Christmas Books

Each year I add a Christmas book to each of my grandchildren's collections. This book is right at the top of my list of fine collectible childrens books.
Not only did Grandma enjoy the incredible art work and stories but so did each of our five grandchildren and their parents. The book was read repeatedly throughout the holiday season. I know this book will be treasured and brought out every Christmas for many years in our family.

Alice Topp

Wonderful detailed illustrations that children as well as adults love. We already were familiar with some of the stories by her that appear in the Treasury, are thrilled that she compiled them all into one book!

Every Christmas Eve, I started a tradition of giving my son a new keepsake hard cover picture book that we can share and read together every Christmas thereafter. After searching for this year's special book, I found this treasure..the artwork is beautifully illustrated and the stories are wonderful and make for a good cozy night cuddling up with my son and a hot cup of cocoa and sharing the magic inside the book's cover. Would very highly recommend this book as a keepsake for Christmas' to come.

We Love this book. The stories are lovely. The art work is amazing. My daughter loves how it shows what will happen next in the little circles on the side of the page. This is a large book but I love having the collection in one place. It makes it a special read together book.

great illustrations. But the content has very little with Christmas as christians understand it. It is just a usual secular staff about Santa and joys of winter.

Mortimer is a mouse, living in a dark hole under the stairs. In his opinion, his hole is "too cold, too cramped, too creepy." One night, as he's sneaking around the big house looking for crumbs that the human family may have left behind, Mortimer finds what he thinks will be a perfect new home for him -- the stable in a Nativity scene. The excited mouse struggles to drag all the Nativity figures out of this stable, and he nestles himself down in the manger. The next day, as he's out prowling for crumbs, he comes back to find that someone has put the figures back into the stable! Annoyed, he drags them out again, and so it goes for several days, until one evening, Mortimer overhears the human father reading the Christmas story to his children, about how there was no room for them in the inn. The little Mouse realizes that the statue he has been dragging out of the manger each day is a statue of baby Jesus. Touched by the story, Mortimer decides that he wants to make room for the baby Jesus, and carefully puts all the figures back in their places. And in the end, Mortimer own prayer is granted. He finds a home that is just right for him!

So cute!!!! The story is so fun to read and my twin girls age 6 loved to listen to it. We all loved the pictures. This will be a favorite Christmas treasure for years!!

Mortimer's Christmas is a wonderful story about giving unselfishly and the birth of Jesus and it is told in a way even the younger children can enjoy. I read this during a Preschool Story Time at our library and several parents and grandparents asked where they could get copies. The illustations were great and the story moved along quickly. Karma Wilson has found a way to share the true meaning Christmas with the little ones.

My preschoolers sat quietly and eagerly waited to hear the whole story. An awesome story that brings in the real meaning of Christmas.

This is perhaps the most powerful story about the Nativity outside of the New Testament. Kudos to Karma for the way she crafted a simple yet elegant story about one of the most important events in history. And the art? Jane is splendid. This is an all-star team who have created one of the most wonderful children's books I've ever come across. I now have a gift for everyone I know with small children. Keep 'em coming!

This book and CD are very well done; obviously the author had a real vision for its need and put a lot of love into its creation. As someone who has witnessed the "drift" and "disconnect" that many Latino kids feel when they are in white America, I am excited about this positive cultural connection with their countries of origin. I actually spoke with the author by phone and she is very much involved in educating schoolchildren (of any culture) about Latinamerican Christmas Traditions.

A word about the CD: it actually plays every song TWICE; the second time through, each song is sung in a certain "style", assigned to a country. For example: Marimba style, Guatemala. The result is a richly varigated CD with many different musical instruments used and different moods touched-- you don't start to think "all these songs sound alike because the same people are performing them!"-- not at all.

I hope to see more books/ projects by Charito Calvachi Wakefield in the future!

My mom and I enjoyed reading this book together because the presentation and cover are wonderful and reading about the culture reminded my mom of home. This book captured the real spirit of Christmas.

Es un libro excelente que revive toda la mística navideña de revaloración del espiritu religioso, del amor familiar y de los valores humanistas que todavía de valoran como esenciales en la gente latinoamericana. Muy buena presentación.

