5 comments about Christmas Tapestry.

1. This is a very special Christmas story. It is timeless in it's message of hope and caring. It will be a story to read every Christimas with your family.



2. Christmas Tapestry will warm the cockles of your heart, soul, and mind. I'm not sure if it's based on a true story or not, but it sure could be. It appealed to me, as a Christian, (as it would to a Jewish person) because it shows that God is in control, and He works out His purposes, even when we don't understand what's going on.
   
   If you like these heart-tuggers, also try The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.



3. This story is a wonderful story anytime of year. This may be my all time favorite Patricia Polacco story. It will touch your heart and leave you with a feeling of optimism and joy.



4. Although I read this story to my students every year, I can never get through it without choking up. Elementary through high school, all students are deeply touched by this tale. The timeless message of love portrayed by all the characters in this book is one you will never forget. It's a wonderful read-aloud, and a useful segue into discussions about the true meaning of Christmas and Hannukah.



5. A touching Christmas story for all ages. It's a wonderful read-aloud for my grandchildren which lends to discussions of Christmas. The beautiful illustrations also by Patricia Polacco add to the story. A story that captures your heart and gives meaning once again to love, faith, and the true meaning of the Christmas season. This is a definite Christmas favorite.

1 comments about Bit of Applause for Santa Claus, A.

1. I purchased both books as a gift for a book club gift exchange. This book is cute, but A Bit of Applause for Mrs. Claus was better.

2 comments about Sesame Street Elmo's Night Before Christmas (1 2 3 Sesame Street).

1. I bought this as a Christmas gift to read to my 8 month old son -- good book, nice pictures, but the 4 ornaments are kind of lame...they're just cardboard cut-outs and the spots they have you place them aren't secure enough to keep them from falling out every time you open the book or turn the pages (or when the little one grabs them and immediately tries to eat them).



2. This is a great book for children aged 2-5. They will see their favorite monster, Elmo, be endeared by the spirit of Christmas and the magic of Santa, and be able to play with the removable ornaments. The illustrations of Elmo's Christmas are really cute and the poem is a great, enjoyable twist on the classic version.

1 comments about Scooby-doo The Secret Santa Mystery (Scooby-Doo, Reader #15).

1. Good for new readers who love Scooby. Kind of dopey plot though (of course tv show always ends "too neatly" for anyone who's not a kid- part of scooby's campy appeal).

No comments about Hello Kitty Hello Christmas Board Book (Hello Kitty).

5 comments about The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

1. This book has a rather peculiar history. Originally published in 1902, two years after Baum's success with The Wizard of Oz,the first printing contained 20 color illustrations. In the second printing, eight of the color illustrations were left out, replaced by numerous black and white marginal illustrations. So you can imagine the delight of Oz fans when they discover this lovely edition in full color readily available after so many years of black and white reprints of the original edition.

   The book is in three sections: "Youth", "Manhood", and "Old Age". Santa was discovered as an infant abandoned in the Forest of Burzee. The nymphs, fairies and elves adopted him and under the tutelage of Ak, the Master Woodsman of the World, Claus is bought up to appreciate and understand that all living things are sacred and deserve respect. In the "Manhood" section Baum tells the reader how Claus began making toys and delivering them to the world. He had his problems though. The Awgwas, who are evil creatures and can't tolerate happiness, continue to plague Claus first by intercepting his toys during delivery and then kidnapping Claus himself. "Old Age" describes the immortals' decision to take certain actions so that Claus can continue to give to the world.

   Numerous questions are answered here:
   What is the reason for hanging stockings?
   How and why did Santa enlist the help of reindeer?
   Why does he slide down the chimney?

   As in the Wizard of Oz a good number of the characters here are Baum's own creations. You'll meet the knooks and the ryls, for example. You'll also meet the Gnome King who is rather benign here, but, by the end of Ozma of Oz, becomes the arch enemy of that fairy kingdom.

