Christmas Books

wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hank the cowdog is a great book for the family or by yourself . john r erikson did a wonderful job on this book . you need to read it to belive it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

I love all the Hank books, and this is a great one for the Christmas season. These books are hilarious and more important to the young reader, fun to read. I'd also check the rest of the series.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

This is one of my favriote books it is funny and exciting. It takes the perspective of a cowdog on a ranch in east texas. That thinks he is head of ranch security and goes through a lot of hillarius storys.

In this book a buzzard gets hurt, and he gets taken care of.Well,one day Slim,Little Alfred, Drover(the dog),and Hank(the dog)was driving to town to get Christmas presents,and a buzzard named Wallace flew into the wind shield.He got hurt pretty bad,and Little Alfred begged Slim to take him home and take care of him.Slim took him home after he went shopping,and cured him.Then Wallace flew away with his son happily ever after.

Hank the cowdog is "head of ranch security," and tend to act like Barney Fife. the entire seires of Hank the Cowdog stories are hilarious. The story is told from the perspective of Hank and the animal characters in this story, such as Drover, the young pup in training for ranch security, are constantly causing problems for Hank. In one story Hank gets sick after eating a frying pan full of bacon grease. He knows what he should and should not do, but always finds himself being overcome by his true nature--egotistical, gluttonous, etc.

Read this book and you will be addicted to Hank.

I bought this book because someone here reviewed it as "Better then the movie" Well it is exactly the same except for an extra line once every 20 pages or so.But is is a great book.

Wow! I love this book... and even now as 18 I still read this book to get me into that "Christmas spirit" I so desperately want to be in... I read this book every year it's one of my regulars on my holiday reading list.

Valentine Davies weaves such an impressive story that it will make the most skeptical child believe and it will make us that no longer can- wish we could. This is simply the perfect holiday story- one a parent could read to a child before they go to sleep or a story that a moderate second grade reader could read on their own without any difficulty...

I love reading this more than I do watching the classic version of the movie for Valentine Davies makes this book more magical than the movie could ever hope to be. All in all if you want to buy a book for the holidays- for someone on your shopping list this is definately one to buy! Or even own for yourself!

I read the book Miracle on 34th Street by, Valentine Daviesý. It was a fabulous Christmas fiction book. The main message or theme that I got from the book was anythingýs possible-you just have to believe.
Doris Walker is in charge of running the Macyýs Day Parade, which takes place on Thanksgiving Day. When her Santa Clause slacks off last minute she finds Kris Kringle and hires him to do the job. Kris does an amazing job. The only bothersome thing is he really and truly believes that he is Kris Kringle-Santa Clause. Doris doesnýt believe him, and thinks he might be insane. Along with Doris not believing in Santa Clause, nor does her 6 year old daughter Susan. Kris however wants to change that, he wants to make them believe..he believes Christmas is all about believing. Doris and her boss think Mr. Kringle is insane so they send him to a mental institution. Mr. Kringle then worries-what is going to happen with Christmas? How could he disappoint millions of kids all over the world? He some how has to find a way to save Christmas!
I loved the book. I read it around Christmas which seemed to make the book even better. It was a memorable book that I will remember constantly throughout the holiday season. It was so good I might read it every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It would be nice to have a tradition like that.
This book didnýt really relate to my Christmas Holiday Season. As a child I always believed in Santa unlike Susan did. My parents encouraged the belief of Christmas and Santa Clause until my brother and I started questioning and figuring things out. Still till this day I believe Christmas was always better when I was young and believed. It made the Holiday Season seem so magical.
Read Miracle on 34th Street to see if Susanýs Christmas was magical!

