Christmas Books

A wonderful Christmas book for young and old, this volume rises above the competition with its original story line and well chosen illustrations. Remember: it's not about seeing, it's about believing! Makes a perfect (and unique) Christmas gift as well.

Barbie Jenkins is a wonderful writer, weaving together text in a fun and meaningful way. You'll love this Christmas picture book--so much so--that you'll want to read it all year long. If you're looking for a great gift book for the young or the young at heart, Barbie's book is perfect. The illustrations are lovely, too!

A lovely poem about a little angel who blows a kiss from heaven to the newborn baby Jesus. This heart-warming story about the very first Christmas is beautifully illustrated and will be an instant family favorite.

The text of "The Legend Of The Christmas Kiss" by Barbie Jenkins is a poem, beautifully illustrated by the artwork of Joyce Revoir. This is the picturebook story of how the angels sent a beautiful snowfall on the very first Christmas when one little angel wanted to bless the newborn Jesus with the gift of her kiss. But something special happened to her kiss after passing through the clouds below. It became a glistening speck, drifting down and landing on the Christ child's cheek. Then a multitude of angels added their kisses to hers, and the earth is covered in a true winter wonderland. "The Legend Of The Christmas Kiss" is a unique and welcome addition to the growing library of Christmas theme picturebooks. for young children and their parents.

I'm a sucker for romance any time of the year, but something about the holiday season makes me want to curl up in a nice blanket, drink hot chocolate, and read love stories. LET IT SNOW is the perfect holiday read.

Maureen Johnson starts things off with THE JUBILEE EXPRESS, in which Jubliee (no, not a stripper, but named for a piece in her mother's collection of the Flobie Santa Village) finds herself stranded on a train in Gracetown in a huge snowstorm. A trip to the Waffle House introduces her to Stuart and friendship, or maybe something more, starts to form.

In A CHEERTASTIC CHRISTMAS MIRACLE, author John Green hilariously describes the mission of three friends to get to the Waffle House where a group of cheerleaders are stranded and wanting to play Twister.

And Lauren Myracle's THE PATRON SAINT OF PIGS shows that lost love can be found again with the help of Starbucks, angels, and even a pig.

Each story stands well on its own, but it was nice to have a common thread throughout. I loved how the authors found ways to connect all three stories. Characters you meet in the beginning show up later on, and places like Starbucks and the Waffle House are important to all three tales. The only thing I didn't like was that they were all short stories - I could have kept reading about each of the characters!

LET IT SNOW is a great, warm, fuzzy read for the holidays, so grab some hot chocolate and curl up because you won't want to stop reading until you're finished and happily sighing.

Reviewed by: Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen

Jubilee's Christmas Eve is ruined when her parents are put in jail and she is unable to see her perfect boyfriend. After her train wrecks and she is stranded at a Waffle House with 14 cheerleaders, she opts for the lesser of two evils and follows a charming, yet heart-broken, boy home.
Tobin, JP and the Duke find themselves in a race to the Waffle House with Twister before the dastardly Retson twins can spoil their plans. Little does Tobin know, what surprise awaits him when he arrives.
Poor Andie is mourning her loss of her caring boyfriend when an unexpected angel gets her to change her perspective on life.

These three tales were absolutely amazing. I finished this book in 2 days and was very, very happy with it. They had me laughing out loud at some parts, and the stories were intertwined in a way I didn't expect.

It's Christmas Eve, and one of the biggest storms in memory has hit, isolating tiny Gracetown, Virginia. For Jubilee, Tobin, and Addie the storm will bring them together in the most unconventional of ways. Jubilee, on her way to Florida, is stranded outside of Gracetown when her train gets stuck in the snow. Rather than endure Christmas Eve night on the train with a mass of perky cheerleaders, she ventures out and heads to the nearby Waffle House, where she encounters Stuart, who is still nursing a broken heart.

Tobin and his friends JP and the Duke are enjoying their Christmas Eve holed up at Tobin's house and watching a James Bond movie marathon when they are enticed out into the night to the local Waffle House. What should be a twenty minute drive on a clear night turns into a crazy race to get there before the intimidating Reston twins...but when they get there things don't go quite how they planned.

For Addie, the holidays have been filled with misery since she and her boyfriend Jeb broke up. But this year she'll gain some perspective (and possibly more) during one very long and very snowy shift at Starbucks the day after Christmas.

