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

1. 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!!!!



2. 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!



3. 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?



4. 
   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



5. I grew up on Dick and Jane. What better way to make my little ones love reading as much as I do!!! Dick and Jane is the way to go!!! All four of my children grew up on Dick and Jane as I did and they love to read.

5 comments about Toot & Puddle: I'll Be Home for Christmas: Picture Book #5 (Toot and Puddle).

1. I would agree, it did not flow well at all. The story line bounces back and forth not sticking to a character and not going into detail with that character. Short I know, but did not flow. Adorable idea, and I agree the illustrations are great, but do not recommend this one.



2. This is a wonderful story which is beautifully illustrated, and suitable for children ages 3-6. It is the kind of book which stays in a family and is handed down to grandchildren, read and reread many times. Adults will also take delight in the story and in the pictures. One friend keeps it on the coffee table during the Christmas season.



3. Reviewed by Leslie Granier and Nicholas Lopez (age 5) for Reader Views (10/07)
   
   
   
   
   Toot and Puddle are two pigs who are very good friends. Toot left to attend his Great-Great-Aunt's birthday party, but he promised he would return before Christmas Eve and asked Puddle not to decorate the Christmas tree without him. A terrible storm delays Toot's return trip and Puddle worries that Toot will miss Christmas. While Toot does everything possible to get back home, Puddle is shown getting ready for Christmas by doing such things as writing Christmas cards and cutting down the tree. When it appears Toot will not make it back in time, he remembers a lucky nut his aunt gave him and he wishes that he was home. Suddenly, a surprise visitor arrives and gives him a sleigh ride home, just in time for Christmas.
   
   Nicholas liked the story and was happy that Toot made it back in time to spend Christmas with his friend. As the story kept switching between Toot's adventure and Puddle's activities, he found it confusing to follow because both pigs looked alike. He thought the pigs should "look different from each other" by either "size or color or something." He also could not understand how the pigs did not realize the one who brought Toot home was Santa Claus because even he could figure that out. Finally, he wants to know where he can get a lucky nut so he can make a "really cool wish."
   
   From an adult point of view, I thought it was a nice story that focuses on togetherness and tradition instead of material things. It provides hope that the seemingly impossible can occur if we actively seek to find a solution to difficulties in our lives. "Toot & Puddle: I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a good example of the magic of the Christmas season.



4. Oh, to dance through the imaginative mind of Holly Hobbie... what a lovely time we'd have with Toot & Puddle. The first book was purchased for my granddaughter, but her mother insisted that she was not wise enough (yet) to cherish the beautiful hardbound edition, "I'll Be Home For Christmas." I surmised that my adult daughter (who has collected Holly Hobbie books and dolls for years) fell (hard) for these two pigs. Absolutely adorable! Who knew that pigs could be adorable? Well, maybe only Ms. Hobbie? And my daughter who will be receiving each and every book written for her birthday this year...



5. I ordered a signed copy. It is immaculate! This is for a Christmas gift, so am really happy with the purchase.

2 comments about The Christmas Hero (Super Coloring Book).

1. During the holiday season, my 2-year-old, my 5-year-old, my wife and I spend many evenings coloring in front of our Christmas tree. This is one of the few coloring books that is truly enjoyed by all. It is based on the classic television show and has 84 pages (rare for a "name brand" like Rudolph) of large, easy to color pictures. The pictures are well drawn and accurately depict all the classic characters, Sam, Herbie, Santa, etc. The book follows the original TV storyline from beginning to end with a few easy to read sentences on each page. There are also a few puzzles like decoding and word search, but nowhere near enough to clutter the book or interfere with coloring or the storyline. I have bought over 20 Christmas coloring books in the past 3 years; this is my family's favorite. I'll be buying it again, so we can start anew next year.



2. This coloring book has all the characters from the classic movie, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. I am going to keep it forever and just print out the pages for the little ones to color.

3 comments about The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas (Little Golden Book).

1. My mother bought this book for my son, to start a new family tradition. Every Christmas, my mother would read me the Poky Little Puppy and now she reads this book to her Grandson.

   It is cute to see what trouble the puppies and The Poky Little Puppy get into while trying to have a good Christmas. I would really recommend getting this book, plus the other Poky Little puppy book, a great collection to have.




2. Not a bad book, but there are other books out there that are much better at teaching the moral "The best gifts are those that we give".



3. The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas is a Little Golden Book that teaches a great big lesson about the spirit of Christmas and selfless acts!
   
   It's wonderfully written, adorably illustrated and any child (or adult) who reads it will come away with a wonderful, warm feeling. This is, indeed, a very special book to share with the children in your life.

2 comments about Santa's Big Big Book to Color (Jumbo Coloring Book).

1. This book has great pictures without a lot of the preshaded areas you find in other books. The adults even enjoyed it.



