Christmas Eve Books

This was a beautiful book where different types of animals shared and helped each other. What a world this would be if our children were brought up with these values in commercial products instead of the violence that now prevails in games and movies.

A BEAUTIFUL STORY WHICH REFLECTS LOVE AND UNSELFISHNESS. A GREAT BOOK TO READ DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON AND TO GIVE AS A GIFT. RICHARD PAUL EVANS IS ALWAYS TOPS AT WRITING. A BOOK YOU CAN READ TO YOUR CHILDREN.

This simple story about a widow and the family that moves in with her is a powerful Christmas story that should be read each year.

This little book is priceless..
I'll never part with it.
I was there in that big house with those precious people~
hated for it to end..
soooo soooo highly recommend this darling little book~
you and your loved ones will enjoy it so much..

Rick, Keri, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jenna, respond to an advertisement written by an elderly woman who is looking for a couple to work as caretakers and companions just before the holiday season. While moving in, Rick finds an old box that he is drawn to and one evening hears music coming from the box. When he opens it, he finds old letters that stirs his curiosity. That combined with reoccurring dreams of angels and Mary questioning what the first true gift of Christmas was, lead the reader on a wonderful journey of the joys and the true meaning of Christmas. And how if we get too drawn up in our own lives, we miss out on the lives around us.

This book is narrated beautifully with a lot of rich description. It contains a strong theme of appreciating your children, and has wonderful reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. Both are certainly worthwhile.

But the story that presents these ideas is significantly lacking. One example, without giving anything away, is when the narrator asks a neighbor a question. The neighbor knows the answer but instead says something to the effect of "I'll tell you next week." This is clearly a poor attempt at delaying a big revelation, which by the way is completely obvious by this point in the story anyway.

I do recommend this book if you want to read a stunning mental picture that will make you cry. If you want a clever plot though, this is probably not for you.

I was very happy that this book was in perfect condition as it was stated. I would buy from this seller again. It came before the estimated date and I was thrilled to get it. Thanks!

A very lovely addition to anyones Golden Book collection. This is a timeless book, fit for every new generation!!

We bought this for our first grandson. The book was my favorite childhood book and I had each word memorized. We want our grandson to learn to "stop and smell the roses" in life and this is THE BOOK to suggest that.

But it's not my favorite. The illustrations are lovely and soft. The story, however, is a little lengthy for my taste. I owned it as a child; I own it now. Who doesn't?

This is one of those baby books we all grew up with and still remember.

The precious illustrations and repetitive refrain make it a perennial favorite! This is a great book to share with the children in your circle.

This is a great book. I love Agatha Christie. I'm not complaining about the book or the writing. The text is way too small. I'm hoping that in later editions of the book they actually use text that's readable. I would love to read more of the Christie catalog of novels but I can't read text this small. I'm a young guy in his late 20's and I have trouble reading these. Please make the text big enough to read in later editions. I've been seeing a taller paperback coming out in new books the last couple of years. There are about 4 or 5 Agatha Christies in this newer format. I'm was hoping that they'd print more in that format. I don't buy books I can't read because the type is so small. I didn't buy this book because the type was too small. I went to the library and got it for free. I'm sure you publishers are loosing a lot of sales from making the type so small. I know that me and my friends don't buy books with the type so small. We'll find other ways, like getting an older printing at the library or buying it used online for a couple bucks. THE TEXT IS TOO SMALL ON PAPERBACKS THESE DAYS. STOP BEING GREEDY AND PRINT A LEGIBLE TEXT. PEOPLE DON'T BUY BOOKS WHEN YOU GET CHEAPO TO SAVE 20 pages... they buy books they can actually read.

My main reservation was that this was rather a gloomy novel. It opens in a smoky, dismal train station and moves to a cold, gloomy estate home. There is also more blood than is usual in A.C. novels, which she did on purpose following a criticism from her brother-in-law. All in all, a clever plot (as usual), but not much to do with Poirot's Christmas or even Christmas in general. For a contemporary Agatha Christie-style mystery with all the Christmas trimmings, check out Christmas is Murder: A Rex Graves Mystery (Rex Graves Mysteries) by another British author. In spite of multiple murders, it makes for light and festive reading.

Loooking for a book of intrigue, suspicious behavior, and loads of blood? "Hercule Poirot's Christmas" is definitely for you!

