5 comments about Santa's Reindeer.

1. THESE BOOKS ARE SO BEAUTIFUL. I BOUGHT 2 FOR MY GRANDSONS. THEY ARE REALLY NICE COLLECTIBLES AND WILL MEAN A LOT TO SOMEONE AS THE YEARS GO ON. LAST YEAR I BOUGHT THEM BOOKS ABOUT SANTA AND THIS YEAR THE REINDEER. THESE ARE STURDY BOOKS MEANT TO LAST FOR YEARS WITH CARE.Santa's Reindeer



2. Such a sweet book. A delight to all children and adults. It's so much fun to learn about Santa's reindeer! As good as the Santa Claus one!



3. This was all I had hoped it would be. The art work is excellent and the text is such that as the child grows, more and more of the text will be enjoyed. Myth and fact are included, allowing for the enjoyment of the magic of Christmas Myth as well as interesting facts about reindeer. This will be enjoyed with grandchildren at Christmas time for years to come.



4. This book is just what I was looking for its very informative yet child like cute.



5. This is a beautifully illustrated book which tells the fascinating story of Santa's Reindeer! My 7 year olds just love these books! Get the one about Santa Claus too.

No comments about The Nutcracker (Jewel Sticker Stories).

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

4 comments about The Night Before Christmas: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Classic Illustrated).

1. The particular charm of this much-loved Christmas poem is found in the illustrations, late nineteenth and early twentieth century full-color plates from a collection of antique picture books. The original text is familiar, beautifully balanced by page after page of images that evoke another era, when life was simple and children fell asleep on Christmas Eve with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, slumbering boys and girls protected by a hovering trio of angels, "mama in her kerchief and I in my cap", Santa whipping his reindeers through the snowy night sky and a brightly decorated tree surrounded by toys and packages to delight the children on Christmas morning. Over the years, this popular holiday poem of Jolly Old Saint Nick has been printed in many forms, editions of every size for every age; this 2005 Chronicle edition is perfect as a small gift for a favorite child or as a stocking stuffer, easy for small hands to hold, the illustrations as enchanting as the poem. Luan Gaines/ 2005.



2. I have this book at my home, where I have read it many times for my own children growing up. When I ordered this as a gift for my employer's new baby, I was shocked to see how small this book is when it arrived.
   
   This is the size of a pocket book, and does not lend well to sitting a child on your lap and allowing them to read along. The illustrations however beautiful, are too small for young children, and even some adults reading this book!



3. This a very nice book with the Night Before Christmas story in it. I wouldnt call it 'overly small'. Its perfect size and has beautiful illustration and story in it. Nice small gift.



4. Ordered this book to read to my son and wanted it to be a classic, old looking book but thought it would be bigger - it is tiny! I would have preferred it be bigger, never thought to look at the measurements since it was a children's book, just assumed it would be good size.

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 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.

5 comments about The First Noel: A Christmas Carousel.

1. The book was above my expectations. Such a lovely idea to display the Nativity story. I'm going to order another. Great service!



2. This book looks more like a piece of art than a pop-up book. The three dimentional cut-work pages are masterfully done.



3. I have purchased this for my "mother" not in law (my partner's mother), friend's who have children, my neice who had twins last year and for our own home. It is a lovely piece of art and a beatifully crafted.



4. This is a really lovely telling of the Christmas story. The intricate paper cut-outs of six Christmas scenes along with a one sentence description of the scene are so well done that I bought a copy for myself as well as for the daugher of a friend of mine. Highly recommended.



5. Compact book decoration that opens to intricate papercutting scenes of the biblical Christmas story. Great gift reminding of true meaning of Christmas. Works well as a centerpiece or can be hung from loop.

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!

4 comments about Holly Claus: The Christmas Princess (Julie Andrews Collection).

1. For centuries upon centuries Santa Claus has traveled the world every Christmas Eve upon a sleigh pulled by reindeers, a sack of toys perched by his side. Over the course of these years, Santa Claus has never asked for anything in return, and, amongst all of the letters he receives each and every day, no one has ever asked him if he, himself possessed a Christmas wish. Until one year - in December of 1878, to be exact - when Santa Claus opens a letter from a young boy named Christopher W.C. Christopher is kind enough to put his own wants aside, and asks Santa Claus what he desires for Christmas. And so, Santa Claus's wish is granted - he receives the child he has always longed for.
   
