Tea & A Good Book Brewing- Installment 10, Christmas Picture Books
This season of Advent is moving right along! Today we opened the box with the number 16 adhered to the side.
December may be passing in it's usual flurry, but our family has found our Advent time to be very special, just as I hoped it would be! It only took one box for the children to understand what was going on, and now Parker starts talking about it as soon as we sit down to read the Bible-story! Of all the little treasures found inside, his favorite is by far the candy!
You already know that I have a special fondness for children's books, but the three books I am reviewing today are proof that this love began long before I had children of my own: they all have Joanna Wadel written inside as the mark of ownership! One is dated 2001 and two are from 2005!
It's a bit strange that I haven't added to the repertoire now that I do have children, but we're trying to remedy that with plans to give each of the children a Christmas storybook as their Advent surprise on Christmas Eve!
Maybe next year I will review the new ones, but for today, the three we do have deserve a place of honor as being the ones that are pulled out of storage year after year and put out for the children.
And for me, too!
I have a feeling that many of you are already familiar with The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, by Susan Wojciechowski and illustrated by P.J. Lynch. However, if you have not already made the acquaintance of this perfectly lovely children's book, now is the time to do it!
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey follows a somewhat predictable storyline...(a) widow and son go to widower woodcarver for help in making a manger scene for the boy to replace one he lost (b) widow and son draw widower out of his cocoon of sorrow (c) widower, widow and boy go to church together on Christmas day, but believe me, it really is more than that! The story is (a) sweet, sad and funny by turns (b) full of redemptive strains and (c) beautifully illustrated!
This book is a good example of one in which the story would not be what it is without the illustrations, and the illustrations would not mean as much without the story! The illustrator was really able to capture the expression and depth of the story and capitalize on them for some fantastic artwork! In keeping with the era in which the story is set, it has an old-fashioned air, with muted colors and earthy tones.
In other words, a favorite of mine and highly recommended!!!
This Is The Star, by Joyce Dunbar and illustrated by Gary Blythe, is another lovely children's book with a traditional telling of the Christmas story. The story line is poetic in nature and uses repetition to tell the progression of a story that never grows old.
When I read the book to my class of 1-3 graders at Co-op last week, they were soon able to help recite some of the lines, thanks to the simple repetition. One of my students thought that it looked like Baby Jesus had a beard on one of the pictures of him in the manger, but I guess he was using his imagination, because I don't see it!
The artwork has a lot of shadow and definitely gives one the impression of seeing the manger scene at night, with a bit of the grainy effect one might get by taking pictures in a dim stable without a flash. The effect adds a depth and mystery that pulls one into the scenes.
The Crippled Lamb, by Max Lucado and illustrated by Liz Bonham, also tells the First Christmas story, although through the eyes of a little lamb. Left behind by the shepherds and other sheep when they go out to new pasture because he is crippled, little Joshua is in the stable when the Christ Child is born and gets to help keep the baby warm. Max Lucado brings out a clear message with these words: God has a special place for those who feel left out.
We all know what it's like to feel left out. When I read this story to my Co-op class, and asked them if they knew what it feels like, they nodded knowingly...yes...uh, huh...but thankfully didn't begin giving examples!
Once again, the illustrations help to strengthen the story with pictures that are soft and comforting; the figures of animals and pictures blend into the scenery a bit in a way that is smudged instead of distinct.
Of all the wonderful traditions to have at Christmas Time, what could be better than a stack of familiar children's books that evoke memories and stir the heart to remember...
Love came down at Christmas
Love all lovely, love divine
Love was born at Christmas
Star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead
Love incarnate, love divine
Worship we our Jesus
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token
Love shall be yours and love be mine
Love to God and to all men
Love for plea and gift and sign...
-Christina Rossetti
(There! I even found a way to include one of my favorite Christmas poems!!! The words have been going through my head and I am thinking of having Elasa work at memorizing it for school...)
I would love to hear which Christmas books you take out at this time of year...children's or otherwise!
Care to share?
December may be passing in it's usual flurry, but our family has found our Advent time to be very special, just as I hoped it would be! It only took one box for the children to understand what was going on, and now Parker starts talking about it as soon as we sit down to read the Bible-story! Of all the little treasures found inside, his favorite is by far the candy!
