Storybook Year at Thanksgiving

Are you living a storybook year? Our book-a-day selections for this month come from Chris Scarlett, who graciously shared this list and her notes with me (and you!). A book a day and then some from now until Thanksgiving. Thanks so much, Chris!

For The Younger Set:
My First Thanksgiving (board book) by Tomie dePaola (super simple for toddlers)

Thanks For Thanksgiving by Julie Markes, illustrated by Doris Barrette (bright, bold colors and simple rhymes)

 Countdown to Thanksgiving by Jodi Huelin, illustrated by Keiko Motoyama (family-oriented)

Thanksgiving Is Here! by Diane Goode (big, busy family)

 1, 2, 3 Thanksgiving by W. Nikola-Lisa, illustrated by Robin Kramer (doubles as a counting book from 1-10 and 10-1)

 The First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story by Laura Krauss Melmed, illustrated by Mark Buehner (1-12, brief rhymes, nice pics)

Thanksgiving by Brenda Haugen, illustrated by Todd Ouren (sweet overview)

Thanksgiving Is... by Gail Gibbons (colorful, brief highlights)

The Very First Thankgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene, paintings by Susan Gaber (lovely illustrations)

Fancy Nancy, Our Thanksgiving Banquet based on Fancy Nancy written by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Glasser, Fletcher, and Drainville (we completely missed out on this commercial brand, but I think this one is charming for girly-girls and their moms)

Saying Grace, A Prayer of Thanksgiving by Virginia Kroll, illustrated by Timothy Ladwig (pioneer girl)

The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern, illustrated by Elroy Freem (basic, gets the job done)

Thanksgiving by Dana Meachen Rau (simple school-type overview)

This Is the Feast by Diane Shore, illustrated by Megan Lloyd (bold, attractive pictures, rhyming)

 Thanksgiving Treat by Catherine Stock (a grandpa story)

"Potluck" For School Aged Children:
 Let's Throw A Thanksgiving Party! by Rachel Lynette (nice photos, very doable recipes and crafts, will click with Family Fun magazine fans)

P is for Pilgrim a Thanksgiving alphabet, illustrated by Helle Urban (written at two age levels, with poetry and prose, fact-packed and gorgeous)

 Oh, What A Thanksgiving! by Steven Kroll, illustrated by S. D. Schindler (modern schoolboy imagining a parallel life as a Pilgrim kid, fun)

 N. C. Wyeth's Pilgrims, text by Robert San Souci (BOGO alert--art appreciation and educational)

 The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh (vintage Caldecott, lovely wording)

Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas, illustrated by Shannon Stirnweis (check out the Catholic connection here)

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla, pictures by Peter Burchard (old school bio, sparsely illustrated)

 Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Greg Shed (one of the best Squanto books out there)

 If You Were There At The First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma, illustrated by Bert Dodson (classic series, Q&A format)

The First Thanksgiving Feast by Joan Anderson, photographed by George Ancona (beautiful B&W photos of re-enactors at Plimouth Plantation)

A World Of Holidays, Thanksgiving by Marilyn Miller (overview, colorful photos)

 The Pilgrims' Thanksgiving from A to Z by Laura Crawford, illustrated by Judith Hierstein (organized as an alphabet book, would be a good way to kick-off or wrap up a mini-unit study, pretty)

The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward, illustrated by James Watling (interesting early reader)

Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness (attractive and very well-researched)

Eating The Plates: A Pilgrim Book of Food and Manners by Lucille Recht Penner (foodies might like this chapter book)

1620 Year of the Pilgrims by Genevieve Foster (a meaty chapter book)

 1621: A New Look At Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac, photos by Sisse Brimberg and Colton Coulson (detailed)

 Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast by Kate Waters, photos by Russ Kendall (parallel stories of Pilgrim boy and Indian boy at Plimoth Plantation)

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner (Can you say perseverance? Charmingly told, girl power--in a good way)

 Sarah Gives Thanks by Mike Allegra, illustrated by David Gardner (more straightforward than the previous title about Sarah Josepha Hale, a good complement to it)

 A Thanksgiving Wish by Michael Rosen, paintings by John Thompson (missing departed grandma, a wishbone story, not a downer)

 Fat Chance Thanksgiving by Pat Lakin, illustrated by Stacey Schuett (kids' initiative brings neighbors together)

 Thanksgiving On Plymouth Plantation by Diane Stanley, illustrated by Holly Berry (bland title for an imaginary time-travel tale with grandma as teacher using comic speech bubbles, very kid-friendly) 

 The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell (an elderly couple is included in a family meal at an ethnic restaurant)

 The Firefighters' Thanksgiving by Maribeth Boelts, illustrated by Terry Widener (whole lot of action here for one day)