   Holly Claus - the Christmas Princess - is brought into the Land of Forever, along with shouts of joy, and celebration. Unfortunately, the splendor of her arrival quickly turns to sadness when the festivities are cut short thanks to the arrival of the evil Herrikhan, an individual who was banished from the Land of the Immortals many years ago for wrongdoing. Herrikhan leaves a curse upon Holly Claus, one that encases her heart in ice, forcing her to stay in a frosty climate for all eternity, or her beautiful heart will melt. But there is an ultimatum. If Holly Claus manages to find the strength to marry Herrikhan, she may live forever - just like her parents. Santa Claus is horrified by the curse, and quickly locks the gates to the Land of Forever, vowing never to open them again. This, in turn, causes Christmas to be put on hold. Suddenly, children of all ages are not experiencing the wonder of Christmas, all because of Herrikhan and Holly. So, when Holly becomes of age, she escapes from the Land of Forever along with her animal friends - Tundra the wolf; Euphemia the owl; Empy the penguin; and Lexy the fox. Holly Claus is determined to change the ways of the Land of Forever, and bring Christmas back to the masses. But when she arrives in New York City, she realizes that her quest may be harder than she originally thought - especially with Herrikhan on the loose to demolish her plans.
   
   Years ago I fell in love with Brittney Ryan's THE LEGEND OF HOLLY CLAUS. The exuberant story, accompanied by an irresistible, compassionate heroine, and Laurel Long's breathtaking illustrations took me to another world, and kept me on the edge of my seat as I experienced the Land of the Immortals and 1800 New York City alongside Holly. Now, with the release of HOLLY CLAUS: THE CHRISTMAS PRINCESS those memories have been brought back to me quite vividly. HOLLY CLAUS: THE CHRISTMAS PRINCESS is basically an abbreviated, picture book-esque version of Ryan's 500+ page THE LEGEND OF HOLLY CLAUS. While the story is shortened quite a bit, it still holds every bit of the magic that THE LEGEND OF HOLLY CLAUS dispersed. And, with the illustrations of Laurel Long, along with Jeffrey K. Bedrick, readers of all ages will find it hard not to fall in love with Holly Claus; and, will, most likely, find themselves drawn into the story in an instant - much like myself. Once more, Ryan has outdone herself, as have Long and Bedrick. Ryan's enchanting words, located side-by-side with Long and Bedrick's magical illustrations are absolutely irresistible, and will keep you occupied for hours upon hours as you pore over the beauty of this book. A magical way to spend the holidays with the ones you love!
   
   Erika Sorocco
   Freelance Reviewer



2. I own the novel version of The Legend of Holly Claus, and I fell in love with it. I have now been re-reading it every December, to re-experience the magic and to get into that Christmas feeling.
   
   Brittney Ryan's narrative is compelling and heart-warming, and it is simple enough for most children to read, though many adults will adore this story as well.
   
   I have yet to purchase this book, but I feel it is simply the condensed version of the novel, along with gorgeous accompanying illustrations. I greatly admire Laurel's artwork, in its detail, delicacy, and the ability to let the viewer sit for long periods of time just taking in the nuances within the art.
   
   They have gone further with this novel, adding full, vibrant colour to each work of art (since the original illustrations in the novel are black and white), which further enhances the reading experience for children and grown-ups alike.
   
   Lovely story, lovely art.. and brimming with Christmas spirit. What more can be said? I highly recommend this for every parent, book fanatic, and Christmas lover alike!



3. This book has the most lovely illustrations.Each page is a feast for the eyes with many tiny,wonderful details to discuss with your child as you read it. But the story itself falls flat. Miss Ryan's style of storytelling is just matter of fact,boring, no lovely descriptions to match the wonderful artwork. I am a children's librarian and the book keeps being checked out and returned in a day or so because each and every child has told me they didn't like the story or they couldn't even finish it because it was too long or not interesting enough. With the name of Julie Andrews attached, I really expected more.



4. This is a very nice Christmas story for your little ones that is beautifully illustrated. My kids really enjoy listening to it, and it is a pleasure to the eye as well.