well.

No comments about Christmas (Jane Bull Sticker Activity Bk).

2 comments about Take joy!: The Tasha Tudor Christmas book.

1. This book is about all things Christmas. Here you will come across thoughts, stories, poems, carols and legends related to this celebration. As a matter of fact, this is how the chapters of the book are organized plus an ending section on Tasha Tudor's unique perspective on this traditional holiday. This last section covers the whole gamut, ranging from cookies to marionettes.

   I think that anyone wishing to enhance his or her Christmas experience will find this book interesting. The stories are from sources such as Saint Luke and O. Henry. The carols have the scores and the lyrics. The final chapter describes stuff like the gingerbread castle and the birds' Christmas. It seems to me all of this will factor in making Christmas even more fun, specially for the children.




2. I`ve treasured this Tudor classic since about the age of 8. Its charming and informative melange of colorful artwork, stories by the likes of Dickens and Hans Christian Anderson, and Tudor`s account of her family`s traditional holiday celebration make it a tome that adults as well as children can enjoy. In fact, you don`t fully appreciate the detailed art work [such as a rabbit or mouse tucked carefully into the swirl of a letter] until adulthood. The section on Christmas customs helped to make me a lifelong folklore enthusiast. I think it will be equally enjoyed by lovers of Christmas,animals,and quality illustration.

1 comments about The Little Christmas Tree.

1. Mercer Mayer, as always, never fails to keep a child's, nor an adult - these are the best books! My children loved these books, now my grand-daughter loves these books - these are great for holding a child's attention and teaching them "good lessons."

No comments about The First Christmas.

1 comments about The Very Important Christmas Pagent.

1. The children at our church performed this pageant last week, and the congregation really enjoyed it. It is a humorous play in 3 acts: 1) Mary is told by the angel about the birth of Jesus, and she and Joseph are told in Bethlehem by the hotel clerk that their reservation at the inn has been cancelled; 2) some shepherds on the hillside are told of the birth of Jesus by some angels, and 3) the wise men visit Herod's palace on their way to visit the holy family. The script is written such that a child only has to attend the rehearsals for the 1 act in which their character appears. We did this on 2 three-hour rehearsals: one for staging, and one dress rehearsal with all the extra angels, lambies, etc. The kids mostly learned their lines at home before rehearsals started. The script includes a CD containing many things, most of which I didn't need, but it did have a recording of a "junk band" (which is required in Act 2), and a recording of a trumpet giving a herald call, used when the angel appears, and also when Herod is announced in his palace.
   
   The script, as I said, is humorous. For example, Mary, when visited by the angel, thinks she is a solicitor and asks her to put them on her "do not call list". Our congregation laughed at all the right places and seemed to enjoy the humor. There are many practical suggestions in the text accompanying the script.

No comments about Christmas for Miss Kitty.

No comments about A Very Merry Christmas: A Little Pop Book.

2 comments about Bright Christmas : An Angel Remembers.

1. Ages 5-8. A lovely blend of words and pictures presents the Christmas story from an angel's point of view. Daring in its attempt to explain the idea of eternity, the book rises above the mediocre as an angel explains how the supernatural has interacted with the real world to bring truth. The angel remembers events on Earth leading up to the Nativity, but he explains that in heaven, where there is no time, it is eternally the first Christmas night. Kiesler's illustrations provide a subtext to this difficult concept. Her pleasing palette, suffused with light, ranges from the golden tones of the desert to the bluish hues of dusk. Doves, found among clouds, as shadows cast in the sand, represented by feathers adrift on the wind, or on a pendant around Mary's neck, constitute a playful motif. A fine choice despite the recent glut of books on the subject of angels. -Shelley Townsend-Hudso



2. The artwork is uneven--some good and some bad, but also anachronistic (Mary wearing a dove necklace!) despite the fact that they claim to have researched the times. Parts of the story are good, recalling prophecies and the preparation for the Messiah. But Jesus is just said to bring "the great truth"... which is what??? Nice and PC but not even Christian. There are plenty of other good children's christmas books out there. Keep looking.