You already know that I have a special fondness for children's books, but the three books I am reviewing today are proof that this love began long before I had children of my own: they all have Joanna Wadel written inside as the mark of ownership! One is dated 2001 and two are from 2005!
It's a bit strange that I haven't added to the repertoire now that I do have children, but we're trying to remedy that with plans to give each of the children a Christmas storybook as their Advent surprise on Christmas Eve!
Maybe next year I will review the new ones, but for today, the three we do have deserve a place of honor as being the ones that are pulled out of storage year after year and put out for the children.
And for me, too!
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey follows a somewhat predictable storyline...(a) widow and son go to widower woodcarver for help in making a manger scene for the boy to replace one he lost (b) widow and son draw widower out of his cocoon of sorrow (c) widower, widow and boy go to church together on Christmas day, but believe me, it really is more than that! The story is (a) sweet, sad and funny by turns (b) full of redemptive strains and (c) beautifully illustrated!
This book is a good example of one in which the story would not be what it is without the illustrations, and the illustrations would not mean as much without the story! The illustrator was really able to capture the expression and depth of the story and capitalize on them for some fantastic artwork! In keeping with the era in which the story is set, it has an old-fashioned air, with muted colors and earthy tones.
In other words, a favorite of mine and highly recommended!!!
When I read the book to my class of 1-3 graders at Co-op last week, they were soon able to help recite some of the lines, thanks to the simple repetition. One of my students thought that it looked like Baby Jesus had a beard on one of the pictures of him in the manger, but I guess he was using his imagination, because I don't see it!
The artwork has a lot of shadow and definitely gives one the impression of seeing the manger scene at night, with a bit of the grainy effect one might get by taking pictures in a dim stable without a flash. The effect adds a depth and mystery that pulls one into the scenes.
The Crippled Lamb, by Max Lucado and illustrated by Liz Bonham, also tells the First Christmas story, although through the eyes of a little lamb. Left behind by the shepherds and other sheep when they go out to new pasture because he is crippled, little Joshua is in the stable when the Christ Child is born and gets to help keep the baby warm. Max Lucado brings out a clear message with these words: God has a special place for those who feel left out.
We all know what it's like to feel left out. When I read this story to my Co-op class, and asked them if they knew what it feels like, they nodded knowingly...yes...uh, huh...but thankfully didn't begin giving examples!
Once again, the illustrations help to strengthen the story with pictures that are soft and comforting; the figures of animals and pictures blend into the scenery a bit in a way that is smudged instead of distinct.
Of all the wonderful traditions to have at Christmas Time, what could be better than a stack of familiar children's books that evoke memories and stir the heart to remember...
Love came down at Christmas
Love all lovely, love divine
Love was born at Christmas
Star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead
Love incarnate, love divine
Worship we our Jesus
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token
Love shall be yours and love be mine
Love to God and to all men
Love for plea and gift and sign...
-Christina Rossetti
(There! I even found a way to include one of my favorite Christmas poems!!! The words have been going through my head and I am thinking of having Elasa work at memorizing it for school...)
I would love to hear which Christmas books you take out at this time of year...children's or otherwise!
Care to share?
I too love Christmas books! (Maybe you knew that already.) I never have seen This Is the Star. I'll be looking for that one! It is not really my favorite but my children definitely love The Grinch that Stole Christmas. It is not high art or poetry but I do love the reminder that Christmas "doesn't come from a store."
ReplyDeleteThis year I had fun introducing the children to The Christmas Carol. They heard references to Dickens and Scrooge and didn't know what it meant. I got a children's picture book and a Great Illustrated Classics version from the library. My younger ones enjoyed the picture book and the older ones read the simplified classic version. I made sure they knew it was all a fiction story and the ghosts/spirits were not real but just a made-up story so they wouldn't be scared. But they enjoyed hearing of the change in Scrooge when he quit living only for himself.
Just a suggestion - could you include the book title (or in this case something like "Christmas picture books") in your blog post titles. It would make it easier for me to search for a book review on your blog!
Gina
Thanks for the suggestion, Gina! I am still new at this, and the encouragement and input from "fellow-bloggers" means a lot to me! I enjoyed hearing about your family's current Christmas reads, too! Blessings!
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