As someone else said, this book and "Appointment With Death" have striking similarities. Agatha Christie basically switched the gender of the victim, made the desert into an English winter, and bam! "Hercule Poirot's Christmas."

However, there is one big difference. While the plot in "Appointment" is relatively simple and easy to guess the murderer, "Christmas" has a large, complex plot that will keep your brains racking. The murderer is practically impossible to guess, but then when it's revealed, you'll feel stupid for excluding the villian from your suspect list.

The characters are also very interesting. You have Alfred, who only wants affection from his father, but will never get it. His wife, Lydia, who is wiling to protect him at any cost. George, the cold fish, and my favorite character, Magdalene, the younger and stupider signifigant other to George. There's David the dreamer, his kind wife, Hilda, and Harry, the wild child.

Also thrown in is a little romance between Pilar, Simeon's niece (the victim and patriarch) and Stephen Farr, who is a son to a business partner of Simeon's.

Red herrings galore in this book, the crime scene might not have that much evidence as the dialogue. Pay close attention to it and you may get a hint. Especiall the butler, who gets a vague sense of deja vu. The people themselves are important, not the murder weapon or where the victim was killed.

So, read this for a gruesome crime, broken alibis, more than one person who isn't who they say they are, love, hate, and a lot of fun!

Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering greatly from the lack of central heating, "Nothing like a wood fire" says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees. Then nasty, malicious old millionaire Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have wanted to do the old tyrant in, especially as Lee was about to change his will, apparently to include his beautiful granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are naturally anxious to insist that the murder must have been an outside job, whereas Poirot is equally convinced that one of the family is responsible.

This is one of the most delightful of the Poirot mysteries, with an interesting set of characters,especially vivacious, unconventional Pilar, amusing dialogue, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Our book club wanted a selection for the Christmas meeting and thus chose this Agatha Christie book. Although the subject matter was not in keeping with the season, it was an entertaining book, is light reading and goes fast.

Ever wanted to escape into a book with a child and feel young again? This book combines fantasy and Christmas into one story that is something to treasure and share with someone young at heart.

I orderred this fpr my grandchild and they loved it. I personaaly haven't read it yet. But they say it is good.

A wonderful adventure and an enchanting tale for the Christmas season, although this story can certainly be enjoyed at any time of the year. Once again, Mary Pope Osborne has done her own magic with book # 29 in her Magic Tree House series.

How exciting for a child to travel to Camelot with Jack and Annie on their quest. The story is fun, scary, thrilling, and upbeat. It certainly held my grandson's interest from the beginning to the end.

The illustrations by Sal Murdocca are beautifully done. They add so much to the total enjoyment of the book.

Denise Hillman Moynahan
The Great Cavern of the Winds: Tales from Backbone Mountain

Book arrived in a timely manner. Was suprised it didn't have a dust cover as that was not stated in advertisement. However, book was in good shape.

The magic treehouse series has been and continues to be a wonderful series for my son. Educational and interesting, these books capture his attention and inspire his imagination. It is so rewarding to see your child be enthusiastic about reading stories and reading in general. I have and will continue to suggest these books to other parents.

This is a great entertaining book. With each new page, and what that page revealed, my 5 year old's eyes got bigger and bigger! Fantastic imagination that grips the reader, and keeps her interested. I especially like the illustration of geography of my home country Norway. I loved explaining this on a real map for my daughter, and she was amazed by it all.

My daughter (3 yrs old) never gets tired of reading this book, and there is so much detail that there is always something new to discover so neither do I! The extremely dramatic story is exactly what resonates with children - A scared little girl left alone in the house afraid of trolls and who might knock, a brave Daddy that goes out on skis in the cold woods looking everywhere to find the trolls and scare them away, trolls who are knocking, trying to get in and finally burst in, a polar bear that gets poked in the nose, woken up, and roars around chasing them out, and trolls that are bad because they don't share and want to eat everything so poor Kyrie and Daddy don't have anything to eat for Xmas. Just scary enough with dramatic happy ending, my daughter acts it all out, and we both pick out new pictures all the time (Kyrie sillouette cooking in kitchen, animals in the northern lights, etc.) An absolute keeper, must buy you'll never tire of story or pictures.

I love this book, and so do all the children I know who have had it read to them. The point of the story is that trolls are incredibly stupid. Anybody looking for a deeper meaning will be disappointed. Some of the reviewers asked if it's a retelling of a real Norwegian folktale. Indeed it is. The original title is "The Cat on the Dovrefell" in Asbjornsen and Moe's "Norwegian Folktales" (1841).