I read the book Miracle on 34th Street by, Valentine Davies'. It was a fabulous Christmas fiction book. The main message or theme that I got from the book was anything's possible-you just have to believe.
Doris Walker is in charge of running the Macy's Day Parade, which takes place on Thanksgiving Day. When her Santa Clause slacks off last minute she finds Kris Kringle and hires him to do the job. Kris does an amazing job. The only bothersome thing is he really and truly believes that he is Kris Kringle-Santa Clause. Doris doesn't believe him, and thinks he might be insane. Along with Doris not believing in Santa Clause, nor does her 6 year old daughter Susan. Kris however wants to change that, he wants to make them believe..he believes Christmas is all about believing. Doris and her boss think Mr. Kringle is insane so they send him to a mental institution. Mr. Kringle then worries-what is going to happen with Christmas? How could he disappoint millions of kids all over the world? He some how has to find a way to save Christmas!
I loved the book. I read it around Christmas which seemed to make the book even better. It was a memorable book that I will remember constantly throughout the holiday season. It was so good I might read it every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It would be nice to have a tradition like that.
This book didn't really relate to my Christmas Holiday Season. As a child I always believed in Santa unlike Susan did. My parents encouraged the belief of Christmas and Santa Clause until my brother and I started questioning and figuring things out. Still till this day I believe Christmas was always better when I was young and believed. It made the Holiday Season seem so magical.
Read Miracle on 34th Street to see if Susan's Christmas was magical!

Doris Walker works at Macy's. She's in charge of choosing people to be in the parade, but when her Santa Claus shows up drunk she fires him and hires Kris Kringle on the spot. Kris believes he's Santa Claus, and Doris not believing in anything ignores his insistent opinion.

Of course, Doris has her 6 year old daughter Susan thinking there's no Santa Claus either, and Kris makes sure he changes the little girls mind. But trouble begins when he is admitted to Bellevue, a mental institution, and now with the help of his friend Fred, he must try to get out or Christmas will be ruined for everyone. Especially little Susan.

This book is truly wonderful, and it shows that if you just believe anything is possible.

Another classic from Rosemary Wells! Here, youngest sibling of four, Morris, is not permitted to play with his older siblings' exciting Christmas presents, and no one wants anything to do with Morris's babyish teddy bear until Morris discovers a magic disappearing bag and everyone wants to play with his toy. Any younger sibling -- or even just a young child who feels powerless sometimes -- will relate. I like how Morris gets to live the fantasy of making his siblings "disappear" and getting to play with all their stuff in a gentle, non-violent way. The Christmas aspect of this story makes it extra fun around the holidays, but we read it all year long.

As a kid this (along with Noisy Nora) was my favourite book and I still think it's one of my all time greats. It has moved house and country with me innumerable times.
It's a sweet story about Christmas, feeling left out by older kids, triumphing by winning attention and causing trouble, and learning to love a bear, but it's never saccharine or preachy.
It's a must have for every house that ever has a small child visit (and also for those who like to see bears triumph over more gimmicky gifts).

Ok so i was sitting in my kid's pediatricians office waiting (as usual) and reading one of the books in the room to my child. it was one of the Max books by Rosemary Wells. So, i'm sitting there looking at the book thinking...gosh! this art work looks soooo familiar! what it is about this book...then an old story comes to mind that i can barely recall. but it kept bugging me and in moments I recall this book i had as a kid about a bunny or something (looked a lot like the Max charactor in the authors more recent books) that got a magic bag for xmas. I couldn't rmember the title though. it's been on my mind on and off since then and I just found the authors name a minute ago on amazon while looking for kids books and decided i was going to investigate and surely find out if she is connected to that old favorite of mine. i could have whooped out loud when I finally spotted "morrie's Disappearing bag" on the list! i'd found it! now I HAVE to buy it for my two littlw ones! I love this book! it's so cute! funny thing is...my little boys name is max! not that this book is about max the bunny.....anyway, i highly recommend this cute book!

Now a quick note: In the original publication of "Morris's Disappearing Bag", Morris is a little white bunny. He has now been colored brown. Very interesting choice on the part of the publisher.

