Christmas Books

Don't worry if you don't reside in New York. This book is a must have if you like the images of christmas.

The book and it's many wonderful pictures depict christmas that many of us share no matter where you live.

If you want a real christmas mood setter and a beautiful coffee table christmas book to share with your visitors over the christmas holidays (and you and your own family too), then this book is one to get.

A most recommended christmas book.

This book truly captures the essence of New York at Christmas. Mr. Crosby has done a remarkable job of capturing the known and the unknown, both of which make Manhattan a spectacular place to be.

The presentation is wonderful, the content is great, and the author/photographer is to be thanked for sharing his art with us.

I look forward to future books by Mr. Crosby.

Being in New York at Christmas is one of my favorite things...and now I can relive that time whenever I pick up this book. The selection of subjects for the photographs is fascinating, the quality of the photography is excellent and the comments throughout the book are illuminating. I recommend New York Christmas as an ideal book for your library or as a gift.

This is an amazing piece of work which deftly displays a wintry charm that I never knew New York City possessed. It's funny that only by looking at familiar places through someone else's eyes can we really see what's there. Whether you're a New Yorker, a transplanted New Yorker, or just an occasional visitor, this wonderful collection of Christmastime photos surely deserves a prominent place on your coffee table. Hats off to Mr. Crosby for a job quite well done.

I like the red ribbon. My favorite picture is the polar bear

As an elementary literacy coach I found this book to be a wonderful addition to my December booklist. This story tells the tale of one family's Christmas Eve tradition of placing food on and around a special tree in the forest each year for the animals. Beautiful illustrations add to the story. This book lends itself to discussion of other family traditions. I used it with all elementary grade levels and we made food for the birds to be hung in the trees around our playground, wrote class and individual poems, and the upper grades wrote personnal narratives about their family traditions. A great way also for parents to think about a family tradition of their own.

I'm a 3rd grade teacher and my kids loved the setting and language of the story. It was an excellant book to enhance future writings about holiday traditions.

This is a neat story about a family's Christmas tradition. Every year, they troop out into the forrest to decorate their night tree, a living pine Christmas tree. The night tree is festooned with edible decorations. After the family enjoys the magic of the decorated tree, they depart, knowing that the friendly critters who inhabit the woods will enjoy the decorations as a Christmas time snack.

The book introduces an interesting family "tradition" and teaches the concept of tradition as well as doing for others (the gifts of food for the animals). It is a warm story that brings smiles to young faces.

This lovely book is a favorite at any time of the year, though it centers around one family's Christmas Eve tradition. My kids have asked if we can start decorating a tree in the woods, too! The illustrations are gorgeous (Ted Rand is one of our favorites) and the writing makes you slow down and savor the unfolding of this simple, but sweet story.

I'm an elementary ed. major and this book is also good to read to kids who don't celebrate Christmas because although the family decorates a tree there isn't any mention of a particular hoilday. The title even lends to this fact.

Old Dog Cora is a wonderful Newfie story about a family learning the importance of respecting and encouraging the spirit of an older dog.

We borrowed this book from the library for our 3 yr old, and immediately fell in love with the artwork, wonderful descriptions, and the heart-warming story of an old dog in with a puppy attitude. We just had to own a copy! For anyone who's ever owned a dog or cut your own Christmas tree in the forest (or hopes to do either), this is a great book.

This is my favorite Christmas story featuring a dog.The spirit of the season is love and understanding,and that is shown so eloquently as Cora is not left out of the annual pulling of the Christmas tree sleigh in spite of her aging body. She is allowed to have her traditional role,but without the weight of the sleigh on her harness, sparing her from overexertion,or worse---from failure. It is a beautiful lesson in compassion and in the importance of feeling useful and needed, especially as we age. And if you have ever loved an aging dog, this story will bring a tear to your eye. This book is worth seeking out despite its out of print status.

I had purchased a book, "The Wreck of the Ethie" that my 11 year old son had absolutely loved. It was recommended to read by a list from Courtney Lewis. Since the entire family had enjoyed that book so much, we decided to try "Old Dog Cora". We were not disappointed The illustrations were lovely and the story heart-warming. This book is a welcome addition to our family library.

Consie Powell should be commended for this fabulous work. The pages filled with her woodcut illustrations could be framable art, and they truly enhance the compelling story. Cora, the oldest of three Newfoundlands, wants to help with pulling the annual Christmas tree home on a sled, but her people won't let her! They don't understand her attempts to help. This would be a great book to discuss the importance of inclusion and how sometimes people (and dogs) can misunderstand each other. The Newf enthusiast will appreciate the artistic depictions of this noble breed.