Another very good book by Jan Brett. The illustrations are captivating. Trolls are again part of the storyline and the two main characters triumph over them in the end. Children enjoy the plot and how the trolls are cleverly outwitted.

What a marvel of a book! Jan Brett has an incredibly detailed and colorful style a la Michael Hague. In this book, each illustration is presented as a triptych: the middle panel represents the text, and the side panels present what is happening meanwhile with the other characters. Very neat trick.

I like that there is not TOO much text on each page, and there is a lovely repetitive cadence to the storytelling.

Although this is a good book to use in initiating learning about Scandinavia, it evokes the Arctic in general. As someone who lived in Alaska for many years and had the good fortune to see the Northern Lights and breathe the crisp frigid air until my nose hairs froze, I endorse Brett's artistic expression of the Far North completely.

This is a good family read for mixed-age children if the older ones liked "The Golden Compass" or "Julie of the Wolves". Children who like this book may also enjoy the gigantic "Gnomes" books full of Scandinavian lore.

JoAn W. Martin
2407 Kilgore Rd.
Baytown, TX 77520
281 427-2713

Vlahakis. Andrea. Christmas Eve Blizzard. Illustrated by Emanuel (Manny) Schongut. Mt. Pleasant, SC. Sylvan Dell Publishing. 2005. Hardback. $15.95. ISBN 10:0-9764943-3-7 Ages Pre-school-Grade 2

Nick and his grandfather are concerned about a young apple tree they planted only seven months ago. Can it survive the blizzard?
As Nick watches the snow swirling furiously, he bundles up and goes out to rescue a brilliant red bird that has tumbled out of the tree into a snow drift. Grandpa recognizes the cardinal, but says it is rarely seen in his area, especially at this time of year.
Grandfather and grandson work together to build a cage. When the cardinal recovers, they set it free. All winter Nick watches for the cardinal, but it does not return.
After Nick grows up a strange incident occurs. People come from all around to see what they perceive of as the apple tree that is filled with apples in the winter. As they come closer they realize it is not apples. Every Christmas the apple tree is filled with cardinals.
At the end of Christmas Eve Blizzard are five pages for teaching children. In a section titled, "For Creative Minds" environmental information abounds. Included are "Teaching Trivia," making bird feeders, even how to care for an injured bird. An especially easy, but interesting project is peanut butter on pine cones hung in trees to feed birds in winter.
This is Andrea's first picture book. Most of her work is about nature. As a child she rescued a bird during a blizzard.
Schongut, a prolific illustrator of all levels of books, has illustrated for many publishing houses. He taught art at Pratt Institute in New York for several years.

This holiday 810 word picture book is a gentle story about an injured cardinal. The reader can almost feel the wind and snow as young Nicholas trudges through the blizzard to get the fallen red bird. Nicholas and his grandfather, who grew up in Mexico, build a birdhouse for the cardinal. On Christmas morning, Nicholas takes the cage outside and frees the now-recovered bird. The story ends with many cardinals coming to perch on the branches of Nicholas's apple tree.

The pictures in this book are striking. The red feathers of the birds against the pale blue sky, and all the snow, makes a vivid contrast.

The Creative Minds section includes a glossary to explain the six Spanish phrases which are used in the story. It also contains information about birds, making several styles of bird feeders and explains how the word cardinal can also refer to numbers.

Overall, an excellent book for young readers and their adults.

There are certain books that evoke emotion in us. Usually, it's because of nostalgia. We associate certain things with various times in our lives. When I happened to stumble upon Christmas Eve Blizzard, by Andrea Vlahakis, I felt a surge of nostalgia, for my own childhood, my own discoveries, and my own relationships with nature and with my grandparents.

Christmas Eve Blizzard is a beautifully written book. The messages in the book are appropriate for all ages. The illustrations, by Emanuel Schongut, delicately portray the harsh conditions of the storm and tell the tale in pictures as effectively as it is told in words.

Additionally, this book contains various phrases in Spanish. Nicholas refers to his grandpa as "abuelo," and they each intermingle a few Spanish words within the text. The words and phrases are identified within the book and are also included in a glossary in the back of the book.

