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JennGM
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One more thought: I was discussing the book with my husband, and he didn't think it was too much. He thought that it's only a child, taking from a grandparent wasn't serious. It would be like if your father had a shop. And he thought with the grandparents saying they saw it all was wiping it all away.
I see his point, but I personally just had nagging thoughts because it felt unaddressed.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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LeeAnn
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Well, "The Message of the Birds"...beautiful illustrations (really charming, joyful, colorful, naturalistic birds of all kinds), great build up, great premise...but the message turns out to be TOO simple. Just, "Peace on Earth." OK, if you know what that refers to or can build on that with a conversation, it's not a total bust, but I was hoping for a little more Gospel and a little less generic-ness. The title was originally written in German and this is the first English edition.
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LeeAnn
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"Christmas from Heaven" was a hit with my 7yo son, mainly because of the included DVD. He was able to follow along as Tom Brokaw read the story and was excited to build his own candy parachutes --instructions at the end of the book. My son has been a little oblivious to what Christmas is all about...sort of shocking in this family, I feel...but maybe it's because he's the youngest? This book gave him another little piece of the puzzle, that Christmas is a time to be selfless, give to others, even people you don't know. And he loves WWII setting, so it was a good one for him. I think I will pull out "Christmas in the Trenches" next.
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JennGM
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LeeAnn, your reviews are super helpful! I was eyeing Message of the Birds and so glad to read your review!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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KackyK
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Glad to know about "The Message of the Birds", thanks LeeAnn.
I got the Patricia Polacco book "Gifts of the Heart" from the library. Illustrations and story are great. It's not one I'd read to my children though because we don't "do" Santa. We do celebrate St. Nicholas day and such. However the story is kind of two fold...teaching the children in the story that there are better gifts than "presents" but gifts from the heart (hence the name) but also that believing is important, having hope.
On Christmas eve the kids "hear" bells, they "hear" hoofs on the roof and then the next morning they see hoof prints and runners of a sleigh. That part of the story would be too much for us. There would just be too much explaining for us.
However, I can say as a child who grew up believing there was a Santa, this one would keep me have kept me believing 
I also got "An Otis Christmas" from the library too. This is written and illustrated by Loren Long. Love this. This is going in the Amazon cart and on to checkout! The pictures are awesome, oversize book, the story is about Otis getting a new horn for Christmas and being excited a new foal is to be born soon on the farm. On Christmas Eve he overhears the farmer say the doctor has to come that night or both horses will die. Otis goes out in a snowstorm, gets the doctor and of course all is well. However, best page...the farmer kneeling over the horse, eyes closed, hands clasped and it says "The farmer prayed for a miracle" and Otis shows up with the doctor  In the end Otis says he loves his horn, but Christmas is all about family and friends. Very sweet.
Really wanting to see the Candy Bomber!!!! I don't know what number I am on that wait list!
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KackyK
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CrunchyMom
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LeeAnn wrote:
| "Christmas from Heaven" was a hit with my 7yo son, mainly because of the included DVD. He was able to follow along as Tom Brokaw read the story and was excited to build his own candy parachutes --instructions at the end of the book. My son has been a little oblivious to what Christmas is all about...sort of shocking in this family, I feel...but maybe it's because he's the youngest? This book gave him another little piece of the puzzle, that Christmas is a time to be selfless, give to others, even people you don't know. And he loves WWII setting, so it was a good one for him. I think I will pull out "Christmas in the Trenches" next. |
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That sounds super for my crew!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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knowloveserve
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Has anyone had a chance to see A Child's Christmas in New England? Wondering if the story component is any good or if it's just nostalgic memories...
Also, The Christmas Visitors looks very fun... would love a review on it if possible.
My library has neither book...
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LeeAnn
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I have The Christmas Visitors by Karel Hayes. It's cute. I like the artwork. There is little text. Good for younger kids.
The basic story: a family at home in their apartment in the city miss their woodsy vacation cabin, so they decide to pack up and take their gifts and celebrate in the country. They travel by train and the scenery is snowy. In the meantime, the local bear family has decided to take advantage of the empty cabin and bring in a tree and begin to decorate when they are dismayed to hear the human family arriving unexpectedly. The bears leave, the humans arrive, somewhat saddened, as the local town is sold out of trees and turkeys. The bears recover their spirits though when they decide to play Santa on the surprised humans.
The best part of the story are the soft, watercolor and sketch style illustrations. It's family-friendly and warm, but definitely in the secular Christmas category. (There are two more books by the same author/illustrator about the cabin in winter and summer.)
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MarilynW
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These reviews have been awesome. I especially was glad of Jenn's review - I cannot tolerate any untruthfulness in literature. A few years ago we got The Christmas Mystery - and I remember the girl in that was deceitful in some way - and I really did not like the book.
Can anyone comment on the following books that I am considering:
1. Lucy's Christmas
2. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
3. Christmas Day in the Morning
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Marilyn
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knowloveserve
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MarilynW wrote:
2. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
3. Christmas Day in the Morning |
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Superb. The both of them in their own way.
Willowby is my one of my very favorite "lighthearted" Christmas books. And Christmas Day has such a beautiful father/son relationship and message on giving...
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Ellie
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Christine
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Golden Books has republished The Christmas ABC. The book is illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. My youngest will be receiving this as his Christmas book this year.
My children think that Mr. Willowby's Christmas is an amusing story. Mr. Willowby gets a Christmas tree that is too tall for where it is placed, so he chops the top off. The top is given to his maid who chops the top off. Eventually, a chopped off top of the tree is thrown outside and a bear gets it. Finally, a mouse family (who lives in Mr. Willowby's house) ends up with the last chopped off bit of tree. We will check this out from the library again.
Lucy's Christmas didn't really appeal to me. The premise is good, but the writing could have been better. I was surprised to hear the church in the book referred to as Danbury's Christian Church. I think that churches in 1910 were designated as Catholic (the first Christians), Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, etc. This is not a book that I would add to our personal library or check out again.
Christmas Day in the Morning is a poignant and heartwarming book. I purchased it last year with the intention of giving it to my oldest son, but it was sold out and ended up not arriving. I am thinking about purchasing it this year for my second oldest son.
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Christine
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LeeAnn
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1. A Christmas in New England by Robert Sullivan, illus. Glenn Wolff. My 10yo daughter thought this was really good read. Nostalgia, yes, but with depth. A little melancholy but a lot of funny incidents too. A good Christmas read for older, independent readers.
2. The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate by Janice Cohn, illus. by Bill Farnsworth (published 1995, but new to me). I came across this on Amazon. It's a picture book with more text retelling true events in Billings, Montana, in 1993. Worth reading, an inspiring true tale about standing up against bigotry by responding with love.
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knowloveserve
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The Christmas Owl… is getting good reviews but I don't know much about it. I suspect it's 'cute' but nothing to write home about… ?
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Ellie
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4Real Forums : Picture Book Discoveries
Topic: New Christmas Books - Published 2013