Turkey Bowl by Phil Bilder, illustrated by C. F. Payne (let's hear it for the boys in this family football story)

 The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story by Charlotte Herman, paintings by Ben F. Stahl (people and memories are more important than things, don't miss this one)

The Pilgrims of Plimoth by Marcia Sewall (quaintly written in first person, present tense)

The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Thomas Locker (well told, Dutch Masters-style paintings)

Thanksgiving Day, A Time To Be Thankful by Elaine Landau (overview that would be nice for a schoolish report)

 The Thanksgiving Bowl by Virginia Kroll, illustrated by Philomena O'Neill (cute, far-fetched, convoluted tale)

Thanksgiving Day Alphabet by Beverly Barras Vidrine, illustrated by Alison Davis Lyne (use this one to summarize and review the whole unit of study)

One For The Oldest Students:
Thanksgiving, The True Story by Penny Colman (nice reference for fact-checking teens or parents)
Junior high and high schoolers may enjoy reading some from the previous level aloud to siblings (or children they babysit). 

A REWARD IF YOU ARE STILL WITH ME HERE:
 The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi (Hilarious. Highly recommended. Shhh. We will be reading this one to all the big Scarlett kids on Turkey Day this year. Thankfully, most of our families fall somewhere on the continuum between the extremes of the Martha Stewart-ish and the "redneck" clans depicted here.)

For more about our Storybook Year, please visit  here. 

Together By the Manger

Pull up a chair. I have something so special to tell and show you that I asked Christian to make a video. May I have a moment or two of your valuable time?

For further details and ordering information, click here. But hurry! Advent is so soon and these need to be ordered and shipped very, very soon to get to you well before the first Sunday. 

Let's make it the best Advent yet.

Grab a Mug and a Book

I'm not a big fan of Peppermint Joe-Joes before Thanksgiving. Or of Mint Hot Chocolate crowding out the Pumpkin Spiced Chai. I'm not one to decorate for Christmas in mid-November. But...

There is something to be said for ordering Christmas cards when you order your Thanksgiving bird. If  you want to be sure you have Peppermint Joe-Joe's for Peppermint Day, you might want to buy them before Thanksgiving and stash them in your coat closet, up there with the hats ind mittens*. There's a definite advantage to buying Advent candles by the case in January and having them blessed at Candlemas, especially when it's the first year after the Catholic store around the corner has closed up shop forever. And there's much to be said for organizing the Advent and Christmas books before Advent actually begins.

Here's the plan we hit on a few years ago. Hopefully, this early Advent and Christmas post will be helpful right now. Also, I see lots of Christmasish searches happening here. We are doing LOTS of behind-the-scenes work in order to get ready for an Advent workshop, but if you're trying to find something in particular, leave me a comment here and I'll see if I can help. And if you just have a question about Advent or Christmas and how we do things around here, I'm happy to entertain those now, too. Because thinking ahead is the first step in living intentionally. 

Chris Scarlett sent me another wonderful annotated book list. Lots of the books on her list are family favorites of ours.  

The past few years, I wrapped all of our Advent and Christmas books and labeled them with dates to open one or two a day. I'm pretty excited about my crazy organization. 

All so good. We wrapped these books last year before we put them away. They are numbered according to the day they will be opened. Patting my inner Martha on the back....

We will unwrap one a day (two in some cases) and be sure that book gets the spotlight that day. Then, all the others and all the previously unwrapped ones can also be read on any given day.  I reserved certain feast day books and our favorite Peppermint Day inspiration. I absolutely did not overthink this. Honestly, I mostly let Mary Beth do it the first few years and Katie do it last year for this Advent. The big goal--the whole idea--is just be certain every book gets read at least once and to trust that the literature will work its way into their hearts and their warm memories..

The spotlight all season will be on the Jesse Tree. Advent 2014 was the first time we used Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift. I love this book. I love the Jesse Tree ornaments and I love the way the stories are retold. The best endorsement I can share with you is that I sent one of these to each of my godchildren that year first year and this book was the one my children most looked forward to last year..  

AND I HAVE SOME CHAPTER BOOKS SET ASIDE FOR READ-ALONES:

We became devoted fans of Anne of Green Gables and the other Anne stories by L. M. Montgomery this year so it was with great joy that I reviewed Christmas With Anne And Other Holiday Stories, edited by Rea Wilmshurst. The book is a collection of short stories by Montgomery published in magazines in the early 1900’s and two stories from the Anne of Green Gables series. Like the books in the series, the stories can be a bit overly-sentimental but there is something so compelling and good about Montgomery’s characters and plots that the sweet is satisfying instead of sickening. If your children haven’t met Anne, this book, read aloud, is a lovely introduction. If they know her well, the two Christmas stories will be remembered fondly and the others will be fresh fodder for the devotion that Montgomery inspires in her young readers.

