Advent Books

My daughter and I have read tons and tons of books. This one is going on the "great list". BTW, not many go on that list. The story is absolutley perfect for Christmastime or anytime. Written in a diary format starting Dec. 21 through Christmas Day, a young girl, in 1845, tells of her life and wonderful small community and a Christmas miracle. Absolutely wonderful character names include Fliberty Jibbert, Valentine McGinty and Aunt Heddy Peggler. If you are trying to keep plenty of innocent and great literature around for your children to read, this is one to keep around. You CAN judge a children's book by its cover.

I am a 9-year-old boy (mom is typing) and I thought this book was excellent. It's about a little girl who meets a guy named Fritz Klingle, who is looking for his dog named jingle. It's a very good Christmas book.

A great granddaughter discovers a family diary from 1845. The story of a special Christmas in Cobtown unfolds. Art is a cartoon-like character with excellent illustrations in lively colors. A great read - includes receipes for dog soup! I highly recommend this family type, holiday book for students from K through 5 grades.

The Van Nutts bring us instantly back to a lost era full of magic. Somehow they have mastered the art of historical accuracy without boredom or cheesiness- something so few artists can do. The drawings have all the skill of Van Allsburg but more warmth and depth for their genuineness, while the text makes you long to search through your grandmother's closet in search of hidden treasures. It's an instant classic and a must-have for someone who takes kid's books seriously.

I read this book with my children (ages 13, 11, 7). They were more than enthusiastic about the book! They enjoyed the story content and thought that it would make a nice addition to our Church's library.

I felt that the book addresses not only diversity issues, but makes it clear that other people's beliefs are ok, and that we should respect this. It was well written and easy to understand. I give it a 5 star!

This is the most outstanding book that teaches children acceptance of different cultures. It is much more than a Christmas story. My children loved this book!

Ann has taken the American dream of writing a book to the finish line. In accomplishing this she has also addressed a dream for many of us. That is blurring the lines between race and opening the door to acceptance. This book is a must for young and old alike. It took me back to a simpler time...a happier time. Let her touch your heart with this book as she has touched mine both with the book and being a great friend.

I read this story as I was typing it to send to the publisher. I thought it was a wonderful story for parents or older siblings to read to "little ones" at Christmas time. I also found it thought provoking, and a helpful story to help children with issues about diversity.

Excellent book. I've had it a few weeks and tried about ten recipes and they've all been delicious. This is definately a keeper.

This is a GREAT book! It has many, many different and interesting recipes that are not the same-old, same-old holiday fare. The suggested menus and wine pairings make it simple and undaunting to throw together a small or large party. And I love that a lot of the recipes list make-ahead components. The recipes included in this book are ones you can enjoy all year round. Don't wait for a holiday to try them!

This book has many different takes on traditional holiday food plus many unique recipes that one might not usually consider when preparing their holiday feast. There is even a section that includes ideas for edible holiday gifts. I am a subscriber to Cooking Light magazine and own many of their other books, and the recipes never dissapoint. Everything I have made has been delicious. There are so many good recipes I had trouble narrowing down what recipes to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

One of my favorite recipes from this book is the Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread. I plan on using this book year-round.

Lushly photographed and filled with stunning winter holiday recipes from breakfast and cocktail parties to the Big Events themselves, this cookbook features lighter versions of many old favorites and some great ideas for reducing the fat in your own recipes. Ingredient substitutions, decorating tips, make ahead meals, and even wine and food pairings are included, as the editors make the holidays a joyful time, foodwise, even for those on special diets. Clearly printed nutritional information appears with each recipe so that those on special diets, such as cardiac patients, can choose among the many selections.

Many appetizer recipes feature veggie-based dips and salsas--Tomato Crostini, Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip, and Warm Mushroom Spread all feature less than 1 g. of saturated fat per serving. "Creamy" dips use lower fat cream cheese to keep these appetizers at about 1 g. of fat per serving. One appetizer made with phyllo dough, usually a no-no for those on diets, uses butter-flavored cooking spray between the layers, instead of butter, to save fat and calories. Vietnamese spring rolls and Chicken/Lemon Pot-Stickers, use rice paper and won ton wrappers, lighter than pastry.

"Light" does not mean "dull" here. Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb, Individual Beef Wellingtons (using phyllo sprayed with cooking spray, instead of puff pastry), or Ultimate Roasted Turkey, with gravy, are all on the menu. A wide assortment of side dishes--soufflés, Caramelized Onions, Potato-Gorgonzola Gratin, Pumpkin-Sage Polenta, and even Leek, Potato, and Caraway Latkes with Spiced Sour Cream--perk up the plate and the palate. The Salad section is outstanding, with unusual combinations of ingredients--Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette is a knockout. Fruit relishes, chutneys, salsas, and even candied cranberries are used as garnishes.