Charito Calvacci Wakefield's "Navidad Latino Americana" is a lush compendium of celebration and community. The descriptive thread of food, fellowship and tradition that binds young and old, rich and poor on this most revered of all holidays is accompanied by a CD of Christmas songs. This is the kind of book that becomes part of a family's library, to be taken down each year, appreciated and cherished.

Pasa el tiempo, de generación en generación, vamos cambiando, adoptando nuevas costumbres, olvidamos algunas. En Navidad Latinoamericana encontramos aquellas 'joyas' que relacionamos muchas veces con nuestro pasado, un pasado feliz, inocente, en familia, con la calidez de aquella época navideña, tan llena de misterio, de espectativa y de amor. Un hermoso regalo para aquellos a quienes apreciamos....una ilusión, una fantasía y alegría hechas imagen y sonido.

This is a good story. The guidelines recommend it for 9-12 years old and I feel that the subject matter and length of the story make it more appropriate for the typical Junior High schooler/young High Schooler looking for a meaningful and at times, humorous story during the Christmas season.

The *storyline* of The Shopping Cart Man is wonderful! I just finished it, and am happy to say that I feel a warm glow. As I began reading the book, I expected a moral parable...which it is. But in addition, this is *also* a mystery novel--and I adore mystery novels. The mystery aspect really picks up in the second half (as does the entire story), when the details of Sam's (the Shopping Cart Man's) past begin to emerge. As I neared the end, I both wanted to read faster to find out what happened, and slow down because I wanted to extend the pleasure of spending time with these characters.

I do hope that this book is picked up by a commercial publishing house, because the attentions of a good editor could transform it from good to excellent. That's why I gave it 4 rather than 5 stars; with some polishing, this could be a 5 star novel. There are some places where the story lags and there is overly much detail, and others where I wish the story had been fleshed out somewhat more. But I know that almost all novels require some editing. Certainly this book is of a quality to warrant being picked up by a commercial publisher.

I also agree with other reviewers that this story would make a good Hallmark Channel movie, or something similar. The characters are well-developed (Luke is an especially funny kid!), and there is an ongoing conflict and flashbacks within Sam that would translate well to the screen.

This book might well appeal to a variety of audiences. It's ideal for young people aged 10-15 to read alone. But it would also be a really good book for parents and children, or teachers/students, to read out loud together, as it would likely trigger a lot of good discussion. On the other hand, I'm a 44 year old woman, and I enjoyed it too! So, yes, I'd say it could have broad appeal. I'm donating a second copy to my local Chicago library branch. In these times, I think we can all use all the "warm glows" we can get! :-) I hope to see more books by Mr. Nufer in the future.

The book was wonderfully written! I was engrossed until the very end. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going to happen next. It also gave me a reminder of what's important in our lives and how we should try to make a difference to someone less fortunate than ourselves. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to read about good people doing good things.

This book caught my attention at the very beginning and held it all the way to the end. I especially enjoyed the unpredictable finish. Its a story that makes one think about how we could make a difference in someone's life? I'm with many others who think it would make a great TV movie!

This book was wonderful! What a great reminder for all of us focus more on others!! Perfect for the holidays!!

Whispering to Witches by Anna Dale was a truly enchanting story for all ages. If you or your child like The Wizard of Oz then you most likely love this book. A pure bewitching tale with lots of magic.

Joe Binks is just your ordinary boy living with dad as mum has remarried. Being quite ordinary it is fun when on his way to mum's for Christmas holiday he is singled out by a witch and given a special item of which he has no idea of having such a thing.

Twiggy is a little girl witch who is in training and the witches in her coven totally under estimate poor little Twiggy's powers. Doing menial jobs is supposed to be a learning experience for her but she doesn't really seem how. Twiggy has the curiosity of a cat and seems to have their nine lives also with the little fixes the cutie gets herself into.

The whole mysterious caper starts out on the train that is taking Joe from London to Canterbury and continues right up until the end of the book with lots of magic and who-done-its. Lots of spells and potions, strange ingredients and places along with fairies and animals help make this witchy tale absolutely delightful.