2. The pictures are really great and fun to coloring. I bought this for my son to color and I also ended up coloring pictures. Its worth buying.

5 comments about Santa, Are You For Real?.

1. We bought this book ( Santa ) because we have the Easter Bunny Book (which we love). The Santa book does a great job explaining the story of the real St. Nick. After telling the story and explaining that Christmas is about giving, they show a picture of a Santa Claus winking. I found this to be very confusing The reason I wanted the book was to take the focus away from Santa and on to Jesus. I felt this book really contradicted itself at the end. I will continue to read this book to my children , but will not include the last page and wording.



2. This is a must-read for Christian children at Christmas. A child hears kids on the street say Santa isn't real, and goes inside to ask his father. The dad tells him that St. Nicholas was a real person who, because he loved Jesus, gave gifts to the poor. The boy is inspired by the story and decides to share with others, like St. Nick did. The book ends with a cheerful picture of Santa: "As the family sat around and talked half the night, Todd thought he saw, in the snow and moonlight...a bright-eyed Saint Nicholas with his sack looking in, and wide across his face, a jolly old grin." Children will know that the real Santa is now in heaven, but people still rememeber him today because of his generous spirit. The book tells the "truth" about Santa, while also allowing for a child's imagination and sense of joy to remain intact over who Santa was.



3. Is Santa real? Well, yes and no.
   
   Myra does a really nice job of explaining where the Santa legend came from, and how St. Nicholas loved God and people. Myra's story point kids to St. Nicholas' Lord, and shows them they do not need to sacrifice the magic and imagination in order to worship Him.
   
   Nicely illustrated too.
   
   I buy two or three of these every year for 4-6 year olds.



4. I really liked this book and how it explained the truth about the real St. Nick, but I still came away feeling like it was a half truth. I guess I wanted more of Jesus in the story. I do still read it to my kids every year, though. The other day in the grocery store my 3 year old was acting up and someone said, "Santa is watching you" to help calm him down. My 5 year old looked at her as if she were crazy and said, "Santa is in heaven with Jesus" - so I think she gets it. I'm pretty sure that is a direct quote from the book. Overall, I would recommend it, although I don't read some of the text and add my own on some pages - like the last page.



5. This is a great book about the real santa. I grew up not believing in Santa but my husband did. I did not want my children believing in only santa but Jesus also and this book satisfied me as far as beliving in santa and the true meaning of Christmas.

3 comments about Santa Claws.

1. Santa Claws offers weary holiday readers a gruesome Nightmare Before Christmas like alternative to the standard holiday fare. In this little tale we meet Mack & Zack two eager monster children preparing for Christmas and Santa (in his blood red suite and snake in his boot) will be along shortly. These boys are prepared, they've hung their smelly socks by the fire with care, the oozing blistertoe is hung, and the dead pine trees decorated and ready to go! Young readers will love this morbid little tale fully of macabre Christmas cheer...the only drawback is that it's extremely brief...there is minimal text and while the art is lovingly drawn and detail rich, the nearly monochromatic watercolor illustrations may not be well received by younger readers...but I think older kids (4-8) will get a kick out of this and it's something that beginner readers should have no trouble with at all. An added bonus are the "ads" on the endpapers...for gruesome things like Ear Wax Furniture Polish, Sludge Hair Dressing for Men, and Dog Breath Mouth Wash...it's a cute touch that I think kids will really enjoy! I give it four stars...I simply wish there was more of this gruesome little holiday story!



2. I LOVE THE ART OF GRIS GRIMLY!!!!!!!!!!!!I HAVE ALL HIS BOOKS!!!!!THIS ONE IS THE BEST SO FAR!!!!!CHILDREN WILL ALSO LOVE IT!!!!IT IS A BOOK FOR ALL AGES!!!!!!



3. I purchased this book along with several others along the same vane for my Grand Daughters. age 2 and 4 to eventually enjoy as I know they will. I am their Gran Pa and are really looking forward to reading it to them when they are old enough. Great illustrations which go great with a twist of the tale....

5 comments about Olive, the Other Reindeer (Olive).

1. What a great book! My family and I loved the dog, Olive, that came with the book, too. I plan to read this book, and share the stuffed toy with the area school.



2. I got this for my 3 granddaughters, ages 6 and under. They loved it!



3. No other Christmas carol has such a hold on children's imaginations as "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." (*see note) Even the youngest child understands the joke of this book's title.
   
   When a little dog named Olive hears the lyrics "All of the other reindeer..." she thinks the line is, "Olive, the other reindeer" and concludes that she is in fact, a reindeer, not a dog. Hi-jinks ensue.
   
   This tenth anniversary edition has scratch and sniff gumdrops, flaps to open, levers to pull and a pop-up scene at the end. Reading the "otto-biography" of Seibold on the Chronicle Books site, I learned that the names of his children (and their images) are tucked into the illustrations, shades of Marc Brown and his Arthur books.
   