Similarly, all the Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas memories are gathered into one anthology. A Little House Christmas Treasury is very sweet Christmas reading...

The message of advent and Christmas can get a little worn when the book box is brimming and they all begin to look the same. I read Papa’s Angels by Collin Wilcox Paxton and Gray Carden in one sitting, with tears streaming down my face. It brought to mind a dear friend who has experienced the loss of both her parents this year and the hope and joy that I pray her children will bring her this Christmas.

Papa’s Angels  is a book for older children. It is a quick and easy read but it is deep and thoughtful and at times, dark and haunting. Told through the eyes of Becca, a gifted twelve-year-old writer who lives with her father and four younger siblings in Appalachia, it is the story of the immense grief of a young father who has lost his dearly beloved wife to an illness just before Christmas. 

 As Papa retreats more and more into his sorrow, the children become increasingly hopeless that they will ever again hear him sing or see him laugh. Their grandmother keeps alive the flickers of hope that seem to be every child’s birthright and gently guides them to see how they can help their father stir from his misery. Interspersed throughout the book are lovely songs that Papa has composed in happier days to celebrate his family and express the sweet, pure, lasting love he has for his wife. In the end, it is music, the wisdom of children, and the spirit of love that triumphs over loss and brings the father back to his children.

Jotham’s Journey by Arnold Ytreeide is an advent storybook with one installment for every day of Advent. The story is very compelling and my children frequently begged for more after one day’s devotion was read. Ten-year-old Jotham travels across Israel, searching for his family and facing great danger and breathless adventure. Ultimately, his journey takes him the Infant in Bethlehem. While the author uses this book as a bedtime story, some adventures are rather intense and I prefer to leave it to my middle schoolers and encourage them to read during the day.

Christmas Remembered by Tomie dePaola Each short chapter is an interesting autobiographical story of his colorful life, pun intended.

Below, I've mixed my thoughts on picture books in with Chris' notes. I'm sorry if this confuses some of you. Please think of it as the virtual version of two enthusiastic picture book lovers trying to tell you everything that excites them about Christmas books all at once:-). Lots to love here.

EARLY ADVENT:

The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, An Austin Family Story by Madeleine L'Engle, illustrated by Joe DeVelasco this has few pictures, but is a delightful story to stretch out from December 1-24.

Waiting For Noel, An Advent Story by Ann Dixon, illustrated by Mark Graham This is the story of a family waiting for a birth in this and the previous title. I love to give this as a gift to families awaiting "Christmas babies." And I love to read it every year with my Christmas baby, even though now he's rather large.

The Little Advent Book by Ida Bohatta, English version by John Theobald Sweet, tiny German book if you can find it.

OTHER JESSE TREE COMPANIONS:

Your favorite children's illustrated (or adult) Bible

 One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham (Billy's wife), illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson (especially well done illustrations in this story that immerses us in a compressed version of salvation history from Creation to Easter)

GENERAL NATIVITY THEMES:

For the very littlest of listeners B is for Bethlehem. Isabel Wilner tells the story of Christmas in lyrical couplets, which are neither sticky nor snooty. The exuberant collage art in this nicely sized board book makes it eye candy for all of us, young or old. 

And then move on to There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve. The prose on each page is sparse, so the book moves quickly enough for little ones, but watercolor illustrations captivate readers and beg us to linger. There is reality here: Mary is very young, the earth is dry and dusty, and the animals don’t speak. But there is beauty and believability in the reality of the miracle. 

The First Night by B. G. Hennessy, paintings by Steve Johnson with Lou Fancher is perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, or a Baby's First Christmas gift.

One Special Star by Anita McFadzean, illustrated by Kate Jasper's is a counting book, from 10-1

The First Christmas by Rachel Billington, illustrations by Barbara Brown (very complete)

The Christ Child, as told by Matthew and Luke, made by Maud and Miska Petersham (1931, might be hard to come by, but so worth a try)

The Story of the Nativity by Elizabeth Winthrop, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson (brief, little intro for younger children)

King of the Stable, by Melody Carlson A wealthy boy in biblical times learns the meaning of the Incarnation when he must leave his home to live with poorer relatives in Bethlehem--and ends up helping a certain couple who are about to have a very special baby.

The Shepherd's Christmas Story, by Dandi Mackall This is the story of the announcement that the Savior was born, described by a shepherd who was there.

Bright Christmas, An Angel Remembers, by Andrew Clements  imagines a heavenly perspective on the birth of Jesus. The clever and colloquial text incorporates angel appearances from several Bible stories and hints at what it might feel like to be such a religious messenger. Kiesler's  soft oil paintings set the scene for biblical events with canvases of blue-black starlit nights and vast expanses of golden Middle Eastern desert. Worth the hunt to find this one.)