All three stories are cleverly woven together, along with each author's inimitable style and brand of humor. The wholly unique, ironic, witty, intelligent, and heartfelt plots that Myracle, Johnson, and Green have become well known for is strongly present in Let It Snow. The varying and colorful characters are authentic and highly realistic, allowing for the book to appeal to a wide range of reader interests. The dialogue, the jokes, the slang, and actions are all pitch perfect to this generation, and wildly appealing, even as they push the limits of reality. But even so, most readers will be more than willing to hold on tight and enjoy the ride as this sweet and sarcastically funny holiday read unravels.

I picked up Let it Snow, expecting to read it leisurely as the holidays approached. I imagined reading a few pages here and there throughout the month of November, perhaps finishing it over Christmas break, just in time to break out those reindeer socks with the holes I've been wearing since I was ten and refuse to throw away. Instead, I found myself sucked into a charming, engaging web of a story, only to emerge 14 hours later wanting more.

As a fan of all of the author's independent works, I was pleased to find that each author's voice remained just as unique and bold as in their other works, yet all three worked together seamlessly to tell a larger story. The vividness of the characters is such that they stick with you long after you put the book down. (Okay, I say "long after" but seeing as I finished it about 4 hours ago, I really just mean "stick with you for at least four hours and probably longer" after finishing the book. The point is that you'll find no one-dimensional characters here.) I feel sort of scarily like I grew up alongside Tobin, Addie and Stuart, or have been best friends with Jubilee ever since we both missed the bus on the first day of middle school.

The story is simple, but also marvelously complex, tackling such important existential questions as "What course of action should one take when fourteen cheerleaders are locked in a Waffle House in a small town in Virginia during the worst snow storm in fifty years?" Yes, people fall in love- there is romance and heartbreak and lots of dumping and break ups (or at least a couple); but I promise Let it Snow is not one of those Made-for-TV movies that air way too many times on the Hallmark channel during the month of December in which someone learns to believe in the Christmas spirit and Santa Claus brings everyone presents at the end.

No, Let it Snow doesn't tie a nice little red bow on its romance. The character's relationships feel raw, real and honest. They warm your heart and sort of make you want to be in love. (So much so that I had to actually remind myself that, oh yeah, I was already in love.) Don't worry. If you don't have your own love story to tell this Christmas, after finishing this book, you'll probably want to start taking it out for coffee and to your mother's Christmas Eve smorgasbord. Maybe the two of you will even frolic in the snow? Okay, so I don't actually recommend that, since it's a paperback and ice is usually wet and "wet" and "paperback" is usually a bad combination.

My point is, that you should read this book. You should read this no matter how old you are, or where you live, or what time of year it is or whether or not you like Christmas. You should read this if you want to be entertained, moved, made to think.

Do something nice for yourself this Christmas (Or Halloween, even) and read Let it Snow.

My six-year-old (almost seven) received this book as an early Christmas gift. We are just starting to read "chapter" books together. She went wild over this! The language and familiar school dynamics were just right for her. The slightly moral message in the end about over-coming differences and giving from the heart was nice, but probably a bit over the head of my first-grader. All in all, a nice series that gets away from the "glitz and glam" of the ever closer "tween" years.

Everybody loves Nancy, but some trouble-maker has used the school Secret Santa party to play a nasty trick on her! Everybody got a cool present, except Nancy Drew!

There are a few suspects, including a snotty girl who is jealous and mean. Is she the thief? That's what you might think, but it's Nancy Drew who can really solve the Secret Santa mystery.

The Secret Santa (Nancy Drew Notebooks #3) is a fun read for young readers starting on chapter books. They'll love to solve this classroom mystery along with 3rd grade heroine, Nancy Drew.

This was a terrific kid's book. It satisfies childrens reading needs. I suggest this to readers between the ages six and nine.

How did Emily know there was candy on the card? Read the book and find out. Anyway it was great. I want to be a detective, well, got to go solve a case about a present. BYE!!!!!!

This is undoubtedly the most spiritually captivating book that I have read. I have read this book twice, a rare thing. Each time, it brings tears running down my cheek and a flood of joy and peace that take away the bitterness for the husband character. It is truly a light from heaven shining through a mother of courage, faith,determination and deep committment to God.