   Skip the video and enjoy this book. It is a charmer.



4. this is a great edition of Olive. the illustration is as wonderful as the story. it's one of my husband's favorites and he wasn't disappointed. the look of this book corresponds with the latest movie edition.



5. The story of Olive shows us how we all have strengths and those strengths are important even if they are different from others. It can teach us to be creative on how we can best use our strengths. Most of all it is a sweet story about a very sweet dog named Olive. I loved reading it as an adult and gave it to someone who also enjoyed it very much.

1 comments about The Little Fir Tree.

1. What a beautiful book! I just read this to my son and it brought tears to my heart. A touching and moving story about the love of a father. To say this is a book just about Christmas is to miss the point entirely - it is a book about how the Christmas spirit is alive and well throughout the year and a reminder of how we should celebrate that love daily.

5 comments about A Christmas Carol (Scholastic Classics).

1. I had to read this for Language Arts last year and I absolutely hated it. No matter how many times I reread the Staves, I still couldn't understand it. It is just a bunch of details, not a tied-together broad image. If you like to get confused and are in High School or older, be my guest and read this monstrosity.



2. This book is one of the most meaningful of all time and one I think should be read more often than just watched on television during the Christmas season. It is a tale of a small, cruel, and heartless man changing into a kind and generous soul. He is helped by a long dead friend, Jacob Marley, who wishes to save Scrooge of a eternal fate of walking the Earth forever with the weight of his sins upon him. Jacob changes Scrooge by having him haunted by three ghosts who show him all the people he has hurt and all the people he will hurt if he does not change.
   After the spirts visit Scrooge he rewards the Cratchit family with an anonomously sent Goose and immediately finds a charity, to which he generously donates. He also makes amends with his nephew Fred that has been trying to change Scrooge for years. Finally he helps Bob Cratchit by raising his salary so that Tiny Tim may survive.
   I think this book is great for the family and though it is a little difficult I think it is suited for anyone over 12 years old.



3. This book is one of the most meaningful of all time and one I think should be read more often than just watched on television during the Christmas season. It is a tale of a small, cruel, and heartless man changing into a kind and generous soul. He is helped by a long dead friend, Jacob Marley, who wishes to save Scrooge of a eternal fate of walking the Earth forever with the weight of his sins upon him. Jacob changes Scrooge by having him haunted by three ghosts who show him all the people he has hurt and all the people he will hurt if he does not change.
   After the spirts visit Scrooge he rewards the Cratchit family with an anonomously sent Goose and immediately finds a charity, to which he generously donates. He also makes amends with his nephew Fred that has been trying to change Scrooge for years. Finally he helps Bob Cratchit by raising his salary so that Tiny Tim may survive.
   I think this book is great for the family and though it is a little difficult I think it is suited for anyone over 12 years old.



4. This book is one of the most meaningful of all time and one I think should be read more often than just watched on television during the Christmas season. It is a tale of a small, cruel, and heartless man changing into a kind and generous soul. He is helped by a long dead friend, Jacob Marley, who wishes to save Scrooge of a eternal fate of walking the Earth forever with the weight of his sins upon him. Jacob changes Scrooge by having him haunted by three ghosts who show him all the people he has hurt and all the people he will hurt if he does not change.
   After the spirits visit Scrooge he rewards the Cratchit family with an anonymously sent Goose and immediately finds a charity, to which he generously donates. He also makes amends with his nephew Fred that has been trying to change Scrooge for years. Finally he helps Bob Cratchit by raising his salary so that Tiny Tim may survive.
   I think this book is great for the family and though it is a little difficult I think it is suited for anyone over 12 years old.



5. Critiquing Dickens' Christmas Carol is a misnomer. Rather, it is Dickens who critiques us with this masterwork.
   
   A Christmas Carol has burrowed into the very heart of our Western Culture to where few people would be confused if you referred to someone as a "Scrooge," that is to say a skinflint, miser.
   
   Aside from presenting us with some of the most memorable images in literature as Scrooge is taken by the Ghosts of the Past, Present and Future to review his life and probable ending, we are brought along with his and given opportunity to review those elements in our own lives.
   
   A Christmas Carol was not just a nice story of the Christmas Season to give warmth and cheer.
   
   Far from it!
   
   Dickens had an agenda. Just as in his other famous works, like Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, Dickens longed to make a social statement to draw attention to the poor in England, their plight and hardship. A Christmas Carol is about Scrooge as a person, but also as representing a class of the wealthy whose abundance is wrested from the large working poor such as Cratchett and his family. THEY are the point. THEY are the ones Dickens sought to draw to public attention.
   
   Heaven help us is we simply see this book as nostalgia and fail to see the point Dickens had to make then and which still applies today!