I accidentally came across this book and am ever so glad I did. The author has done a wonderful job at giving us a pure clean tale without scaring us. This book is simple enough for an eight year old but enchanting enough for adult. Not only will it keep your interest but you will not want to put this book down until the very last word.

I really believe this is a book that elementary teachers across the globe should encourage their students to read.

if you can get your hands on a copy, get it!!!!! The whole book is based on the fact that sometimes things happen for a reason and are worth the wait. this has been one of the best stories i've ever read!!!! wish i could find more like this.

I purchased this book for a children's book club (ages 8-10). We read the book over a 4 week period (we meet every two weeks). The kids all really enjoyed this book (we don't find many titles that every member likes, so this is a big deal). The story was fresh and new, and it had lots of twists and turns the kids could follow and appreciate. The chapters went fast (always a plus with kids!). There were a lot of small details that I thought the kids may have trouble noticing and/or remembering, but they did as well (if not better) than the parents! The main characters were very likeable, and their adventure was very extraordinary. If I had to categorize the book, I'd say it is like a shorter, less complicated Harry Potter... but DEFINITELY not a copycat title. Our group really enjoyed this book. (Note: the children in the group are a little advanced for their ages, may not be for all 8 year olds level-wise).

This is a good book. I read it. It was a little hard to get into.

Dale's Whispering to Witches is fantastic. The Interesting Cover caught my attention in the library, and then I was winded into Joe's adventure. Perfect with rats, cats, a missing page, and of course, witches, I loved it from the start!

Three generations have loved The Animals' Merry Christmas by Richard Scary. For a while, it seemed to have disappeared from the shops. Now it's back in all its glory, ready for a new generation of young readers to love!

There are lots of great memories here with wonderful illustrations to bring them back to life for you!

My sister and I had this book when we were kids in the '80s. We broke it out every Christmas and read the delightful stories of "The Naughty Teddy Bear" and "The Snow Shoe Rabbits" until the insomnia of Christmas Eve gave in to sleep. The illustrations really make the book for me. I'm so glad this book is back in production. This year I bought a copy for my nieces and nephew and they love it too.

Four stars because this book is so wonderful, but Golden Books has a nasty habit of making some deletions when reprinting their classics. There are also a few pages missing from the reprinted "Santa's Toy Shop," another Christmas favorite.

Four stars anyway because the deleted stories were not particular favorites of mine, but people who remember the original will be disappointed. Better this, however, than no Richard Scarry, and I do not want to discourage anyone from purchasing this marvelous book and reading it to the current generation of children. This is my 60th Christmas, and few of my Christmas memories are more precious than those wrapped up with this book.

My three year old twins are enjoying this new book. So far their favorite stories are "The Naughty Reindeer" and "Terrible Teddy Bear". I can see that this will book will be read during the Christmas season for many years to come!

My husband and I love this book for the old illustrations from when we were kids. The colors and pictures are vibrant and captures the eyes of even our 2 year old. Lots of fun poems and short stories. This is such a cozy book that brings back old fond memories.

Jim Dale is a very fine oral interpreter, it is a skill to read some of the most beloved books and make people love them more and discover something new.

This is a 3 disc set of A Christmas Carol, audio version and Jim Dale gives each character its own unique voice and he is pleasant to listen to and he adds charm, warmth and humor to this very well known story.

Treat your self, treat your family. We will be listening to this during our holiday traveling.

This is a fabulous, UNabridged version of A Christmas Carol. Jim Dale does fabulous voice characterizations, and really captures the mood of each scene. Just love it.

This was a great way to share the beauty of Dickens with students that are not quite ready to read it on their own.

Fabulous from beginning to end. Jim Dale's performance makes the characters in the book come to life. I highly recommend it.

Wonderful! In this busy time of year it's hard to find time to sit down long enough to read through the printed Dickens. Having an unabridged copy of A Christmas Carol in an audio format is a great treat. I managed to listen to it twice, once on my own while wrapping gifts and baking, and once with my kids.
Jim Dale, as usual reads it beautifully, embuing each character with it's own personality.