I hereby nominate Rosemary Wells the winner of the Cute But Never Saccharine Picture Book Award printed between the years of 1800-2589. You are familiar with her work, even if you have never read it. Best known for her early board books starring the irascible Max and his patient elder sibling, the author also did slightly older fare. In every book, however, Wells takes the side of the underdog. The littlest sibling. The one most prone to feeling left out. In "Morris's Disappearing Bag" this theme has become all encompassing. Here is a story that truly captures what it feels like to be ignored and unwanted by your siblings.

It is Christmas Day and Morris is delighted. As he and his three elder siblings open their presents, each rabbit (for so they are) is enraptured by their gift. Victor gets a hockey outfit, Rose a beauty kit, and Betty (just to smash a couple stereotypes while we're at it) a chemistry set. Morris gets a lovely bear, but it soon occurs to him that his siblings don't appreciate his present. While they switch one another's gifts and experiment with them, Morris is left all alone. No one wants to play with his bear. It isn't until Morris locates an extra unwrapped present containing a bag of invisibility that Morris finally has a gift cool enough to lure his elder sibs with.

Is there a moral to be learned here? I dunno. If there was it would probably be something along the lines of "Get a better toy and win the love of your fellow man". I don't buy it, personally. I think this is just a fun adorable tale illustrated with Rosemary Wells's fantastic pictures. No one draws adorable bunnies like this woman. Or so perfectly evokes a child feeling sorry for himself. Morris sitting all by himself with his ears at half mast is so simultaneously cute and pitiful, you just want to give his roly-poly little body a big big hug. All in all, this is a fantastic book (the older brother applying make-up to his face is worth the price of admission alone). A great story for Christmas, and a wonderful tale for all the year round. Grab yourself a copy.

What if you were the youngest rabbit in the family and nobody wanted to play with your Christmas bear because it was too babyish? Would you feel left out if your sisters and brother said you were too little to play with THEIR presents? Would you sit in the corner with your ears drooping in sadness?

If that tugs at your heartstrings, meet Morris. He's the dearest little bunny you ever saw, and SO sad on Christmas morning. He loves his new bear but he's too little to play with Rose's beauty kit, Victor's hockey stick, and Betty's chemistry set. While they are having fun, Morris crawls under the tree and finds ONE FORGOTTEN PRESENT, a bag. He pulls himself into the bag and -- DISAPPEARS!

Oho! Now the other bunnies are singing a different song. They all want to share their presents with Morris while they try out his disappearing bag. Who can blame them? Wouldn't we all like a disappearing bag from time to time? Such a fine present. Morris generously gives turns with his bag and has a go with the other presents. He's got the most coveted Christmas gift of all, but all he wants is a little consideration, to be part of the crowd, to be included.

Rosemary Wells writes a terrific story and her illustrations are sheer delight. Little droopy bunny ears, puffy cotton tails sticking out of the bag, hilarious bunny play with the chemicals, the makeup, the hockey kit -- and precious little Morris with all his feelings worn on his sleeve.

I've had this book since my sons were little, and given it to a number of children. I always buy a new copy for myself, just in case I need it. My favorite!

Linda Bulger, 2008

I have been searching for this book since we had our first grandchild five years ago. I read it to my girls; it was one of their favorites. I'm sure our copy fell apart from "too much love" and I want to be sure our grandchildren have a chance to experience Morris.

This charming little book has been an important part of our children's Christmas for 15 years. We have had to replace it several times due to loving wear. Now we give it regularly to friends young and old. A perfect story, gentle and understanding, for everyone who remembers being a little kid at Christmas.

From the first reading this book was an instant top of the bookshelf for my two sons,and then later my niece. It is simple, but somehow entertains the imagination magically. Just what does go on inside of that bag??? Even though the kids are now teenagers, they still argue over who truely owns "Morris". This Christmas all three "kids" will receive their own copy, but mom is keeping the orignal hardback version!