The thing that makes Sylvan Dell books so unique is that they each contain a Creative Minds section in the back of the book. For educators, this information provides a wealth of classroom activity ideas. For moms and dads, this information is a great way to expand your child's knowledge and to learn various crafts you can do at home to teach your child about birds.

This is the perfect read-aloud book during the holidays or any time of year.

This story unfolds as Nicholas and his grandpa are looking out the window at an apple tree they planted seven months ago. Nicholas is concerned that it is not strong enough to withstand the first snow of this Christmas season. Nicholas refers to his grandpa as Abuelo (grandpa). Abuelo assures Nicholas that the tree was well planted and will survive for years to come.

As he looks out the window Nicholas sees a red bird tumble off an apple branch onto a high drift of snow. Hurriedly putting on his coat, boots, hat and two scarves, he runs out into the storm. With the snow pelting his face, he pushes forward one step at a time. The bird is not moving and is almost covered with snow. He quickly wraps the cold bird in his extra scarf and hurries back to the house.

"I should be very angry, for going out in the blizzard," said grandpa. "Muy enojado, for going out in this blizzard." "Pequeno pajaro pobre- poor little bird." Grandpa builds a temporary cage for the cardinal, and Nichols adds a bowl of water and some seed. Grandpa tells Nicholas that his grandfather used to say, "When you do a good thing, good will come back to you."

The next morning the cardinal was hopping around in his cage and trying to fly out. It's time to release the bird so he can find his way home. "Merry Christmas," Nicholas whispers as the cardinal flies away. Years later people come from miles around to marvel at the wonder of Nicholas' apple tree, for every Christmas the branches are covered not with apples but with bright red cardinals.

Introduce your child to a few Spanish words while teaching him/her that good deeds are rewarded.

I gave 5 of these out as christmas gifts. The story is so important for young minds and the illustrations are quite beautiful. The colors draw the reader/participant in and the ending is delightful.

Also, in these days, it is wonderful to have the extra educational supplement after the story.

Well done

Simple, warm, heartfelt, touching. Snow flakes, sunshine, returning repeatedly to look out a window. A dog named Happy. Romping life noises, children running breathless through a house. Her mother couldn't have a little girl home.

The girl in the story lived her young years in a Catholic boarding school. The author had grown up to be a CFO of a major corporation, then retired as a writer who didn't lose even a breath of the child inside. Anne Lebrecht writes from that child's careful, thoughtful, flowing ink pen...

>> Katherine runs from her bedroom trying to catch the dog and the house once again pulsates, a bedlam of commotion.... After dinner we all go into the living room. Katherine plays the piano as we all gather behind her and sing Christmas carols. Some of the keys stick and will not play, but we pay little attention as we overpower the piano with our hearty singing. My stomach feels full with food, I am warm and comfy, and the joy of the moment brings tears to my eyes. Life can never be better than this. <<

She wishes for a doll as a Christmas gift. Holding the doll in her arms with a happy sense of fulfillment, she names the doll. "Linda" she whispers.

Then the dream ends and the reality of morning rings true ...

>> I hear the loud bell and feel confused. Where is the sound coming from? I open my eyes and realize the bell is the wake up bell. Slowly I rise and run to the window, the dream vanished, but the snow is real. I press my head to the window pane and feel the cold frost against my skin. Shivering I return to my bed. The other five beds are empty. My roommates are home for Christmas and once again I remain at school. I go to the bathroom and wash, brush my teeth and dress, then join two other children that have remained as well. <<

The ending of this story is simply beautiful. You'll want to read each word from the beginning, as it flows over the pages with a naturally effortless rhythm.

I wanted to read one particular pair of Anne Lebrecht's stories together. As soon as I felt the warmth from the conclusion of ON THE EVE OF CHRISTMAS, I found and clicked the 49 cents for PASSOVER MEMORIES, and read it online. Reading both that way took less than a hour, yet the distance traveled was immense.

These two stories taken together are so simply rich they're hard to describe. They're delicately, deeply sensitive yet easily uplifting. They express loneliness, a feeling of being chilled, lost, and sad, yet they're not emotionally overwhelming or soupy sentimental. The way I felt after reading each and both was peacefully comfortable. Yet, there was another strangely uncommon feeling which seemed to have caused the others. Sensing inside to describe what it was, to comprehend what this pair of Amazon Shorts was and how it affected me, I came easily to the word I sought.

Clean.

I'm thankful to have had a story to read which can "do" catharsis yet does that in a simple way, leaving me hopeful. Thank you, Anne, for writing.