I recieved this book from a family member as recommended reading.

The story captures your interest from the beginning. It tells the struggles of a young wife trying to get into the "spirit" of the the first Christmas celebrated after the loss of a loved one and the ups and down of trying to cope with well-meaning family and friends. The underlying grief makes it difficult for Annie to find any joy in the holiday, but the "ornament" helps her to realize that she is never really alone.

I recommend this as both Christmas reading and throughout the year. I've read it more than once, and can say that it doesn't ever get old. It's a book for all ages.

In the season that most exemplifies Christian love, this book explores how hard it is to forgive those we love the most.

The descriptions and setting painted a perfect picture of a Pennsylvania Christmas.

The language and situations, although dealing with adult issues, can be enjoyed by young adult readers, great-grandmothers and everyone between.

A good gift, or keep it to read yearly as one of those little traditions we all find so satisfying.

Great, quick read. Attention getting from the first word to the last. Although I just wanted to read a few pages when I first picked up the book, I found myself drawn into caring about the characters and so finished it immediately. This book certainly deserves a 5 star rating.

THE ORNAMENT is an engaging story not only of a young widow's journey through grief, but also of the sometimes difficult but ultimately loving relationship between sisters. The emotional ups and downs ring true as the characters work their way toward a more forgiving relationship. Eventually, the main character Annie is also able to forgive life for her tragedy, reminding us that it is never too late to live more fully. Althouse Wood and Naylor's story is a welcome one of healing, perfect for the holidays or for any day when we struggle with what it means to live with loss and hope.

This book is an excellent story of a young woman who must keep going in life. She must cope with pain, one that most all of us have felt. She must rely on hope and love from others, no matter what the costs are. It is a very heartfelt story, with the ability to touch anyone who has endured the loss of a loved one.

Chet Spiewak has created a beautifully illustrated, well written book that fits perfectly into the season before Christmas, that time of year when parents search for stories that address the meaning of Christmas, the anticipation of the season, and the joy that culminates on Christmas morning. Yes, there are other tales such as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' and 'Why the Chimes Rang' and some others that fill that need to build on the holiday without focusing on just gifts. Spiewak's fine little book sets the stage both for the excitement ahead and suggests traditions that children/families can build upon to make the holiday truly a meaningful event.

The main characters are traditional Christmas ornaments stashed in the attic until the holiday comes. Each of the ornaments (beautifully rendered through the magic of computer generated graphics) begins to prepare for Christmas when they spy the Christmas tree brought into the house. They polish each other and prepare, only to find that they are pushed aside from the merriment of hanging on the tree - discarded from their moment of glory. Halloween ornaments frighten the Christmas ornaments and mock the fact that they are stuck in the attic until the little ornaments decide to share the meaning of gift giving with the Halloween ornaments. Then together the band of decor find a way to sneak down the chimney only to fall asleep before they can climb the tree. But Christmas morning arrives and the children of the home delight in the shiny sleeping ornaments, placing them in the most visible spot on the celebratory Christmas Tree.

The tale is simple, but very well told and the lessons for children and adults are enough to make re-reading the book throughout the season a pleasure. Spiewak has a winner here. And now is the time to order this book to savor either as sentimental adults or with children - of all ages! Grady Harp, October 07

Author and illustrator Chet Spiewak uses film quality computer-generated 3D graphics to create his unique picturebook story of a colorful cast of Christmas ornaments who go on an adventure to find the perfect holiday tree. Trapped in an attic and all but forgotten, Percy, Stanley, Fiona and the rest of the Christmas ornaments embark upon their quest. Along the way the rather timid Percy gains confidence and the trust of his companions, all while teaching some old Halloween adversaries the real meaning of Christmas. This wonderfully illustrated and delightful Christmas 32-page picturebook is an enthusiastically recommended addition to family, grade school, and community library collections.

I don't know much about children, but I do know that they are sure to love Chet Spiewak's An Ornaments' Tale. Not only is the story quite good, the artwork is just dazzling. Every single page features incredibly vivid, 3-D images that truly bring the characters to life. In fact, I suspect very young kids will keep reaching out to touch each page - it really looks like you could just reach in and pluck any of these ornaments out yourself.

In the story, a wooden soldier named Percy and his other ornament friends eagerly await Christmas, anxious to be taken down from the attic to hang on the tree and spread happiness all around. Imagine their shock and despair after finding themselves hidden away in a corner where no one will be able to find them. The Halloween ornaments laugh at their wonderful little trick, but Percy and his friends are heartbroken over the thought of missing Christmas. Realizing that the Halloween ornaments did what they did because they didn't know what Christmas was all about, Percy shows them that this holiday is all about giving, not playing tricks or getting treats. Spreading the Christmas spirit around to their new Halloween friends is a wonderful thing - but it doesn't get the Christmas ornaments any nearer to the tree downstairs. Could it be that they will still miss Christmas for the first time in their Christmas-devoted little lives?

