1 comments about The Case of the Christmas Snowman (Jigsaw Jones Mystery #2).

1. Jigsaw Jones is a modern detective. He talks like children talk today, he is "cool", and children can identify with him. It would be unfair to say that "The case of the Christmas Snowman" is his best case ever because all of Jigsaw's cases are good. My children love him and collect all his books, this one is no exception.

5 comments about What God Wants for Christmas.

1. This information is taken from the publisher's website.
   
   We've wrapped up all of the anticipation, excitement, and wonder of being a kid at Christmas into What God Wants for Christmas. This kid-friendly, interactive nativity - with seven gift boxes, a colorful pop-up, and an illustrated poem - contains a surprise ending that will open a child's heart to Jesus. Use this hands-on lesson in Sunday schools, outreach events, or family devotions, over multiple days or all at once. It's simple, easy to use, and fun for all ages!
   (...)



2. This is one of the easiest products I've seen that allowes you to interact with your children. At a time when the season is chaotic, this product returns you to the reason we have Christmas.



3. Our kids want to play with this over & over & over...and it's made to do that...we don't have to say, "don't touch". This new FamilyLife product tells the Christmas story in a new, fresh, and very personal way. We think it will have a huge effect on "kids of all ages"....grown ups too !!! Way to go FamilyLife team...we love your Resurrection Eggs too!!!!



4. This is a wonderful resource! It's a creative way to tell the Christmas story and the figures are very nice - not cheap looking. It's very easy to use and great for the whole family!



5. My daughter recently asked me, "So what can we give Jesus for Christmas?" Bingo! This kit is basically a nativity scene with a twist.
   
   Included is a book with 7 sessions that can be done whenever you like (we're doing two a week), 7 reusable presents (one to open at each session), and a manger. Six presents contain pieces to the nativity, and in the seventh box is a mirror. Hence, what can we give Jesus for Christmas? Ourselves!
   
   This has been great for teaching my 3-year-old very visual daughter about Christmas and Jesus' birth, and my 1-year-old son really loves to play with it to. Which brings me to my only complaint: The manger is paper tacked to foam core, which is fine but will probably not last past this Christmas. It has already started to come apart in several places. The figures are tiny yet lovely (though Gabriel does look quite feminine) and should last for some time if not handled too roughly. I plan to use the book and presents next year and the year after.
   
   As a closing note, the book mentions that this is a great way to present the plan of salvation (i.e. give yourself to Jesus), and I think so too!

5 comments about Dick and Jane: A Christmas Story (Dick and Jane).

1. The book is nicely oversized. Very nice illustrations and colorful. I am very happy with my purchase.



2. As a pre-school teacher in my home for over 20 yrs., I am so happy to see the Dick and Jane books revived! They are the best tool for teaching upcoming young readers. I remember how much I looked forward to reading when I was first introduced to the family of Dick and Jane. If you didn't grow up with them, you don't know what you missed! The kids love the stories, and the pictures encourage them to use their imaginations. The pictures are beautifully done, too. Once they learn to read the simpler versions, your child will graduate to the harder and harder stories. One thing I would add: They make excellent birthday and Christmas gifts to any 4 or 5 year old!!!!



3. This is an absolutely wonderful book for now or the holidays. Would make a great gift for anyone who grew up with Dick and Jane and Spot....what a great memory from the past!



4. But did anyone else notice that the father was plucked completely out of the story? He appears on the very first page reading the newspaper, but that's it! He plays no role in the family's activities. hmmm. These aren't the Dick and Jane stories that I grew up with. In those stories the father was present and the family was complete. But that wasn't very PC was it?



5. 
   I purchased five Dick & Jane books for my six year old grand daughter. She was able to read them with ease. I know this will help her improve her current reading ability. They will also be a keepsake for years to come.
   RAB Sullivan County NY

3 comments about Mistletoe.

1. WORKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND (Aimee Friedman) - Maxine "Max" Silver, is your typical New York City gal, who loves shopping during the holiday season, trying on dresses that she'll never be able to afford, and scarfing down hot chocolate and cookies in Rockefeller Center. The strange part is that she doesn't celebrate Christmas, and feels that there is a serious lack of Hanukkah songs available to all of those dreidel-spinning masses. However, her thoughts regarding holiday music instantly go out the window when this college freshman runs into her high school crush, the scrumptious Heath Barton, whose father happens to own Barton's Department Store. Before Max knows what's happening, she's working in the Christmas Corner at Barton's, dressed as a holiday elf, singing Christmas Carols with a Nutcracker Prince, Sugar Plum Fairy, and Santa Claus, while making goo-goo eyes at Heath. But on Christmas Eve, this New York City fashionista finds true love with someone she least expected. 5/5 stars.
   
   HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE BREAKUP (Hailey Abbott) - Aria, Emily, Marcus, and Jason have been best friends for years. Double dating at the dingy diner known as Matthew's, and sharing heaping plates of greasy chili-cheese fries for as long as they can remember. But when Emily leaves for college, waving goodbye to Aria, Marcus, and Jason, who are all seniors, the foursome splits up. That is, until Christmas rolls around, and Aria believes that everything will go back to normal. But Emily returns home with a new personality. Gone is the funny Emily who left, and in her place is a more mature, composed Emily, who has no time for football games, and high school drama. She also has no time for her boyfriend, Marcus, who seems to be getting a little too cozy with Aria lately, leaving the two wondering, on New Year's Eve, who, exactly, they'll be kissing when the clock strikes twelve. 5/5 stars.
   
   SCENES FROM A CINEMATIC NEW YEAR'S (Nina Malkin) - Connor Moline doesn't have stars in his eyes, but just about every girl who looks in his direction does. For he plays Danny Stiles on TV's "Pinot's Point," and he's hanging out in the middle of a Hollywood mall, as faux snow falls from the ceilings. But all he can think about is the great time he'll be having when he and his buddies get to Lake Tahoe, where they'll be ringing in the New Year with some really gorgeous girls in a couple of hot tubs. 4/5 stars.
   
   THE CHRISTMAS CHOOS (Melissa de la Cruz) - Kelsey Cooper is considered one of the beautiful people at Parker High School, but it's not because she has fancy clothes, or an expensive car. And it's certainly not because she lives in the rich part of town - because she doesn't. No, the only reason why she's accepted into Gigi McClusky's uber-trendy group is because Kelsey is the prettiest girl in school, and no group of Beautiful People can be complete without the prettiest girl in school. But when Kelsey begins searching for the perfect gift for her longtime boyfriend, and best friend, Brenden Molloy, she realizes that the forty-five dollars burning a hole in her pocket is certainly not enough to purchase something that will show him how much he truly means to her. Brenden feels the same way. So the happy couple do something drastic to afford gifts for one another. Gifts that will bring a smile to the others face, while forcing them to make the ultimate sacrifice. 5/5 stars.
   
   I have been waiting for the release of MISTLETOE for months, and was ecstatic when it finally arrived earlier this week. Each story brought a sense of holiday warmth into my heart, even though it's only October, and there are still Halloween decorations dotting people's front doors. Hailey Abbott's HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE BREAKUP presented amazing character development, and fabulous dialogue that truly made you interested in what would happen next in the story; while Melissa de la Cruz's THE CHRISTMAS CHOO's managed to mix a bit of MTV's MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEEN and THE GIFT OF THE MAGI together to create a beautiful, heartwarming holiday story that contained two lovable characters, whose chemistry between one another was impeccable. Nina Malkin's SCENES FROM A CINEMATIC NEW YEAR'S confused me a bit, as the various scenes seemed to zap the characters from location to location without a moment's notice, and the content seemed a little less holiday-ish than some of the other tales, but it was still enjoyable. However, it was Aimee Friedman's WORKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND that I enjoyed the absolute most. Max was your typical New Yorker with a sarcastic personality, hip lingo, and a flair for the dramatics. The fact that she had the job of working as a department store elf - something I've wanted to do for years - was hilarious, and the romantic interludes shared between her and her surprising love interest were absolutely adorable, sending warmth through the reader's entire body. Flannel pajamas and hot cocoa are a necessity while reading these toe-tingling tales of holiday romance.
   
   Erika Sorocco
   Freelance Reviewer



2. Mistletoe means kissing, and four favorite authors each create a story about love and relationships during the holiday season in this anthology.
   
   New Year's Eve equals a time for new beginnings, and Maxine can't wait for her high school BFF's famous Christmas party. However, being at home during her college break and pining away for the perfect but pricey party dress in the window leaves her feeling a little depressed. Her old crush just might have all the answers she's looking for, including a job, so all her New Year's Eve dreams just might come true. There is, of course, just one little catch--she's working as an elf in a Winter Wonderland, but she's Jewish. (WORKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND by Aimee Friedman)
   
   A broken up foursome reunites in Hailey Abbott's tale, HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE BREAKUP, with Emily's return home from college. But things aren't really what they seem to be. Her boyfriend, with the help of her best friend, buys her a last minute gift; she doesn't know what to talk to her best friend about; and no one seems to remember that she has a whole new life...or do they?
   
   One Hollywood superstar's New Year's turns out very different than the one he's expecting. Instead of skiing, a JLo cancellation changes his departure plans. Instead of flying, he drives towards his destination, breaking down about halfway there in a ghost town. From that point on, something shifts. He falls hard for a girl and takes a deep look at himself and sees that the world may be more than just his plaything. (SCENES FROM A CINEMATIC NEW YEAR'S by Nina Malkin)
   
   Finally, Melissa de la Cruz spins a modern twist on an old Christmas tale from the heart in THE CHRISTMAS CHOOS. Kelsey's determination to find her boyfriend a perfect gift for the holidays leads her down a path she'd never thought she'd take. On top of present stress, she's invited to her friend's Sweet Sixteen party in the gated community in town. Will she wear the same boring dress she's worn three times in a year again and have the snobs humiliate her, or will she finally wear her inheritance?
   