This was one of my favorite books when I was a little girl. In my early 20s, I somehow thought of this book and tried to find it again, but I couldn't remember the author's name or the title of the book. All I remembered were bunnies and a "disappearing bag." I am ordering this book right away. This book is a must for all children.

Like all of Rosemary Wells' work, this book could not be improved upon! I grew up on her books, and still collect them. Her characters are illustrated in such a way that their every expression enchants, and not a word is wasted in the creation of a perfect story. In Morris' Disappearing Bag, youngest child Morris feels left out on Christmas morning while his three older siblings exchange turns playing with each others' new toys. Morris will not be consoled by his parents or by his new teddy bear. But (in characteristic Wells fashion) a surprise is in store for us that will make this Christmas a magical one for Morris--and an unforgettable read for everyone. (I've read this book every year since 1980, and I assure you, it's a must-have!)

Rosemary Wells always knows how to touch the heart, be the reader adult or toddler. Max and Ruby and her Bunny Planet books are fantastic, but please keep a look out for her older (and just as perfect) ones as well.

I gave this to three sets of grandchildren for Christmas. They just loved it!! It was one of trhe best gifts I could ahve given.

This book and CD are excellent for sharing with your entire family. My children ages 10, 7 and 5, loved the story and its characters. The illustrations are vivid and tell a great deal about the story. We cannot wait to share it together again during the next Fall Giving Season.

For awhile, I was afraid this book wouldn't make it to our house by Christmas, but it came in the nick of time.

The illustrations are perfect, the story is lovely. The bonus CD of Dick Van Dyke reading the story, makes it special.

Featuring a main character, "Mr. Finnegan", based on legendary celebrity Dick Van Dyke, Mr. Finnegan's Giving Chest is a Christmas-themed picturebook about Maggie, a young girl who enjoys bullying others, even during the Christmas season. She unexpectedly meets the mysterious Mr. Finnegan, a toymaker who looks after the Giving Chest. The Giving Chest disburses gifts; its purpose is not to reward oneself, but rather to help others. Mr. Finnegan sends Maggie on an seemingly simple errand with the chest, and in the process, she learns more about holiday cheer and begins to feel the warmth of Christmas spirit. A delightful book about experiencing Christmas through a child's eyes, striking illustrated with smoothly rendered, three-dimensional digital art. Mr. Finegan's Giving Chest has a fair amount of text for a picturebook; an accompanying audio CD offers a read-aloud performance by Dick Van Dyke himself.

Although I love Dick Van Dyke, and he does a wonderful job as he reads the story on the CD, I felt let down when I finished the book.
As I read, I kept waiting for the plot to get better. To me the story line seemed a little sappy and very predictable...like every other tale that tries to tug at your heart strings.
The pictures are beautiful, though!

Okay, so we don't have kids of our own so sue us. It is a delightful book and and as I was reading I thought to myself that if we had kids the husband here would probably be just like the dad in the book, because that is how he is with our 3 dogs. We could most definately see this being a big time holiday film, either for the big screen or even television since we really need to have more quality television for children. The wife is a teacher and we are thinking of ordering a whole bunch of copies for the kids as we get towards the holiday season. Many thanks to Mr. and Miss Casey.

What is it about Christmas that inspires the best bedtime stories for kids? Maybe it's simply snuggle factor. The crackle of the fire in the fireplace, the warmth of the blanket that dad tucked us in only the way dad can do it. Written by dad and illustrated by his young daughter, the book itself is a homage to the wonderful blessings of family. Reading this book to your children at bedtime will not only entertain but like most celebrated rhyming Christmas stories will teach them a wonderful lesson about appreciating what you have.