If there's a young child alive who wouldn't enjoy An Ornaments' Tale, he must be one ornery little fellow destined for nothing but a lump of coal in his stocking. The incredible 3-D images may be the real hook that keeps children coming back to this book time and again, but the wonderful story will always serve to remind them that there is a lot more to Christmas than Santa Claus and the presents he brings.

The illustrations in this book are stunningly impressive, their three-dimensional appearance and exquisite detail are sure to catch and hold the eye of the youngster. The people at CWS studios, who specialize in 3D design sketches and artwork, are to be commended. Once I completed the book, I immediately went to their website to see what other books that the company has helped create.
The story is about a set of Christmas tree ornaments that can't wait for the Christmas season to get here so that they can once again spread their message of cheer. However, due to some dirty tricks by the Halloween ornaments, they are placed aside and forgotten. Their attempt to overcome this setback is one of struggle and triumph. The combination of the happy ending and the illustrations make this an excellent Christmas present for the child in grades 2-4.

It is nice to see that in a world where entire movies are generated from computers that there are artists who can use that same technology and produce a eye catching book such as Chet Spiewak has down with "An Ornaments' Tale" (Notice that the title is both plural and possessive). The tale begins with Percy, a wooden toy soldier, sees through a hole in the attic floor that the Christmas tree has finally arrived for this year. The elf ornaments make sure all of the ornaments are all dusted and shiny before they go back into their ornament box for the trip downstairs. However, the Halloween ornaments, who only know about tricking and scaring, not joy and cheer, decide to come up with a trick or treat surprise for the Christmas ornaments, and it looks like Percy and his friends might miss Christmas.

Of course, that cannot be allowed to happen, and what I liked most about the way Spiewak works out his Christmas story is that once you accept the idea of talking animated Christmas tree ornaments, most of what happens in this story tends towards the realistic rather than the fantastic (e.g., ornaments cannot hang themselves on a Christmas tree). I know that pretty much anything goes in such stories, but I appreciated Spiewak's logic as to what happens in this charming little story. The last page of the book shows some of the 3D design sketches and artwok from Spiewak's CWS Studios, showing story and character design sketches, along with some nontextured and textured renderings (if you check out the studio website there is a nice little promotional film, where the author throughs hubris to the wind and declares his book to be "a new holiday classic"; fortunately, I read the book first, so I can only chuckle at the quote).

"An Ornaments' Tale" struck me as a mix of elements from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Toy Story" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which is not a bad thing, because this story does suffers little in such comparisons. Actually, the biggest problem in comparing Spiewak's book to those beloved animated films is that young kids will probably be disappointed to learn that they cannot get their own version of Percy, Topher, Crystal, Spencer, Fiona, and Stanley to hang on their Christmas tree this December. That kids (and their parents) would want real ornaments of these characters to hang on their trees would be just another indication of how this nice little story could become a personal Christmas favorite for those people who happen to stumble across it. I am glad I did and have salted it away with our Christmas ornaments so sometime in the next decade (or two) when grandchildren arrive on the scene I can read the book to them.

Peter Penny: Discovers The Gift It is a common occurence - your child is fearing the darkness, hearing an unexpected noise, taking a school test, or being left alone at home for the very first time. This book has a great storyline because it contains several instances of how a child can be overwhelmed by fear or uneasiness. To address those feelings, as a parent, I found this book to be a wonderful tool by reminding my child of the gift. I recommend this 'feel good' and 'self-esteem builder' book to all early to pre-teen readers.

What an outstanding book to add to my collection.This has to be as close to home as I can get."Peter Penny Discovers The Gift" really kept my attention as I was reading.The story takes you back to a childhood that most us have lived.From the time I started the book, I just could'nt put it down. It definitely makes you want to finish it, just to find out what happens in the end.With all the color illustrations in this story, you can almost feel the moments happen as if you where there.Children will love this story, as well as adults. I recommend this book highly.

This book I would recommend to any parent that wants to send a great message to their child. What a wonderful story , and message. The wonderful illistrations that go along with add so much to the story , makes it fun and easy to follow. This would be the perfect gift for around the Holidays or any time of the year .

With the market place being flooded with so many negative images for our kids and youth today, it's nice to be able to read a book to my three-year-old son that shares some of our same beliefs about faith. I would recommend this book to anyone with young children.

