Snow Globe Wishes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1534110313/
‘Twas an Evening in Bethlehem: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0988451212/
Santa and the Goodnight Train: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1328618404/
joy of christmas
Picture Book Review: Dasher
Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever
by Matt Tavares
by Matt Tavares
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Dasher and her reindeer family are prisoners at a traveling circus, and they tell stories about the cool snow and clear stars of the North Pole. Dasher daringly escapes and searches for the North Pole, using the North Star as her guide. She meets a man dressed in red, struggling to deliver toys to children with only one horse to pull his sleigh. Dasher agrees to help him deliver the toys, and wishes that her family could enjoy the beauty and freedom of the North Pole.
I loved this book! The story is sweet and touching, and the illustrations are beautiful!
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Activity Book Review: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt: Christmas
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt: Christmas Activity Book
by Candlewick Entertainment
by Candlewick Entertainment
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
This sticker activity book features Christmas crafts, sticker pages, cookie recipes, games, and activities for children.
There are charts for counting down the days to Christmas and even a weather chart to keep track of the weather each day. Some of the crafts include masks, bird feeders, table setting cards, snowflake paper chains, and a Christmas wreath.
The games include a Christmas treasure hunt for indoors; exploring for leaves, pine cones, and bird feathers in the outdoors; as well as on-paper activities like a word search or puzzle.
My favorite part of this book are the coloring stickers that are left blank so you can color them in yourself before using them on the sticker activities. There is even a page that prompts you to write your own holiday song!
These look like such fun activities to do with children at Christmas time!
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Picture Book Review: Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play
Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play
by Candlewick Press
by Candlewick Press
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Peppa and her school class are planning their Christmas play. Peppa wants to be a Christmas fairy in the play, and she invites Santa to attend at the school along with all the parents. But Santa is very busy. The schoolmates see him at malls, grocery stores, garden centers, and even at the tree shop. Peppa is sure he will be able to come to their school play, but Madame Gazelle, their teacher, warns Peppa that Santa might not come. The show must go on, even if Santa doesn’t make an appearance.
This adorable picture book has a simple storyline perfect for little children. The writing is easy to read and excellent for beginning readers.
The first part of the story describes what each of the schoolmates will be for the school play, and all the animals prepare their costumes as snowflakes, reindeer, elves, a Christmas tree, and a Christmas star. Suzy Sheep wants to be a Christmas nurse, so she can doctor anyone who is sick at the play! It’s so cute! Continue reading
Book Review: The First Christmas Sweater
The First Christmas Sweater (and the Sheep Who Changed Everything)
by Ryan Tubridy
by Ryan Tubridy
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
The rumor around the sheep farm is that Santa is looking for a special sheep to provide the wool to make the first Christmas sweater. Hillary is a rainbow-colored sheep who loves to make lists, and especially loves Christmas, but will her strangely-colored wool eliminate her from being able to donate her wool to Santa?
Each of the sheep in this Irish sheep farm have their own personalities and quirks. Hillary has many friends, but one of the sheep, Brian, is just annoying with his dumb jokes and “ewe” puns. Hillary spends her time daydreaming about Christmas, but Brian keeps interrupting her with boring small talk. Hillary would rather gossip with her bird friend, Didya, who is always asking “Didya know this? Didya know that?” and telling her all the news.
I loved all the sheep characters! They are so funny and cute. I could really imagine all their Irish accents. The plot is entertaining, and the writing is playful. There are many sheep puns, and several pages full of sheep jokes at the end of the book. Continue reading
Book Review: The Magic Christmas Ornament
The Magic Christmas Ornament
by James and Victoria Barbato (Authors), Joe Huffman
by James and Victoria Barbato (Authors), Joe Huffman
2 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Three siblings hear the story about how their father found a magic ornament when he was a boy. When they examine the ornament on Christmas Eve, the children are whisked away to Santa’s Workshop in the North Pole, where they play with toys and meet Santa’s elves. They are given an ornament off Santa’s own Christmas tree, and they return home full of the joy of Christmas.
The writing is good, but has a stiff style, especially in the dialogue. It doesn’t flow as well as it could, but it’s not bad. The story is interesting, but rather simple. There isn’t anything particularly memorable or special in the plot, but it is a sweet story.
The illustrations really bothered me.
Joy of Christmas Book Tag
Samantha at Novels and Nonsense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ4DZ0uEXnk
The questions: Continue reading
Luminous Libro 