The editors have gone "all out" in the dessert section. The traditional pecan pie is here--regular pecan filling inside a lowfat, cookie-like crust--along with Vanilla or Pumpkin Cheesecake (made with 2 ½ pounds of reduced fat and non-fat cream cheese), gorgeous cakes made with less fat and fewer egg yolks, and pies with lowfat gingersnap, graham cracker, or vanilla wafer crusts. Over forty recipes are included for use as gifts--Apricot Amaretto Bread, Cranberry-Hazelnut Coffee Cake, Orange-Pistachio Baklava.

With over 500 tasty recipes offering a huge selection of elegant and even exotic recipes, this is a cookbook useful to everyone who is health-conscious, including vegetarians. Twenty pages of meatless main dishes and a vegetarian Hanukkah menu are included. A terrific compilation of healthier preparations for traditional holiday foods, this is a cookbook that has it all--and that will be used long past the holidays. n Mary Whipple

I first heard this story on the radio during the Christmas season, many, many years ago. It might have been before Amazon even existed. I searched everywhere for the audio version, couldn't find it, and settled on the (first) book.

If you are not familiar with the story, read it, listen to this Audio Book, share it with loved ones. If it touches just one person, it will be the best thing that ever happened to them.

This is one of my favorite stories. I play it every Christmas and I give it as presents. A wonderful CD and I would recommend as a must for everyone.

The story itself is wonderful. The story of a young man who feels obligated to visit his aunt who has had a stroke and is not the same person that she was when she hosted the Christmas get togethers in the past. Or is she?

You will be delighted with the author's telling of his tale. His voice conveys the feelings and the story takes you there. To the family gatherings of your past and to the people who were so important to them.

A wonderful Christmas story and a delightful Christmas Gift.

I picked up the cassette version in Hanover, NH while visiting the bookstore there, then my wife and I listened to it on the drive home to Connecticut. We'd heard about the book, but hadn't read it. What a treat. First, it surprised us to hear it in rhyme. But it wasn't rhymy, if you know what I mean. It flowed, and the sentences weren't doing somersaults to make the rhyme scheme work. It was great prose, too, not just poetry. And the narrative which carried the sentiment was so touching. Not even a half hour for both this story and the sequel, both of which were on the same cassette. Lovely. Delightful. Sorry I hadn't discovered it earlier. reviewed by Steve Burt, author of A CHRISTMAS DOZEN FROM THE CHRISTMAS STORY PASTOR.

I thought this was very cute like all the dr seuss books and relatively easy to understand ( for beginners), how ever I didn't like that for translating the book doesn't ryme very well.

I bought it for my three year old son, and I can't express how much joy my little one has every night when he goes to bed, he immediately runs to bed and literally ask my wife or me to start reading. I highly recommend it for all the little ones!! ! !, you won't regret it.

This translation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas loses none of the rhythm and fun of the English version. Spanish-speaking kids (and English-speaking kids who are learning Spanish) need more Dr. Suess books translated.

This story by the famous author DR. seuss has become a favorite among chilren of all ages. The Grinch, a green monster, doesn't like Christmas, so he steals children's presents and takes wreths from houses. This book is so good it is now a movie starring Jim Carrie. I believe this is Dr. Seuss's best book.

Our family is already a big Marc Brown fan, so we thought we probably had a good bet in this new D.W. book. We were right! While most kids spend a lot of time thinking about what they are going to get for Christmas, so does D.W. However, this book gets D.W. (and your child) thinking about what they can get for others! I loved that D.W. took initiative and made the gifts herself, rather than going to the mall!

The illustrations are great and this is another winner from Marc Brown!

"D.W.'s Perfect Present" is a story fit for the holidays. This story is part of a newer set of Arthur / D.W. books aimed at slightly younger readers. It is both fully written and illustrated by Marc Brown.

This book is about D.W., who is searching for Christmas gifts all over and outside the Read household. She looks everywhere, but everyone seems to be making a gift for someone else. As D.W. sees all these gifts, she comes to realization that changes her outlook on the holidays.

D.W. is as cute as ever in this story. The story is fairly simple to follow, but quite enjoyable. Most of the pages are fully illustrated with bright, lush color. This is a wonderful book that will make just about anyone happy for the holidays.

D.W. is excited about Christmas and she begins snooping around the house looking for her gifts. She asks her Dad if a gift he is wrapping is a present for her. But no, it's a fruitcake for Grandma Thora. D.W's Mom is making something in the basement. "Is that for me?" D.W. exclaims. No, it's a ladder for Arthur's tree house.

Featuring Arthur, Mom, Dad, baby Kate, Pal the dog, and Grandma Thora, D.W.'s Perfect Present is a colorful and delightful holiday book that shows the good feelings that come from giving. Not only is this a great story, but it also features gorgeously rich illustrations by author Marc Brown.

