Advent Books

The murder of between one and a half million and three million Bengali civilians by the militarist regime of Pakistan in 1971constitutes one of the forgotten genocides of the twentieth century. Jahanara Imam is one of the witnesses of that horrific period during March-December, 1971. Her book is of special significance today (2002) when there is a coalition of the Jamaate-Islami party (the main collaborators of the pakistan army which carried out the genocide in 1971) with the BNP which incidently tried to denounce Jahanara Imam as a 'traitor'to Bangladesh. It is indicative of how history has been conveniently forgotten by a cynical generation in Bangladesh today.
Her story is set against a time when decent people around the world conveniently chose to ignore the crimes being committed by a neo-fascist army of murderers against unarmed civilians due to the expediences of Cold War alliances.
It is an eyewitness account of bravery, of survival and bearing witness to man's inhumanity against man. The fascist Pakistanis and their murderous collaborators in Bangladesh today have become rehabilitated, both in the eyes of the world and in Bangladesh. It is a supreme irony that it is the freedom fighters and their families who live in fear today in Bangladesh, and that it is a crime to speak on behalf of Bangladesh or its independence movement.
Jahanara Imam's diary is an essential key to remembering events as they truly happened, and contrasts with how today mass murders in fascist pakistan and their filthy collaborators in genocide in Bangladesh today can walk without fear of persecution.

She was one of those people whose self-sacrifice exceeded beyond that which could be expected of any nationalist. In her gripping account of those fateful days in 1971 Jahanara Imam makes us feel a part of her household, not only that , we come to understand all too well the strain she felt and the trials and tribulations she had to go through. In short, we can readily empathize with her. The Pakistanis carried out one of the most brutal and unhuman acts in the history of mankind by trying to wipe out an unarmed, peace loving civilian population, and Jahanara Imam documents this. Through her daily accounts we live through the terror, tragedy and in the end triumph of 1971. Although for that triumph it cost us 3 million people in 9 months of bloody warfare with the Pakistanis, whose systematic genocide failed in the end. Jahanara Imam herself suffered most grieviously , her son, Rumi, never returned from the battlefield in the fight for the motherland's independence. Jahanara Imam records 16 December, 1971 when after over centuries of foreign occupation Bangladesh(Bengal) reemerged as a free state to take her rightful place amongst the family of nations. Nobody can read this diary without shedding tears, it is the record of a brave patriot's trials during her country's war for independence, and in my opinion it should give all people , Bengalis and the rest of the world, an insight into a nation's bloody struggle for freedom. A book which is a must for all those who admire true courage and bravery.

I received this advent calendar as a gift and enjoyed using it this Advent season. Both I and my sister, who is quite younger than I am, enjoyed using it, so it is great for all ages. It is exciting to see the village grow each day. The stickers are made well, and blend into the beautifully detailed background perfectly. After Christmas was over, it was easy to peel the stickers off to put them back on the sticker sheet to use for next year. My only slight complaint is that some of the stickers go across the crease of the background, and will get bent if you don't keep the background open all the time. But the scene is so pretty that you probably wouldn't want to close it anyway.

I sent this calendar to my daughter & grandson without a really good idea what it was like, since there is only one little picture of it online. Later I saw it at their house, and participated in selecting the sticker of the day. As I had hoped, the "village" was empty of anything but snow and the bare outline of each house. My 3-year-old grandson was very successful at putting each sticker within its outline, and took great satisfaction in doing so.

In one week, this little book has become the one begged for nightly by our children. With Mr Morpurgo's recrafting of the Christmas story from the p-o-v of a shepherd boy, we are transported, too, on angel wings and reminded that God cares for all of us and is with us right where we are. On Angel Wings is charming, and will be one excitedly pulled down from the shelf year after year.

There have been countless retellings of the Christmas story but few as tender and touching as this. While intended for young readers it will appeal to all ages with its unique narrative and irresistible illustrations by Quentin Blake.

Few of Grandpa's relatives really believe his story but they always look forward to hearing it on Christmas Eve. He tells it in the same way each time, beginning with "When I was very little....."

As a boy he tended sheep with his father, uncle, and older brothers. One cold, starry night they were visited by the angel Gabriel who told them of an amazing birth, and invited them to come and see the baby for themselves. Well, of course, someone had to stay with the sheep while the other shepherds went over the hill to Bethlehem. Since Grandpa was the youngest he was left behind.

Oh, how he cried and wailed as he watched the others disappear into the night. He shouted, "It's not fair!" And then Gabriel made a return visit, offering to carry the boy to Bethlehem.

Young readers will be delighted with the outcome of this story, and adults may wish they could believe it. Whatever the case, "On Angel Wings" is sure to become a family Christmas favorite.

- Gail Cooke

This is an inspiring allegory which moves well beyond the agebounds of4-8 years old listed in the ad. Our 3 year old loved it. Because it is only pictures, Dad supplied the narrative, with Larisa adding details to the story. We ordered a second copy of this book to send to a 6 year old girl we sponsor at an orphanage in Korea. The message of hope and inclusiveness says that Santa thinks of everyone and has lots of help (in the form of little fairies) in overcoming obstacles to delivery. Beautifully expressive illustrations. A great gift book for the child in all of us!

This book is phenominal. Until you see the illustrations you can not imagine this book. The store is told with illustrations, that are so detailed, that the story is told by the youngest reader in the same detail. It is a book that can be given to a young child, to read the story of Santa, and can be re-read over and over and be just as fresh each time it is told. I have purchased one for every niece, nephew and God Child and will continue to do so.