After reading this story I wouldn't underestimate the potent purity of a true and sensitive child who survived whole as she grew into an adult, and writes from her memories. These two stories were written in the flowing, simple style of a wise, spirited child who lived to write through a woman who has fulfilled the roles of mother, CFO, grandmother, embodied soul.

In a Pleasant Place,

Linda Shelnutt

Both happy & sad, this one definitely leans more toward the warm/fuzzy department ...

Feels very autobiographical/reads like a slice-of-real-life and the abundant description and attention to detail makes you feel like you really "went there" ...

Thought it wrapped up a little quick and would have liked to have seen more details/clues as to the time period and geographical setting, but, overall, a nice, sweet, sentimental, little story about Christmas and Christmas wishes from a child's perspective ...

How do you express the joy that a child feels at Christmas? How do you tell of the simple wish of a lonely little girl? She doesn't wish for things, just the love of a family, a home to spend Christmas in instead of the sterile boarding school she finds herself in. What joy she finds in the sun breaking through the clouds as she prays for that family. I am sure that the holidays around the Lebrecht House hold were something very special if this story is any indication.

On The Eve of Christmas is a heart warming tale of a child's wish to belong. Ann Lebrecht did a wonderful job of drawing me in as a reader and I felt the pain the child felt as she struggled in her belief that someday she'd have the life she dreamed of. Keep up the good work and I look forward to more of your work. Tory Lynn

On the Eve of Christmas
By: Ann Lebrecht

With every stroke of Ann's pen, she paints a scene we all believe possible.
A sad but all too often true tale of a child's dreams. Through young Maryann, we see visions of what she deeply desires, then back to the cold reality of what is just beyond her reach, though with the grace of God, attainable.

I was dismayed to see that this item is not shipping with the original artwork, but rather with very colorful, stylized illustrations. The rhyme is exactly the same. I will try to post a picture of the new art. It's pretty in its own way, but lacking all the soft realism that was so charming about the original.

Great selection of Golden Books.
Sometimes I cannot find these in stores. My sorority donates these books each meeting to underprivileged children. It is much easier to order from Amazon! Now I always have a supply on hand for an upcoming meeting.

What a wonderful "throwback" to another era, with this Golden book which highlights some of the great artwork and poetry to celebrate Christmas. The story focuses on the many different kinds of animals who were present when little baby Jesus was born, such as chickens, four brown horses, five gray donkeys, six spotted calves, and...I think you get the point. It teaches the basics and provides great inspiration and truth for the children on one of the most sacred days of the year. Read it and your eyes will probably begin to well with tears. The picture of the eight nestling kittens is truly precious, as well as the eleven puppies who listen well.

A marvelous collection for any library!!!

This book was one of my favorites as a little girl. Now, as a grown-up, I'm overjoyed to have found it again. Gale Wiersum takes the familiar counting-up-to-twelve verse form and from it weaves a sweet poem, recounting what the animals say to each other on Christmas Eve, "after all the people leave." Each group of creatures offers a bit of the Christmas story to their fellows. The illustrations are soft and magical. Give this one to a child who likes poetry, or read it aloud during the Christmas season (I've even seen it recommended as a resource for Sunday schools). You'll like it, too.

This is a beautifully illustrated Christmas story. Perfect as a pre-Christmas gift to a younger brother or sister. Celebrates the magic of believing!!

This is a beauteous picture book-- very magical writing and pictures. It is a touching story but not sentimental, and I love how gentle it is. A great snuggling book. Perfect reading on Christmas Eve!

As a family is travelling by car to visit relatives, a heavy snowstorm forces them to stop in a shabby motel on Christmas Eve. The older family members grimly accept the disappointment of the delay, the baby is happily oblivious, but the young boy worries about missing Santa Claus. Mother reassures him that "Santa always finds a way," and in the middle of the night Santa comes for a magical visit! The illustrations of the snowy, starry night, wisps of frosty smoke, the friendly reindeer and Santa are indeed touched with magic. The hyper-realistic style of the other illustrations shows the grown-ups looking very gloomy and casts an ominous pall over the story that is never developed nor clarified. The story line is very thin. The heartwarming message that Christmas enchantment can be found even in shabby surroundings never really comes through.

A perfect holiday story, with fantastic illustrations to match. If you are looking for a book that truly captures the magic of Christmas, this is it!