On Christmas Eve, the Three Bears are making final preparations for Christmas. The gingerbread bears have just come out of the oven, but they are too hot. The family decides to go for a walk while the cookies are cooling. After enjoying the sights and sounds of the outdoors, the bears come home to find there has been a special visitor in their home.
This is a perfect bedtime story to use during the holiday season. It features all of the familiar elements of Christmas from gingerbread cookies to reindeer and has each one saying good night to either Mommy of Daddy in his/her own special way. The illustrations in this book are of particular note and provide much for little ones to enjoy.
Santa Comes to Little House is actually a chapter taken from the series that has been illustrated and made into a Christmas picture book. Our daughter saw this at the library and was very excited about reading it. It did not disappoint. The illustrations bring the Christmas celebration of the Ingalls family to life. The genuine joy and thankfulness Mary and Laura display for their relatively simple Christmas surprises (a tin cup, a candy cane, a small cake, and a penny) provide a wonderful opportunity for discussion.
You Are My Miracle is a sweet celebration of the parent and child relationship which focuses on preparations for Christmas. The story is told in rhyming verse, and includes lovely illustrations.
Olive, the Other Reindeer is a delight. Olive is really a dog, but she becomes confused while listening to Christmas music as she is wrapping presents. Rather than hearing about: “…all of the other reindeer…”, Olive hears her own version of the lyrics: “Olive, the other reindeer…”. Although she was certain she was a dog, Olive doesn’t want to disappoint Santa, and she immediately heads to the North Pole. Before long, it is clear that Santa really does need the special skills that only Olive can provide.
Extra Yarn is a fantastic book that features a little girl named Annabelle who is a terrific heroine. Annabelle demonstrates creativity, curiosity, and confidence. She finds a way to transform her dreary town of black and white into a colorful, fun place with just some extra yarn. When an evil archduke comes to town it appears that the magic may end, but things work out as intended when all is said and done.
Amazing Magnetism is part of the Magic School Bus Chapter Book Series. Ms. Frizzle and the adventures of the Magic School Bus have been favorites for a long time at our home in their picture book format. We recently discovered that the adventures continue in chapter book format. Our kindergartener is incredibly delighted. These books provide solid science information while continuing the humorous adventures of Ms. Frizzle’s class as they have one of a kind field trips in the Magic School Bus.
Best wishes for a Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, food, and fun!
The pictures in this book are amazingly beautiful and are supported by the rhyming text. The Very First Thanksgiving Day provides a well organized overview of the first Thanksgiving for young readers and would make a great selection for a read aloud.
When Dinosaurs Came with Everything is a fun book. Often children are given stickers after successfully visiting the doctor or dentist. What if instead of a sticker, a child was given a dinosaur to take home?! After collecting a few dinosaurs on an afternoon full of errands, a little boy and his mother return home. Mom quickly comes to realize that dinosaurs can be exceedingly helpful around the house, and the little boy immediately accepts them as part of his family and includes them in all the fun of the day. Dinosaur lovers young and old will enjoy this silly tale.