<p>My youngest asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I didn’t know what to say given that she has limited funds and time.
But I have a huge box of Christmas themed books, and I am going to bring some and ask that we read them together.
Just have to decide which ones,
Quite a few Jan Brett, as they had a new one every year at Costco. Wonderful illustrations.
<a href=“Trouble with ■■■■■■”>http://janbrett.com/bookstores/trollbook.htm</a>
A Wish for Wings that Work by Berkley Breathed, The Polar Express, Amahl & the Night Visitors…
I may just bring the whole box!
What’s your favorite?</p>
<p>I was part of a group that did Brett’s “The Mitten” at a local story time yesterday. Snowmen At Night is another great “newer” picture book. <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Snowmen-at-Night-Caralyn-Buehner/dp/0803730411”>http://www.amazon.com/Snowmen-at-Night-Caralyn-Buehner/dp/0803730411</a></p>
<p>Sweet idea, emeraldkity4. I still give a children’s picture book to each of my ‘children’ at Christmas. I couldn’t possibly pick one favorite… I love the Jan Brett books, especially The Wild Christmas Reindeer, The Polar Express, Snowmen at Christmas, Tomie dePaola’s books, especially Merry Christmas, Strega Nona, Patricia Polacco books, especially Christmas Tapestry, and Eric Carle’s Dream Snow.</p>
<p>My wife has taught The Mitten many times. </p>
<p>I have two versions of The Mitten. Jan Brett’s, and also one retold by Alvin Tresslet.
I think I actually like the Tresslet version best, as I remember it from my childhood.</p>
<p>Night Before Christmas</p>
<p>The Donkey’s Dream by Barbara Helen Berger.</p>
<p>Baboushka by Charles Mikolaychak (we read this every Christmas Eve)
Clown of God by Tomie DePaola
Tree of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco
newly published: Manger – poetry by Lee Bennett Hopkins (I think. Or maybe it’s Prelutsky?)</p>
<p>The Polar Express and for a different holiday, our family favorite, The Chanukah Guest by Eric Kimmel</p>
<p>This is my favorite hands down: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. I just found out that there is a movie based on this book. I just ordered it from the library and I’ll watch it with my daughter (who is in grad school but she has memories of me reading this book to her).</p>
<p>During Hanukkah, we read stories from The Power of Light (Isaac Bashevis Singer). My kids have these stories memorized at this point, but we still read them. </p>
<p>We love Dream Snow as well!</p>
<p>Emeraldkity, you mentioned once that you like the art of Jane Ray. She has a lovely version of The Twelve Days of Christmas that came out last year. </p>
<p>The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. I used to read that to my kids until they were in high school. The Gift of the Magi. I just heard my son quote that the other day on twitter. And of course, The Night Before Christmas. I memorized that in the sixth grade and can still recite the entire thing by heart.</p>
<p>My all-time favorite is Harvey Slumfenberger’s Christmas Present by John Burningham. It’s a picture book about Santa going through many trials to deliver a present that he forgot on Christmas Eve. I still can’t read the last page without tearing up - it’s a very sweet book. </p>
<p>We have a huge bin of Christmas books, as well. Our tradition is to read a new Christmas book aloud on Christmas Eve. Our ds are still requesting this, even though they range in age from 24 to 30. I love it.</p>
<p>Lots of great books listed here. Some other favorites were The Christmas Witch by Steven Kellogg (wonderful detailed illustrations), Peter Spier’s Christmas (just pictures and a vague storyline),and How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss and David Catrow. </p>