On the back of the book is a fun Holiday Hunt where your child can help D.W. find 13 holiday gifts hidden throughout the house

There are only a few more days until Christmas, and D.W. is ecstatic. Unfortunately, she's also extremely nosy, and believes that there are more presents hidden around the house, other than the ones sitting under the Christmas tree. So D.W. sets out searching, looking high and low. However, she soon realizes that due to her selfishness, she never purchased presents for her family, so she begins creating masterpieces for everyone, including Pal, Arthur's puppy.

Fans of the ARTHUR TV show will be enthralled to find a holiday book perfect for young readers and their parents. While it shows how young children truly act when the holidays roll around, it also depicts how great it feels to give presents to the ones you love. This is a wonderful holiday story that will be cherished for years to come, especially by those who love D.W.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

My toddler class loved this book. They would always giggle and make all the animal sounds. I loved that it showed that even if we don't think we are good enough...we are. A sweet story and a great addition to any preschooler's collection!

I liked the idea of the book- the underdog/ shy donkey finding that he too had something to give the baby Jesus .I was hoping for a book that highlighted some aspects of the nativity- something that would reinforce what I am teaching my children about the birth of Christ. I nice book but not an historical teaching tool.

My 1-year-old really enjoys this book. It's the real Christmas story told from the animal's perspective. My son LOVES animals so he enjoys hearing what each animal says to baby Jesus. Almost all the kids I know would love this book!!

No offense to the reviewer disappointed that this is not a "historical teaching tool", but this book is not intended to be that! Nancy Tafuri is one of the most gifted picture book authors for the very young, and she has used her talents here to make the Nativity story accessible to the very youngest readers. The gentle text and expressive pictures draw young children into the stable along with the animals to see the newborn baby, and to greet him.

I read this at storyhours for two and three year olds. The children love joining in on the animals' songs, and when the donkey sings his noisy "hee-haw" song, they laugh along with the baby. No, they don't get the deeper message, but we are talking about very little children and their first introduction to the story--and this works!

There are plenty of good books out there for older children about the Nativity. But if you want something to gently introduce your child to the wonder of Christmas--here it is.

I discovered An Ellis Island Christmas while trying to research my own family's journey from Poland in 1917. Growing up, I remember my babcia (grandmother) storing her sewing supplies in a small wicker hamper with a cloth lining. This was the same container that brought my grandmother and great-grandmother's possessions from Zamosc, Poland. When I flipped through An Ellis Island Christmas and saw that beautiful watercolor of a Polish willow hamper that matched my own heirloom, it was an emotional moment.

The picture book tells the story of Krysia, a six-year-old Polish girl whose father has already left for America (as was frequently the case). Now, Krysia and her mother and brothers are boarding a steamship that will take them to Ellis Island. Their journey is a tiring one, first having to walk on foot to reach their point of departure, then facing seasickness and storms at sea before arriving at their destination. Because this is a book aimed at ages 5 and up, there are brief hints of immigrants deported for illnesses and the threat of WWI, but the story does not dwell or linger on these darker moments, instead focusing on Krysia's wonder at the journey, her friend and shipmate Zanya, and her dolls.

Christmas Eve at Ellis Island is a wondrous experience for Krysia, who discovers that Father Christmas has made the journey all the way from Poland. She also discovers bananas and electric lights for the first time.

The beautiful watercolor / colored pencil graphics truly bring Krysia's experience to vibrant life; the haunting image of the Statue of Liberty must have been exactly as my grandmother saw it when she was a little girl. The sepia-toned illustrations of a rustic Polish cottage and the imposing Ellis Island hallways are softened by the melancholy Krysia, until she smiles at last when being reunited with her papa.

This is a beautiful book to introduce younger readers to the Ellis Island immigrant experience, and it's even more meaningful for those of us who had a grandparent who immigrated in recent memory . I was lucky enough to finally track down the original ship manifests and Ellis Island documents for my Polish grandparents (who immigrated at roughly the same time as Krysia), and my personal experiences as a second-generation Polish-American made An Ellis Island Christmas even more meaningful.

If you Could bring one thing to a place you've never been to, what would you bring? Well in "An Ellis Island Christmas" a six year old girl is going to America and she can only bring one of her two dolls. So, she brings her favorite doll to America. On her journey she always asks'," when are we going to get there." When they finally got to America she only misses two things, her house and her doll that she supposudly left at home. After her family gets through the tent and are American Citizens, Krysia, the girl, gets one present from her mom for Christmas. I bet you could guess what it is.

Written from the perspective of a little girl, this story gives an excellent idea of what it was like for the immigrants who came to America during the years, 1892 to 1924. This is the story of six-year old Krysia Petrowski's voyage to America.