This is the story of a young wifes love for her unloving husband. Her husband did not want children as his wife did. They did have 3 though. The husband was quite envolved with church attivities but at home was totally different. He made his young children do all kinds of chores from the time they were quite young. His oldest son was continually getting whippings from the dad. The wife always taught the children to always love their father even if he didnt love them, and to always trust in God. This book is quite thick, but you will find it hard to put down. I dont want to say anything else about the story as you will want to read it to find out what happens. It will bring sad tears and tears of joy to your heart as you read it. It is really an enspiring story. It made quite an impact in my life.

I have read this book 4 times, each time I read it, it is as moving as the first. It is an incredible story about an abusive home. It brings both joy and pain when reading, but is a story that truly touches the heart. I recommend this book for the young and old alike. Once you start reading it, you won't want to set it down.

My great-grandmother Stella gave me this book when I was 15 years old. I have read the book about 8 times in the last ten years. It is the best book that I have ever read. Very inspiring. All ages would enjoy!

My daughter is newly 3yo and newly involved in ballet. She LOVES these books. Even at age 2 she would happily listen to the story as many times as I would read it to her. My son enjoyed it too as it showed boys dancing as well.
The illustrations are gorgeous. The story gives a very realistic glimpse into the magic of being on stage and the work that goes into performing.
I have and will continue to recommend this book to anyone who has a child, boy or girl, that is interested in dance.

In our instant-gratification culture, ballet provides children a wonderful opportunity to learn about focusing on a long-term goal and taking pride in accomplishing each small step along the way. Rachel Isadora's Lili books ring true because Lili is not a child phenomenon, she's a young dancer who understands the slow disciplines of ballet. In Lili on Stage, she's performing in the Nutcracker. But she isn't the star, she's one of a group of children dancing in the party scene. It's obvious she loves her role, and recognizes what an accomplishment it is to dance in a performance. This book combines beautiful illustrations with a real understanding of the world of ballet. I'd recommend this and the other Lili books to any small dancer. (My dancing daughter is 13 and on pointe, and she still keeps Lili on her bookshelf.)

My daughter is entranced with ballerinas, and since her name is Lillian, someone gave her "Lili On Stage" for Christmas one year. It's perfect for any little girl (or boy, as boys are shown herein as well) who dreams of becoming a dancer.

Rachel Isadora, the author and illustrator, is a former ballerina herself and she graciously lets us into this magical world. Lili and her friends are shown getting ready to go onstage to perform in "The Nutcracker"--we see them stretching, getting into costumes and make-up, waiting with baited breath for their cues, and so on. What I like best about the book is that Isadora shows us the pixie dust and the magic along with all the incredible hard work that goes into not only being a ballerina, but putting on a ballet for the public. The teacher, costume mistress, stage manager, and prima ballerina are all shown doing their disparate jobs. We see that creating this dream of a ballet takes the commitment and cooperation of a great many people.

This book is great! I bought it for my younger sister, and when I read it, I just didn't want to give it up. It depicts backstage life beautifully, and I would recommend this for anyone under 11.

There are no little magical elves or angels in these stories, just tales of real people and their holiday experiences, from a teacher with a problem student to a father with a child with one single wish to a teenager who reluctantly invites his girlfriend to the family's annual shopping expedition. Also recommended are Toner's other two Christmas volumes, Holly Day's Cafe and Whittlesworth Comes to Christmas.

I first read Lipstick like Lindsey's 10 years ago. It has become my special gift every Christmas to myself, from myself... a special time to read, reflect, cry, laugh, and bask in the warmth, humor, and sadness of each story. I have given this book as a Christmas gift for many years...the recipients loving it as much as I do. My tattered copy is beginning to show its age, but the stories inside are as new and wonderful as the first time I read them.

This collection of short stories captures your heart because the stories reflect genuine feelings. Everyone will be able to relate to these stories and the memories they invoke. The true spirit of Christmas is demonstrated in a realistic and heartwarming way in stories ranging from lighthearted to poignant. Reading this book will become a Christmas tradition. Suemary Vance M.D.

Every Christmas I get out my three books by Gerald Toner and settle in for a good read. His stories always touch my heart! No matter how many times I've read the title story in "Lipstick Like Lindsay's" I get a tear in my eye when the father finally finds the long sought-after gift. Mr. Toner is a great storyteller! These books also make wonderful Christmas gifts that can be enjoyed year after year.

A fabulous, heartwarming Christmas book that portrays the birth of Jesus in a new light. Excellent and highly recommended.

I just recently received "The Littlest Magi" as a gift for my son. We absolutely love it! The illustrations are breathtaking and the story is magical. Mr. Auer has taken the well-known Christmas story and added a unique and creative twist. We see the birth of Jesus from the eyes of a small, orphaned boy who learns about the true meaning of Christmas. It will definitely become a holiday tradition in our household.