   Four unique tales from favorite authors will help readers feel the iciness of winter, yet also leave them full of warmth. Hailey Abbott, Aimee Friedman, Nina Malkin, and Melissa de la Cruz bring festival treats filled with relationships and their concerns during the holiday season.
   
   Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel



3. I could not put this book down. It was so good it added just the right touch to my holiday.

1 comments about Nativity Stained Glass Coloring Book (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. I bought this coloring book in particular because I want to keep these images in our Christmas season. I'm glad I did because it has become a family favorite, from my artist husband to my little one. Great family time without alot of prep. Markers and colored pencils seem to work best for me,
   add some hot chocolate, candy canes and Christmas music and it's a fun, inexpensive way to spend enjoy the season, without much prep time.

1 comments about The Little Engine That Could and the Snowy, Blowy Christmas (Little Engine That Could).

1. I think that this would make a great special gift for Christmas for a four or five year old just starting to read.
   
   Gunner September 2007

5 comments about The American Girls Holiday Treasury (American Girls Collection).

1. I give this book 2 thumbs up! I love american girl books so this is great!



2. This book is so cool! I give it more than two thumbs up!!!
   -krisen



3. I have no information about this book but have a question that perhaps others are wondering about, as well: What is included in this treasury? Is it the holiday stories of 6 or 7 American girls, or all of them, and are there any extras or bonuses?



4. This is a collection of Christmas stories.
   It includes stories about Molly, Kit, Samantha, Addy, Kirsten and Josephina, with family trees and illustrations.
   Very nice and presentable book, it also has a cd with holiday music and between the stories, short "looking back" texts on Christmas celebrations at different years with pictures and photos.



5. This book contains all retreads from previous publications. Each American Girl's Christmas story here was written years ago when each "Girl" was introduced. The cover is pretty, but very disappointed with the contents as there is absolutely nothing new here at all--not even an intro. Also, beware that many of the "new" American Girl books are "repackages" of previous publications.

1 comments about Merry Christmas, Emily! (Lift-the-Flap, Puffin) (Lift-the-Flap, Puffin).

1. I know... Emily is the most popular girls' name these days, but that makes this series of books even better, in my opinion. We have the Thanksgiving and Christmas books of the series so far, and I do recommend them. The lift-the-flap aspect is great for interaction, and my daughter loves to talk about what's happening in each page.
   
   We will definitely be getting more books in this series!

5 comments about How The Russian Snow Maiden Helped Santa Claus.

1. In this engaging story, the Snow Maiden's dilemma can be appreciated by all ages. At the point where the Snow Maiden makes a significant contribution to Santa's inventory, she gains self confidence and happiness. A perfect book for reading aloud over the Holidays! Children and adults will delight in exploring the plentiful illustrations.
   
   Review written by Jessie Palmer: Grandmother, elementary school teacher, and reading specialist.



2. This is a beautifully illustrated book about how a young Russian girl helps Santa Claus. It is a wonderful introduction to the variety of ways that Christmas is celebrated in other countries, but retains enough focus on the US to make it interesting to young Americans. My daughters love the book and I enjoy reading it to them as the story is interesting for both children and adults.



3. Great book to introduce you to Russian Christmas traditions and a some common words. The illustrations in this book are great and done in the Russian style (The illustrator was is a Russian Artist).
   
   This story blends the Western and Russian traditions of Christmas in a way that children and parents will enjoy year after year.



4. I read this book to my daughter's kindergarten class and gave the book to the teacher for Christmas. They loved it. I also took my daughter's matryoshka (nesting doll) to show the children, since the book talks about those. It was a great way to introduce them to some Russian holiday traditions with enough connection to Santa Claus that they didn't just think of it as foreign. But it really ought to be offered as a boxed set with a matryoshka just like the one described in the book! That would be really a wonderful gift.



5. Here's a Christmas children's book that is #32 in books of its kind, and ranked 49,000 overall...and amazon has it available in 2 to 4 weeks, just a week before Christmas. Happily, it's available in many other sites on the web.

3 comments about The Night Before Christmas.

1. A have to have book for Christmas, one that every child should have read to them, just like in the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas vacation", when the family finally settles in for the night and grandpap hands the reading over to the the children's dad, passing down the tradition.



2. This book is a classic. Just as I remember from when I was a kid. I'm glad I chose this for my son's second Christmas. He loves it.



3. I purchased this book for my nephew who just turned two years old. My brother and I had a different version of this book when we were children and it had wonderful pictures that I can still remember 40 years later. My own visions of the perfect Christmas came from this story. I wanted my nephew to have the same feeling toward Christmas and this story as we did. I looked at a number of illustrated versions of this book and this particular one had the best pictures. They are large and realistic, with beautiful with candy colors. You can imagine yourself in the scene and feel the soft fluffy snow on the ground and taste the sugar plums.