A nice, warm story for young readers to learn how coincidences in everyday life can lead to misunderstandings and beliefs, but also shows that being faithful can have its rewards. The illustrations on every page help young readers envision the story and lets older readers remember a simpler time.

I gave this book 5 stars because it was a good book. The book is about a magic train that travels to the North Pole. The train took little boys and girls to the North Pole. When the children arrive at the North Pole, they learn that one of them will receive the first gift of Christmas.
This was a fun book for me, I really enjoyed the train because they had good treats. I also like the pictures of the train.
Westly
7
1st grade
Germany

I gave this book 5 stars because it was a good book. The book is about a magic train that travels to the North Pole. The train took little boys and girls to the North Pole. When the children arrive at the North Pole, they learn that one of them will receive the first gift of Christmas.
This was a fun book for me, I really enjoyed the train because they had good treats. I also like the pictures of the train.
Westly
7
1st grade
Germany

What this book speaks to me about is the magic of Christmas, not the commmercialism, something I try hard to capture each year amid the avalanche of enticements to buy and consume. I grew up not believing in the Santa that just brings presents but in the magic and spirit of giving and receiving and the joy and wonder of the season and by reading and sharing this book with my family each Christmas, I hope to capture some of that magic and wonder, for each of us to hold in amongst the chaos that surrounds us at this time of year.

I am a huge fan of books and loved this as a child, so I got it for my 17-month-old daughter to share with her the joys in this masterpiece. I have yet to see the movie, but the captivating story and artwork makes the book well worth it. You will teasure it for years to come!!!

Chris Van Allsburg's picture book THE POLAR EXPRESS is a Christmas classic anyone can enjoy. Both illustrations and text are wonderful and the book hits just the right magical mysterious notes with none of the creepiness the Tom Hanks movie can claim. And the ending is pitch perfect in capturing the spirit of Santa Claus and Christmas.

I have read this Christmas story since I was 6 and have continued to read it every Christmas Eve for 20 years. It is a beautifully illustrated book, with great imagery and discussions of what happens at the North Pole before Christmas. It is by far my favorite Christmas book and I continue to share it with everyone I know.

This is my favorite christmas story. I have read it every Christmas for 20 years. The illustrations are wonderful. Everytime you read it you find something new in the pictures.

This is the best book our family has ever seen about Santa Claus!! I vote it ten stars, not just five. This book is truly off the charts for its cleverness, terrific illustrations, inventiveness and sheer Christmas joy. I do not know why some US publisher has not bought the rights and made it into the classic it deserves to be, and is in our family. My Son was given this book at his first Christmas. Both he and my daughter and I, their Mom, have enjoyed this book every year since then. I would love to be able to obtain more copies of it to hand down to my grandkids and so on. It gives very detailed and often quite funny "true" information about Santa and his whole village at the North Pole. It is quite an operation, believe me! Santa has his sleigh but also has a fleet of red airplanes with reindeer logos on them. The drawings are so full of detail and funny things going on that it keeps both kids and grown-ups exclaiming and laughing. For example, birds sit on elves' noses. Baby elves suck pacifiers. The elf band is playing "Ob-la-di, ob-la da"; the printer elves tie up their beards around their heads so they do not get them in the ink, and in the carpenter shop, there is a sign saying, "safety first." There are even elves who spray paint the toys. So hilarious, as a little animal watching this gets sprayed too. The elf children's classroom often was intently examined by my kids. The book is Scandinavian in origin I think, and that is why it is so hard to find now here in the USA. The outfits and scenery, houses and huts are Norwegian or Swedish, and the costumes have all sorts of decorative Nordic touches. Each elf seems to have a different personality. My kids always liked the picture of the elves getting ready for bed--in their bunk house they are bedding down, and one is reading the newspaper, one is watching a portable TV, and one is about to brush his teeth. The loner elf likes to sleep in a simple haystack--"to each his own," my kids would always chime in with the narrative. This book is so clever and if you can ever find it you will want to keep it forever. It has a humorous charm that even very tiny children will enjoy, and it will win your heart. It is unlike any other Christmas book I have ever seen in the US. My kids are now 19 and 16 and they still get it out every holiday season to enjoy the pictures and simple story once again. It is simply precious!

I HAVE BEEN READING THIS BOOK TO MY CHILDREN ON THE EVE OF CHRISTMAS EVE SINCE 1982. THEY LOVE IT AND SO DO I. THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOOK AT ON EVERY PAGE.