Lushly illustrated in a style reminiscent of Disney's "Aladdin", "The Littlest Magi" skillfully weaves a tale that combines elements of the familiar Christmas story with an original story of a small, unimportant boy--a servant to King Herod--who strikes out on an adventure and discovers that there is another kind of King.

The story allows children to visualize themselves in the title role and thus to participate in the events in a way sure to delight them.

I read this book to my seven year old nephew Thanksgiving night and he said, "I thought it was really neat how Jacob helped baby Jesus escape from King Herod and how he got a family in the end." This book tells the Christmas story through the eyes of a child and I expect it to become a family tradition for many Thanksgiving to come.

THIS IS A KEEPER! NOT ANOTHER BOOK ABOUT A SELFISH BRAT BUT A COOL SIMPLY STORY OF A LITTLE ONE WHO GOES OVERBOARD... WE LOVE IT!

I just bought this book for my son, and we both love it. It's very cute, funny and has a good message.

My kids love this book- we've only gotten it a couple weeks ago and so far they've requested it every night for their bedtime story. The illustrations are superior compared to most of the stuff out there these days. And good lesson too, about finding what we truely want in our hearts vs. being greedy and trying to own everything in the world. We're very pleased with the book and highly recommend it.

Because of some 'connections', I got to read an early copy of this book and I can honestly say that I think it's fantastic -- it is a fun approach to an age-old tale about the joy of dreaming about gifts (I still remember pining over the Atari 2600 that actually did materialize!), making long lists for Santa, and waiting for dreams to come true. Your child (or favorite giftee) may grimace at the arrival of a book, but they'll enjoy this one repeatedly -- I think it'll become a holiday tradition!

This is such a cute story and as enjoyable for the parents as for the kids. The recognizable environs of Boston was highly entertaining for me, as I live there. And the illustrations are just super.

This is a GREAT book! My mother bought it for my 2 daughters after we all got lost in Boston. I have been reading this book to my oldest (age 3 1/2) daughter for over six months and neither she nor I have tired of it yet. The words flow well and the illustrations are beautiful! I just ordered 2 more books by the same author ("Sisters" and "Santa's Name book") for my two daughters. I anticipate that we all will enjoy them just as much!

Great book! McPhail does a wonderful job with the topic of being lost. A boy, a bear, friendship and finding the way home. I enjoyed it as much as my child.

This is a great book! And like so many of David McPhails books, it's worth buying the hardcover. Who's lost, the boy or the bear? A friendship develops while trying to find the way home. McPhail does a wonderful job covering the topic of being lost.

When a purple-haired, pregnant woman with body piercings takes the airline seat beside him, Erik Leiden is both intrigued and repulsed by this creature that seems so different than himself; nothing could be further than the truth. Both have come to Bavaria during the Christmas season in their individual quests for salvation in this poignantly written winter's tale.

Weathering a fierce snowstorm enroute to a German inn, they discover inner strength within themselves that enables them to eventually overcome the pain of their shattered lives. Jenny Heilman never remembers having ever celebrated a joyous Christmas, whereas he clings to the memory of the enchantment the familiar Crei Konige (Three Kings)Inn brings. As a divorced man with a daughter about her age, Erik empathizes with Jenny's plight as she clings to the address of the military base where she hopes to find the father of her baby. Similarly, having left his immediate family behind, Erik seems certain that he nevertheless will find the joy that filled him on prior visits to this remarkable place.

Gary Kroeker, who has served as poet-in-residence for the Southland Council of Teachers of English and the Conference of the Living Tree, weaves a magical story that demonstrates our redemption may come at the most unexpected times through the most unlikely circumstances. Trained as a surgical tech in the 101st Airborne Division, Kroeker draws on this experience as well as interviewing an expectant mother to bring realism and wonder during the climactic birth scene, in which Erik becomes both surrogate doctor and father to the child miraculously brought into the world.

As his German name "Leiden" (to suffer) implies, Erik seems to have led a rather unremarkable, conventional life, more attentive to maintaining the status quo than finding inner happiness after his divorce. As a result of the unexpected intimacy they share arising from their chance encounter, Erik and Jenny reveal their heartfelt honesty and tenderness toward each other, with "Heilman"(salvation) bringing the fulfillment they so desperately seek.