Krysia's father was already in America to make a new life for his family. When he had a job and a home, he sent for his wife, daughter and two sons. The decision to leave Poland, their homeland was difficult; leaving behind family and friends was not an easy thing to do. The children could only take necessary items and each child was allowed to bring just one toy. Their clothes, blankets, shoes and toys were knotted up in a sheet to be carried over the shoulder. Krysia had a problem choosing between her two beloved dolls. She took Basha because she was the smaller of the two dolls and would take up less space.

After leaving their village, it took the family four days of walking to arrive at the port where a large steamship was there to take them across the ocean. The difficult sea voyage involved poor sanitation, sickness and lack of decent food. After about fourteen days, the passengers finally view the Statue of Liberty and depart at Ellis Island on Christmas Eve.

On Ellis Island, the immigrants went through many inspections, which included medical examinations for each family member. The paperwork and examination usually took three to five hours to complete. Passing the examinations meant that the immigrants were allowed into the country. Those who did not have the proper papers or failed their medicals, were delayed for days or even months and could be sent back to their original countries.

This well written and carefully illustrated little book is ideal for children who are studying the history of America or the story of their own family.

"An Ellis Island Christmas" is a first person fictional story of a 6 year-old girl emigrating from Poland to America in the early 1900s, inspired by the author's grandmother. As I read the book, I was reminded of my grandmother's story of emigrating from a Russian-Poland border town to America in 1910 at age 6. Like the girl, Krysia, who traveled with her mother and two older brothers to meet her father in America, my grandmother traveled with her mother and older brother to meet her father and sister there. Many details are very similar to what my grandmother told me, including the long arduous journey to the ship, the ship severely rocking, and all the passengers getting sea sick. (Although in my grandmother's case, she was the only passenger who did not get sick!) With so many authentic details, from leaving home to the ride on the ship to the Ellis Island immigrant processing (including medical exam), author Maxinne Rhea Leighton captures the essence of the Eastern European immigration experience during America's peak immigration years of 1892 to 1924.

Illustrator Dennis Nolan, whose illustrations grace dozens of children's books and other publications, also does a fabulous job of capturing the immigration experience with his sensitive, softly drawn, detailed drawings. He excels in capturing expression, such as the girl earnestly trying to decide which doll she could keep, her look of slight apprehension boarding the ship, and the joyful reunion with her father.

The back of the book says it is for ages 3 to 8. I would suggest ages 6 through 9 or grades 1 through 3. At 31 pages, many containing several paragraphs of text, the book is too long and detailed to read to a preschooler as a bedtime story. But it's perfect for a young grade school child to read to him- or herself. It's a fabulous idea for a story, beautifully and sensitively executed, and although geared toward children, I believe adults would enjoy it too as I have.

We love books written by this author and the pictures are always wonderful. This book encourages the spirit of giving throughout the year.

I love his books, I have them all. I have no complaints, a real joy to read. I do wish that he would come out with one that has color pictures...just once. :-)

Loved the pictures and the message behind the book. Showed it to several people who loved it too. Purchasing some as gifts!

Bradley Trevor Grieve never fails to give us a great book, with stunning pictures and a cute narrative and message to go along with them. This book is no exception. Definitely worth adding to your collection, if you are a BTG lover.

This is one of Anaya's enchanting stories reflecting the Hispanic culture of northern New Mexico, unique in all the US. This old, deep culture is rooted in high desert austerity. It is a rural life of sparseness. Beauty is found in family life and small traditions. All who read this charming story will be enriched. To see the simple "paper bags with candles" lining roads and driveways on Christmas Eve is to be transported. This story is perfect for the holidays.

The Farolitos of Christmas tells a warm story of a young girl's respect and love for her grandfather, who is too ill to keep his commitment to light fires at Christmas time. The story creates how the young girl thought of "farolitos" or "little lights" to be used to keep the promise in an acceptable way and also light the path for the carolers at Christmas time. A wonderful story that reflects the rich family traditions of the Mexican American culture. This book was one of the winners of the 1995 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, given to recognize books that authentically reflect the lives and experiences of Mexican Americans in the United States.

This book is an excellent way for children to learn about their own culture or the culture of others with whom they may be attending school. This is a meaningful story of giving the most valuable of all gifts: love and gestures of personal comitment toward those whom we love. There are numerous such stories for children, but this is from the cultural confluence of the Hispanic and Native American cultures and we need many more such stories.

This is a wonderful, warm book, and gives an insight into a culture that is different from what most in other parts of the U.S. have experienced. But the culture is not Mexican American, but the Hispanic culture of Northern New Mexico, which dates back to the late 16th Century. I can't, in a short review, list the distinctions, but they are deep and significant. For more information, see the other works by Rudolfo Anaya, Christmas in Old Santa Fe, by Pedro Ortega, and histories of the area such as Horgan's Great River. In short, New Mexico was at the end of a very long journey from Mexico, and the isolation produced its own rich and unique culture.