Sean Casey had a vision somewhat different than the father from Christmas favorite "T'was the Night Before Chistmas." Nonetheless, "My Dad Cancelled Christmas" offers a great plot line that relates to parents and kids alike. The book, which tells the story of a father who loses it on Christmas Eve and subsequently cancels his family's celebration of Christmas, is illustrated by Sean's daughter Quinn, age 10. She has a great deal of talent and captures her fathers imagination well.
This book definitely should be up there on everyone's shopping list. "My Dad Cancelled Christmas" is definitely a refreshing alternative to the traditional and mundane "T'was the Night Before Christmas." It would not be a bad read to the kids before settling them down for "their long winter's nap" on Christmas Eve next holiday season. This would also be an excellent read for teachers of all elementary grades looking to expand their bookshelves and their students' imaginations. Definitely a "must" on next year's Christmas list, but why wait? It can be read year round to keep everyone in the holiday mood and get a laugh in here or there.

This was a delightful book - with a moral to boot! Most families would benefit from reading this together and talking about it. Good lessons to learn for kids AND parents..

This book is a terrific Christmas story and the fact that it is a collaborative effort between father and child makes it very special.

I'm a huge fan of the Clearwater Crossing series. I really liked this book. Even though Eight Prime earned enough $$ to buy the bus for the Junior Explorers, they decided to stay together. Seeing Jenna and Peter react to their kiss was interesting, and Melanie and Jesse may be getting closer than we expected. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. If you want to talk about the series, feel free to email me.

I love this series so much. I always look forward to the new books coing to stores. I loved how Melanie was still trying to cope with her mother's death and how she and Jesse went to Iowa to see her mothers grave. That was sweet!

This clearwater crossing book was the best. It showed so much emotion when Peter lost Jason at winter camp. The whole community showed such apprieciation and concern for finding t he boy. They all helped so much. This book really showed how many things go on during a hoilday and to remember what is really important to you not just to find pleasure in getting a gift from others but to care for everyone and not be selfish. This book definitly deserves 5-stars plus.

Hi! I have all of the Clearwater Crossing books and really like them. I think it's neat that finally there is an author that writes about religion and the difficulties that teenagers face every day. I think this is a series that someone can learn things from and learn a good lesson from! Not everyone is perfect in the real world and these books prove that everyone has problems to face. I reccomend this series to anyone who likes reading a good book. :-)

This book, as are all of the Clearwater Crossing books, is truely enjoyable. I read my copy in about five hours of staigt reading, ending at four in the morning. I would have liked a little more of a spiritual perspective when the Junior Explorer gets lost (I'm tring not to spoil anything that isn't spoiled by reading the back of the book) but that doesn't appear to be Roberts' style. Again, Ben is really down played, so we never see him except when he is involved with the other characters. The cliffhanger is a bit less dramatic this time, and it lacks some of the crisis situations of the second and fourth books.

Oh, and if you're wondering who the new people are on the cover: I'm afraid I don't know either. We don't seem to be adding any important characters.

I expected it to be a showcase of Rockwell's art with added text from great authors. It ends up being the inverse. The illustrations are hacked up from Rockwell's work and with such a wealth of christmas illustrations in Rockwell's portfolio I expected way more. Still a great xmas book to share with family. Dont but it for the art.

Norman Rockwell's Christmas book is filled with great stories, poems, and recollections of Christmas. But the real selling point...the main reason to pickup this book is the brilliant art of Norman Rockwell.

When we think Holidays...Thanksgiving, Christmas...we always want to picture ours to be as perfect, as joyful as one of Rockwell's paintings. They never are, of course, but we can still try.

Perhaps no artist ever has capture the sense of awe and wonderment of the Christmas season than Rockwell. You cannot help but smile ear-to-ear as you thumb through the pages. A Real Joy!

I first saw this book at my niece's home Christmas day; her husband had given it to her as a present. I thumbed through it and couldn't wait to get home and order it. Lovely illustrations and poems and stories. This would be a perfect Christmas present. Keep this in mind for this year's gift giving and keep one for yourself. You won't be sorry.

I got this book at a museum that was having an exhibit of Norman Rockwell's work. When I got home I sat down with it and flipped through. I love the Christmas pictures that he did. And the stories that were chosen are perfect for this book. I don't have children, but I can see how reading to them from this book would be a perfect childhood tradition to have. I am so glad I got this book.