   Michael Hague's illustrations are glorious.In the "Illustrator's Note" he states that the illustrations took three times longer than he expected. Well, it certainly shows. This was a labor of love. The pictures are in two varieties, full color and two color. The endpapers show a snowy day in the woods, a small creature trudging through it with a sack on its back. This is indeed one of Mr. Hague's finest moments. I wish I could give this book a 10, 5 for the story and 5 for the pictures.




2. I remember reading this book around fifth grade. I kind of liked it then, I think because of the whole fairies thing.
   
   Basically the story follows the life of Claus, a baby adopted by fairies. (The story starts in fairy land and much of it involves the fairies and woodland spirits. If you are expecting traditional Christmas lore you will get that but not quite yet.) The fairies are immortal, but Claus will grow up and age. When he has grown to be a teenager the fairies set him up in a cottage in the woods. Apparently they are bringing him food and necessities, so his only job is to discover his purpose in life. He begins to make toys for children to cheer them up, and the story goes from there.
   
   The entire host of fairies gets involved in toy production. Instead of making toys like the merry elves, they bring colors from flowers and other magical properties that Claus can include in his toys. This reads like a fairy tale and grdually Baum brings in elements from the Santa mythology. The transition from fairies and magic to Santa is what I liked most in the book.
   
   I recently reread this book and liked it except for the whole toys making kids happy thing. Its not that I dislike kids or toys. Here Claus (obviously the future Santa Claus) makes toys for children and the toys are the panacea that makes their world perfect. With a small carved toy dog all of a sudden they are kind to siblings, respect their parents and are bursting with joy. If he passed out lifetime supplies of cocain and valium he couldn't make them happier. If I were to find that Baum had been commissioned by a department store to write this book as a special advertising section for holiday spending then that would explain alot. The huge emphasis on more toys=happy makes the book a little sick.
   
   Overall this is a nifty twist on the Santa Claus myth. It reads well even in the summertime. The only drawback is the huge focus on happiness through toys. The only moral that I could extract from the story is that children NEED toys to be happy and this is soooo important that the entire world of fairy restructures itself around toys. Good story but it sometimes feels like good press for the toy department.



3. I first watched this Christmas TV special when my children were small and found it interesting and fun. It brings a different view of how Santa Claus came to be with the help of Nature's creatures. It also has a great message for children that my children got the first time. I watch it every Christmas and enjoy it very much.It makes a nice change from the predictable, sugary shows you can get recently.



4. In this Book L. Frank Baum seeks to explain the origins of Santa Claus to children and he succeeds wonderfully. I read this book when I was much younger and really treasure the talent Baum has to tell a tale and explain where Santa Claus comes from and why he delivers those toys. Baum plays with traditional Santa myths as with most tellings Santa is an orphan or foundling adopted by others. Here Claus is adopted by the wood nymphs and raised to love the forest and all it's creatures. If there is one thing Baum asserts in this book is a love for nature, love and peace. He is taught to love the human race and another great message in this book is to do good in this world and leave it in better condition than we found it. besides that Baum explains how Claus learns to create toys and uses them to bring happiness to the children around him. Every thing is explained how the sleigh and reindeer were first used, how the first stockings were fillied, how Claus created the first christmas tree, and how he became immortal.
   The book is not without a conflict as Baum created the Awgawas, creatures who seek to corrupt children through bad behavior. The creature try to destroy Claus only to earn the wrath of the immortals who befriend him. This battle in the book is noteworthy as supposedly insignificant weapons destroy their attackers.
   
   This particular edition is beautifully painted by Hague. His nymphs are straight out of a style like the elves from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. His Santa is more like a cross between a Father Christmas and Saint Nicholas. He is jolly, and happy. Although I note he also looks a bit like Hague which is fine, why not, Hague sees the Santa in himself. This book is the most beautiful edition of Baum's Christmas classic and worth a read through out December.



5. I got this book for my parents on Christmas. They loved it. It describes the childhood and maturation of Santa Clause. The mythology is deep with fairies and fairy folk. The illustrations are through out the book as any good children's book. This is a classic children's story as it will grip the emotions of even adult readers. It makes one pine for the good and humane in the world. This is a great book.