If you enjoy Anne Perry, you will love this little novella for
Christmas as I did. It is about hope and change. I think we
all want to see redemption and this little book delivers.

A Christmas Guest was a quick, engaging, and fun Christmas mystery. I found Grandmama to be somewhat of a prude, but endearing still the same. In addition to uncovering the mystery of Maude Barrington's death the story also provides some light humor and a good message. Although it is not your typical Christmas read, if you're alright with Victorian-type novels this is one worth checking out during the Christmas season.

Anne Perry presents readers with a neat puzzle in this holiday mystery in the classic tradition. Like the rest of Perry's books, this a a page turner, and it will hold your attention right up to the last page!

Also recommended:
Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices

A Christmas Beginning: A Novel

Item was sent very quickley and in excellent condition.

This is my first Anne Perry novel. It is the story of a crochety old grandmother in Victorian times who is sent to stay with family for Christmas in the windswept Romney Marshes of England. There she meets a life-changing guest, solves a mystery, and comes to a new understanding of people and acceptance of herself. The mystery is more of an intrigue as there is not much suspense or puzzle-solving--it all seems to be resolved in a pat and sometimes not fully explained manner--but Ms. Perry is obviously a gifted story-teller and has you turning the pages. I would definitely pick up another of her books.

Looking for a good fake book, this will help you out if you have trouble seeing those little notes !

Love my book,received received it just like you said .couldn't find it in any book store in dayton ohio where i live .thanks its great! nedrah warren

This is a very useful item with the upcoming Christmas season. I never knew such a book existed and was delighted to find it on Amazon!

Having a ball learning holiday music for family and friends.
A good book for anyone with under 1 year of learning. Most pieces are pretty easy to learn. You'll get practice with standard chords and chord inversions. Some songs have tricky chords and fingering for the newbie but consider this a great form of practice. A few songs are obscure but certainly there are enough to consider this book a good investment.
Enjoy
FYI: All standard chords are charted in the back of the book.

My husband absolutely loves this book and others in the series! Having taken piano lessons for one year when he was just ten years old, in retirement my husband decided he wanted to try to play again. This series of books provided just the help he needed. He now has a few favorites that he plays for me every evening, including "Moonglow" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and is happily preparing for the holidays with his new Easy Christmas Fake Book.

I am embarking on a big gingerbread project, and I bought 5 or 6 books for ideas and instructions. This one was the best by far!!! I am still relatively new to gingerbread, so it was not too basic for me at all. There were great ideas for decorating, how to use different ingredients and trimmings, tons of pictures, and the whole book was very instructive. There's a great scrapbook of houses at the end that are very inspiring.

The other books I bought just had patterns to copy and use, which was not as interesting to me, since I have my own ideas for what I want to do. This book, on the other hand, really suggested ways to do things!

I'm glad I got a used one and am so disappointed she hasn't written additional volumes! Also surprised it's not in print any more.

Special baking is high on my list at this time of year as it is for many others. Just discovered a wonderful find in Cargas' "Gingerbread Houses"book. May others be so fortunate to obtain or be given this delightful, easy-to-follow, friendly "how to bake and build memories" as the sub-title so warmly suggests.

Want to create Christmas Magic? Want magical memories your family will treasure for a lifetime? Then remind yourself of what it felt like to be a child - to believe in your heart in the wonder and magic of Santa Claus! Nothing can rekindle that spirit like creating a fun, festive and yummy-licious Gingerbread House with the whole family pitching in! You'll have so much fun and so many laughs it's sure to become a great Christmas tradition in your home - just like it is in ours! And this great little book has everything you need to have a ginger-iffic time! Pick up a copy - you'll be happy you did!

This is an excellent book for beginners and experienced alike. It has a colorful layout with great photos. There are many original houses which I have not seen elsewhere. Cargas includes many wonderful tips and shortcuts and has a fun children's section including advice on how to throw a gingerbread making party which proved a huge success with my children. It makes a great gift!

Words can't describe how helpful I have found this book. It is both full of tips and tricks that really work, and has lots of pictures for ideas. Its a great book for someone who doesn't know alot about gingerbread houses, it gives clear information, and its one of the best values I've seen as well.