This is an ideal gift or a treasure to keep for yourself. I am a 25 year old that has enjoyed this book with my family every Christmas since I can remember. The stories and pictures will warm your heart! It has been a tradition in my family and one I recommend for any family!

This wonderful book resonates with emotional truth about family life, friendship, and the challenges a Taiwanese-American girl faces trying to find her place amid competing cultural expectations. The characters in this book are vivid and compelling, as is the depiction of life in Peiling's family. It is hard to imagine a more moving and entertaining story for middle readers than the one told in this poignant, and very funny, book.

When I started reading this novel, yes before sending it as a gift, I was startled to notice that Peiling's nemesis shared my first name! Just a silly, literary coincidence (it is fiction, after all!) no big deal, but odd, nonetheless; maybe because I live in the same town with the author?

In any case, I need not have worried. Of course, I can't spoil things, and it really is Peiling's story, not her friend's, or rather, the story is about how friends, and families, can change and grow, together, and no one is merely a nemesis, by the end. Heart-warming, at any time of year, but maybe especially now, at the December time of year.

As others have noted, while this is officially a novel for "young adults", it is a novel that even a no-longer-young adult can enjoy, quite a lot.

See for yourself, and/or, ask your local library or school to acquire it!

I was looking for a gift for a friend's daughter and liked the title of this book. I ended up reading the whole thing myself in one sitting. Poignant and funny story. Even though it's written for kids, it's not heavy-handed in its treatment of racial identity. I think it'll make a great present!

My 10 year old daughter and I found this story engaging and entertaining. From the beginning we found ourselves relating to Peiling and feeling her anxiety, despite the fact that we have no personal immigrant experience. Chen describes the school setting vividly and I felt like I was there. Peiling's classmates and friends were also extremely believable. My favorite was her quirky friend Grace.

As the population of the US becomes more diverse, with various ethnic communities having their own celebrations, this book is quite timely. The Hindus have Diwali, the Sikhs have Vaisakhi, and the Chinese have Chinese New Year. This book explores how young Peiling, whose family immigrated to the US from China, struggles to adapt to the hectic and happy preparations for Christmas as celebrated by her peers at school, but not her. She is pleasantly surprised when her parents decide to celebrate Christmas after seven years in the US, but is then disappointed when they take a Chinese approach to it.

The rest of the story centers around how Peiling comes to appreciate the differences between her and her classmates, and takes pride in her unique cultural traditions whilst coming together with her friends and celebrating Christmas. Its a unique but timely tale that is sure to appeal to readers, both young and old.

My son requested a book in Latin to read. I was so happy to find this one. He is able to read it aloud and understand all of it because he is already familiar with the story. What a fun way to review Latin.

A wonderful idea--my high school son in AP Latin LOVED the book! BUT--for the price, I just assumed it was a hard-cover book. I didn't realize it was a paperback until I received it.

multum gaudium ex hoc libro excepi; multas gratias Guineverae et Terentio Tunberg ago. oportet omnes lingua Latina fruentes hunc librum emere. lingua Latina iam vivit!

The glossary included in this book is awesome. You will not find a word in the story that is not included. The classic favorite has all of the illustrations we remember from childhood - while the Latin text allows you to practice, and keep building your vocabulary and reading skills. What a wonderful way to bring Latin to your children!

Having been read by children of all ages and even made into a movie, the story of the Grinch is a familiar and beloved tale. The timeless triumph of love and goodwill retains all of its charm in Latin, especially because the authors retain rhyme and meter, even throwing in new wordplay.

The pictures from the original Dr. Seuss book help the reader follow the storyline, and the glossary in the back has every word in the book. Especially in modern context, the Grinch in Latin appeals to us by giving hope when even a grinch can be won over by sincere faith. Thus, while this book is wonderful as a gift to those studying Latin or looking to study Latin, it is also perfectly suitable for those who simply want a good story.