5 comments about The Nativity.

1. I liked this book because it shows more of the real way things might have happened. It was a great way to show the Nativity.



2. True Christians beware. This book is an obvious mockery of Christ's birth. The use of the King James Bible, while good, is an obvious ploy to lure Christian parents to purchase this for their children. The angels in this book are portrayed as clumsy (sometimes idiotic looking) fairies that interact with Mary and Joseph in human ways (one angel looks to be 'chatting' with Mary over coffee). In one picture it looks as if a shepherd is looking up the angels robes. Christ as a child is quite (graphically) nude. This book is an attempt to drag the history of Christ's birth down to the level of a silly fairy tale. This is dangerous because any child reading this book will probably find it too ridiculous to be true. Also, when the Wise Men arrive Christ is shown as an infant still. The Wise Men did not arrive to see Jesus until over a year after his birth (he was most likely two years old at the time). But like everything else in this book, while the text is the King James Bible, the art tells a completely different story- a fairy tale.
   
   If you want your child to stay grounded in the truth of Christ's birth, stay away from this foolish book.



3. Found this at the library last year and rushed to get my own copy. The KJV Bible text coupled with the whimsical/human illustrations are as as refreshing as they are unorthodox. Unlike other reviewers who were appalled at angels with tattered wings and combat boots, having coffee with Mary, I chalked it up to artist's interpretation. The illustrations capture the emotions in this divine story, from the exhaustion of a just delivered Mary, to the tenderness of Joseph handling the baby, to the grandfatherly adoration of the sheperds as they peer into the manger. I also loved the naked newborn Jesus. This was precious, not vulgar or in poor taste as some reviewers have said. Every person comes into the world naked and helpless, after all. Of course, liberties were taken with the text, and the illustrations may not be "accurate" in their interpretation, but so what? Frankly, I'm sick of Nativity books that portray the stable as spotless and pristine, Mary looking fresh as a daisy, and everyone with a full head of hair. As whimsical as the pictures are, I think they offer a more realistic interpreation of how things really were. Let's face it folks, pregnancy and childbirth are hard work, stables are dusty, dirty, and stinky, people who live and work outside with livestock are going to look windblown and haggard, and traveling long distance on the backs of animals will leave you bowlegged and rumpled! Just enjoy the emotional essence of this ancient and divine event!



4. I found this years ago and was so thrilled with the new updated images of the characters, that I bought for all my friends back then. This year, I had to have it again for new friends. It's a wonderful re-telling of the Nativity in a more modern theme. The illustrations are remarkable. I love it and so did all the women I gave it to - especially expectant moms.



5. This is a fantastic book for all ages. The illustrations will warm your heart. An up- to- date angel in combat boots, Mary looking as young as she was, and a warm sense of family leaps off the pages. Borrow a child and read this book to them. You'll be a happy person.

2 comments about Santa Paws: Santa Paws Saves The Day (Santa Paws).

1. I bought this for my Grandaughter's 10th Birthday. She enjoys the Santa Paws Books by Kris Edwards and especially liked this one. I would recommend all of the books.



2. i really enjoyed the book and i can hardly wait until the next one comes out. i have 9 santa paws books

2 comments about The Candle in the Window.

1. Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, The Candle In The Window is a children's picture book about the true meaning of Christmas. A lonely, unhappy cobbler who finds no joy in life encounters the holiday proceedings of awaiting the Christ Child's visit. He prepares to welcome Christ, yet the gifts he has planned end up going to other needy souls. It is a young girl who shows him the eternal value of this, for Christ's own words have proclaimed the testament of good deeds in the terms "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me." A joyful and faithful holiday commemoration adapted by Grace Johnson, The Candle In The Window is warmly illustrated by Mark Elliott and very highly recommended.



2. I shared this with my third graders and they loved it.

No comments about A Forest for Christmas.