My son was given this book by his German grandmother for Christmas, and it's the most interesting Christmas book I've ever seen. It explains everything kids need to know about where Santa Claus comes from - but in a modern approach: there are high-tech elves, Santa distributes presents in planes because his sleigh can't cope with the magnitude of presents anymore and parents have to buy some gifts for their children at the toy store because he doesn't have the facilities to make them.
I especially love the book's explanation of why many Europeans are visited by Santa on Christmas Eve (as was the tradition in my German family), and Americans and other nations open their gifts on Christmas morning - Santa does have to fly further from Finland, after all, so he doesn't get to the US until the middle of the night. Ingenious - my son will never be confused again!
The illustrations alone are worth a look, every time you open the book you'll see something new!

My son had learned his ABCs. He could sound out words. He just couldn't take the plunge.

I bought this book from Amazon and added it to our rotation of bedtime reading. My son connected with Edward, the central character, who helps Santa make his Christmas deliveries by reading from the book of names.

You could argue that I've rated this book a star higher than it deserves but since it was the book that inspired my son to read, I'll stand by my rating.

My frien loved this book great book for people who deal with children and to show children a variety of names.

This book was very interesting. It all started with Edward not being able to read. His father would always read him a story on Christmas Eve. Edward wanted to read really bad. This story tells how Edward goes from being doubted, to actually being able to read. It brings about a conflict with the losing of Santa's glasses. I think that that was the opportunity that Edward needed to learn how to read. His parents woke him up on Christmas morning. They wanted to read the book to him. He ended up reading it to them. I would definitely recommend this to any kid that wants a good story to read.

I cried as I read this book for the first time - it is an endearing story about Edward, who is having difficulty learning to read. His teacher suggests he undergo more "tests", but his parents insist "no...more patience". When Santa delivers gifts to Edward's house on Christmas Eve, it happens that he can't read his book of names of boys and girls. Christmas is at stake and Edward must step up to the plate and read the names for Santa. Edward goes with Santa in his sleigh and saves the day by reading aloud the names in Santa's book. He gains his self-esteem and self-confidence in reading, and saves Christmas too!
This is one of the best Christmas books I have read and I ... hope it becomes a classic. This author has written two other books about Edward, just as charming: "Edward and the Pirates" and "Edward in the Jungle".

Edward cannot read. He almost can...but not quite. His teacher tells his parents that there are many tests he can take that will find what the problems are. However, his mother insists on "No tests...just patience."
It is Christmas Eve and Edward struggles to read his favorite Christmas story when he hears a noise. He runs downstairs to find a large, old book. "It must be Santa's!" he thought.
Santa comes back for the book, which happens to be his "Book of Names," but looses his glasses, and needs Edward to go along with him to help him read the names. Edward struggles at first, but Santa helps him. In the end, Edward does fine reading and Santa returns him home, thanks him, and rewards him with a new book.
On Christmas day, Edward reads his new book to his two happy parents.
I believe that this story is really inspiring. Edward gains self esteem, self confidence, and he saves Christmas! This book seems to be an instant classic. The story is good and the illustrations are beautiful. People of all ages will enjoy reading about Edward's memorable Christmas.

I bought a copy of Santa's Reindeer a few years ago and I've been sharing it with my classes and with other teachers. Everyone loves it but has never heard of it before. I even sent an e-mail to Scholastic suggesting that they consider for their book clubs. I have wanted to get in touch with Judy Schrecker because the bookcover mentions a play script which I would like to obtain. And I want her to know how much I like her book. I enjoy the illustations as well but I think that Santa should be fatter! L. Fletcher

This was a great book!Mrs. Shrecker is my Math and Science teacher. She is awesome! She is very nice..but strict only when she needs to be! Which isn't often! She has a great imagination and is one of the best teachers i've ever had! This book is a great kids book and i think kids would love it! And since i'm in 6th grade and love it all adults should love it too!It's awesome how she combined the Bible Christmas Story and the whole Santa thing. I would have never thought of that! I'm very glad i own that book!

This book is a good book writen by my teacher Judie Shrecker. Mrs. Shrecker is a good teacher as well as a good wrighter.

When I was in kindergarten, Mrs. Schrecker was one of my teachers and I can proudly say that I was one of the first kids that ever heard this wonderful book. I even remember giving up my time outdoors to draw pictures of the story! It is wonderful and very creative. I will always think of it as one of my favorite Christmas stories.

Our daughter checked this book out of her public school's library. We thought it would be another cutsie Christmas book, appropriate for the season. To our complete surprise it turned out to be quite a gem. It is often difficult for parents to connect the celebration Christmas morning (gifts brought by Santa) with the birth of Jesus. We tell our daughter that Santa brings gifts to remind us of the gift that God gave us, his Son. It was wonderful to see a children's book make a similar connection in such a sweet and entertaining way. Our daughter loved the book, and we are ordering one to have for next year.