In addition to his role as English Dept. Chair at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, California, where he teaches Advanced Placement English, Gary has had two collections of poetry published as well as several short stories. Vernal Calibrations (1992) which won the Lantham Prize for a first book is out of print, but Darkness Defined (1994) can be ordered in most book stores. He has also won the Abbey Prize and the William Stafford Prize for his poetry, which has been translated in many languages. Most recently, he has published "Crane, Chekhov and Elizabeth Pugh," which appeared in Bellowing Ark (July/August 1995), and "Van Gogh in California," which will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Crazy Quilt.

The book cover for the Magi may be viewed on the Erica House web site: http://www.tip.nl/users/erica.books/ericahouse/kroeker.html. The book may also be ordered through amazon.com.

When a purple-haired, pregnant woman with body piercings takes the airline seat beside him, Erik Leiden is both intrigued and repulsed by this creature that seems so different than himself; nothing could be further than the truth. Both have come to Bavaria during the Christmas season in their individual quests for salvation in this poignantly written winter's tale. Weathering a fierce snowstorm enroute to a German inn, they discover inner strength within themselves that enables them to eventually overcome the pain of their shattered lives. Jenny Heilman never remembers having ever celebrated a joyous Christmas, whereas he clings to the memory of the enchantment the familiar Crei Konige (Three Kings)Inn brings. As a divorced man with a daughter about her age, Erik empathizes with Jenny's plight as she clings to the address of the military base where she hopes to find the father of her baby. Similarly, having left his immediate family behind, Erik seems certain that he nevertheless will find the joy that filled him on prior visits to this remarkable place. Gary Kroeker, who has served as poet-in-residence for the Southland Council of Teachers of English and the Conference of the Living Tree, weaves a magical story that demonstrates our redemption may come at the most unexpected times through the most unlikely circumstances. Trained as a surgical tech in the 101st Airborne Division, Kroeker draws on this experience as well as interviewing an expectant mother to bring realism and wonder during the climactic birth scene, in which Erik becomes both surrogate doctor and father to the child miraculously brought into the world. As his German name "Leiden" (to suffer) implies, Erik seems to have led a rather unremarkable, conventional life, more attentive to maintaining the status quo than finding inner happiness after his divorce. As a result of the unexpected intimacy they share arising from their chance encounter, Erik and Jenny reveal their heartfelt honesty and tenderness toward each other, with "Heilman"(salvation) bringing the fulfillment they so desperately seek. In addition to his role as English Dept. Chair at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, California, where he teaches Advanced Placement English, Gary has had two collections of poetry published as well as several short stories. Vernal Calibrations (1992) which won the Lantham Prize for a first book is out of print, but Darkness Defined (1994) can be ordered in most book stores. He has also won the Abbey Prize and the William Stafford Prize for his poetry, which has been translated in many languages. Most recently, he has published "Crane, Chekhov and Elizabeth Pugh," which appeared in Bellowing Ark (July/August 1995), and "Van Gogh in California," which will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Crazy Quilt. The book cover for the Magi may be viewed on the Erica House web site: http://www.tip.nl/users/erica.books/ericahouse/kroeker.html. The book may also be ordered through amazon.com.

I had the privilege of working with GW Kroeker for a few years and knew him in that time as an accomplished poet and writer of short stories. When he handed me his manuscript for Magi at Christmas I planned to read the first few pages (to get a sense of the work) before getting back to my busy day. I didn't put it down, however, until I finished.

While a literary work charged with meaning, it is also a gentle story of two wounded individuals who find redemption in each other. I'll leave the specifics to the other reviewers who have eloquently related the story, simply saying that I feel better off for having experienced this very human story.

The Magi at Christmas is a delight. On one level it is a poignant love story and on a another level, a profound chronicle of a journey from lonliness and desperation, to hope and rebirth. I found myself deeply involved with the ever-changing dynamics of the protagonists' relationship because the characters are believable and human. I must say also that I was drawn into the novel on a very personal level, since the main character, Jenny, is pregnant for most of the story. Having been pregnant at the time I read Magi, I found that Kroeker's discussions of pregnancy and the birth process lend a marvelous authenticity to the novel as a whole. Throughout the novel, Kroeker invites the reader to experience the people and places of Germany with the authority of one who is well-versed in the German language and culture. As in all great stories, Magi transports the reader from the here and now to a timeless place where there are invaluable lessons to be learned. I recommend this book without reservation and look forward to Kroeker's next project.