The illustrations were funny and beautiful. My son could recite the book before he even started Kindergarten.

I am a second grade teacher who read this aloud multiple times in my classroom last year. All my students loved it. It was a crowd pleaser every time. The students were so eager to read it themselves that our classroom needed multiple copies! It can carry you from the first day of school to the last.

I have used this book for my Advent devotional for 3 years in a row. The first year I used it, I was astounded by Hilary's deep and creative prose. I found myself underlining passages nearly every day. The next year I used it, I found myself doing the same thing; but in different places, for different reasons! I have shared this book with so many friends and acquaintances--I can't say enough about it. Her prayers alone are worth the purchase price of the book. They are beautiful and profound. I can't wait to open it up again this year.

I found this book of Advent meditations in 2000, and found them enjoyable and thought-provoking. but I felt that I had missed much. So when Advent rolled around in 2001, I set out on the journey again. I was right. There was more for me to learn about myself and my spiritual journey.

Something I particularly liked was that the journey didn't stop at the stable on Christmas Eve, but continued a full two weeks beyond--taking me back into the real world and reminding me that I cannot remain at that special place, that the stable has gifts for me to return to the everyday world. At this point, I plan to make the journey again in 2002.

Excellent first book from Nick Butterworth introducing the kind, lovable character Percy the park keeper. A fun story in which Percy is visited by animals in the park, who all need a place to sleep because of the cold. Lots of fun here, as Percy lives in a little hut which soon becomes crowded. Have fun with animal voices as you read to your little ones. Cute surprise at the end as a strange noise is heard... the animals are scared, then they find out it's only someone they all know. Charming pictures that please parents and children, lots to look at and a blast for you to read with a little one.

I bought the book merely just looking at the pictures, they are so beautiful. The story itself, even better: based around a circle of friends of Percy the park keeper on a cold winter night. You can see and feel the warmth of Percy's house that he shares with all his friends. Easy to read and mix with soundeffects that children love and easy to follow for as yound as one year olds. Our book is falling apart from overuse but we just cannot put it down. The book is a part of four seasons on the Park. Same friends later appear in other stories that we love; the other books represent spring, summer and autumn.

I read this book to my little sister when we got it from the library. The story is well-written and conveys a great message. It's pace and wording flows easy when reading aloud, and I highly recommend it for younger kids.

This is a very gentle story, enthrallingly soothingly told, with illustrations that make you feel cozy despite the preponderance of snow depicted on every page. The parallel between Martha the cow's birth story and the sparely told Nativity is just right--not overdone, never preachy. The willingness of the human couple to exercise concern for Martha is a nice touch and lends a magical feature to the story. My 15-month-old son is just beginning to develop an interest in story time, and this is one he insists on almost every night!

"The Origins Of Christmas" by Joseph F. Kelly, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 2004.

This book covers exactly what the title says, "The Origins of Christmas". Professor Kelly presents the establishment of Christmas as an important feast day in the Christian Church, with both eastern and western roots. Drawing heavily on the scriptural nativity stories, found in the Gospels of St Mark and St. Luke, the author shows the roots of story of the Three Kings, then Star over Bethlehem, the Flight into Egypt and many more commonly held aspects of Christmas as the present age knows it. Using historical analysis, Dr. Kelly makes it clear that Christ was probably born between 6 B.C,. to 4 B.C., (based upon the records for the death of Herod) and that the ancient Church chose December 25th as the date for celebrating the Birth of Christ as a holy remedy to Roman extravaganzas in that month of the year. Kelly shows how Christmas and Epiphany developed as competing feast days for the Nativity of Christ in Orthodox Catholic and Roman Catholic branches of Christendom. He also devotes some little time to St. Nicholas and how that saint's feast day metamorphosed into a gift giving day in certain countries (e.g. The Netherlands).

This is not, however, a book that deals with the tinsel: the origins of Christmas trees, or Christmas decorations or Christmas lights. Christmas carols are hardly mentioned, and the more modern aspects of Christmas, such Prince Albert's introduction of Christmas trees to England, are not emphasized in Kelly's book. If you want a bible-based analysis of the origins of Christmas, and how the biblical story grew into today's modern story of Christmas, then this is the book for you.

In The Origins Of Christmas, Joseph F. Kelly (Professor of Religious Studies at John Carroll University) deftly traces the evolution of Christmas in Christian life and western culture. Readers will learn when Christmas was first celebrated as the birth of the Christ; how December 25th became the official date for Christmas; how the three "magi from the East" became the three kings known as Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar riding on camels and coming from three different continents to worship the newborn in a manger; why medieval and Renaissance artists tended to portray Joseph as an old man; when Christmas music first made its appearance; the real St. Nicholas and how he became the most well known of all the Christian saints. The diverse origins of Christmas will come as a fascinating surprise to most who know only the Sunday School version of the Christmas story from their childhoods. The Origins Of Christmas, is very highly recommended and informative reading in which Professor Kelly begins when Christmas did not yet exist, and concludes when Christmas had become an integral part of the world culture in general, and Christian communities in particular.

I enjoyed the story. It was a nice twist on the tale. Hopefully, parents will use the book to encourage discussions about life in other parts of our country.

Ok, so I am Amanda's father. But I also am an English teacher (retired) and now a kids story time reader at the local library.
This is a good book. The Jim Rice pictures are lively; the text is true to Ozarks dialect--none of the stupid "hillbilly" mockery that mars so many attempts to portray Ozark life. This is a telling of the old story in a way that can open children's eyes to a world different from their own, or--if the children live in the regions of the Applachians or the Ozarks--convince them that there is much to love in their own heritage.