THIS NEXT GROUP OF GENERAL NATIVITY TITLES WOULD BE ESPECIALLY NICE TO REVISIT ON OR NEAR CHRISTMAS EVE.

A Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith was well-received in our house. My children are fond of other books he has illustrated. Wildsmith’s unique illustrating style is at its best in this book. The story is a simply told rendition of the nativity story, from the perspective of Rebecca, a little girl whom Mary leaves to care for a young donkey when the donkey’s mother carries the Blessed Mother to Bethlehem. The young donkey misses his mother and Rebecca ends up in Bethlehem, too. The paintings are anything but simple. They are richly textured with brilliant color and lovely accents of gold. We stopped and looked carefully every page. This book begged to be followed by an art project, where gold paint was readily accessible. 

My favorite book to give new mothers is When It Snowed That Night by Norma Farber. My children really don’t sit still very well for this one. I read it more for me. It is so easy in the weeks preceding Christmas to get caught up in the busy-ness of life. There is so much for parents to do. What we forget is that often what our children need most is not that we do but that we be. They need us to be available to them to talk or rock or read or just sit in comfortable silence when the story is finished. This book remains in our Christmas box to remind me to slow down and just be with my children. Reading aloud is a wonderful vehicle for doing that. 

The book is composed of poems from many of the creatures who went to greet the Christ child. At the end of the book, the queens come. They are late, having left their children with sitters, and they don’t stay long because: 

“Their thoughts are already straining far— 

Past manger and mother and guiding star and child aglow as a morning sun— 

toward home and children and chores undone.”

They are distracted because they are going in too many directions. There are so many worthy causes—particularly during advent and Christmastime. 

I don’t want to be like the queens, giving little bits of myself to lots of people and all of my heart and soul to no one. Instead, I want to serve my Lord with my whole heart—caring tenderly for the children he has entrusted to me and guarding carefully my time so that I don’t over-commit and neglect my home and family. 

We are given opportunities every day to bring into our children’s lives those things which are true and beautiful when we read aloud to them in our homes. We have the opportunity to be like the last creature in Farber’s book, who identifies with and emulates the Blessed Mother: 

“ I never got to Bethlehem, 

someone, I thought, should (day and night) 

be here, someone should stay at home. 

I think I was probably right. 

For I have sung my child to dream

far, far away from where there lies

a woman doing much the same. 

And neither of our children cries. ”

 Beautiful books are enduring and I can imagine sharing our collection, which will be quite large, at Christmas with my children’s children. I also try to give books to each of my godchildren each year at the beginning of advent. I hope these books will find a special place in the hearts of the children who are dear to me. I know they have found a place in mine.

My favorite book this year is a simple one compared to the others. The illustrations are drawn in colored pencil and reflect the message: Christ is not complicated. He is not hard to find. He is simple. He came to the shepherds—poor, uneducated, humble servants. He made himself obvious and available to the lowly. The Shepherd’s Christmas Story by Dandi Daley Mackall evokes the whispers of Old Testament prophecies and underscores the tenderness of the Good Shepherd. Children will like the storyline which is rich with the images of a shepherd’s life, but the message is not a childish one. Children believe in God; they accept Him readily as truth. It is adults who search for God—they seek him, often without knowing what they are seeking. They look for knowledge and nobility, for theological understanding, for outward signs of secular greatness, both for themselves and for their Savior. But they will find Him in infinite simplicity. He is Love. He is the baby, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of Sacrifice, and the risen Lord who commanded Peter to feed his sheep. He made himself known to the uneducated, unsophisticated, simple shepherd who walked solely by faith. This Advent, as we share stories with our children, we pray for an increase in faith, so that though we may not understand at all, we—like the shepherds—will truly know Love.

An excellent art book, whose text is pure scripture is a sophisticated picture book illustrated by Jane Ray called The Story of Christmas. The large pictures combine symbols from ancient and modern folk art to illustrate the Christmas story. Text is taken directly form the King James version of the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The book begs to be read aloud reverently by fathers on Christmas Eve. 

Father and Son: A Nativity Story by Geraldine McCraughean I'm so sad this is out of print. Do hunt it down. This quiet picture book imagines the thoughts and fears of Joseph as he reflects on the birth of the Christ child. Glowing illustrations offer a series of pleasant scenes, as Joseph envisions the baby growing to be a boy. Charming decorative borders add gracefully frame the pages.

 I freely admit that I bought All for the Newborn Baby when I was expecting Nicholas, solely because of its title. This book was wrapped and ready, waiting for our newborn baby. It is a well-researched, beautifully illustrated picture book that might be enjoyed by a small child on a quiet afternoon, but will truly be appreciated by much older children and adults.

The author shares that she remembered being told as a child that some people are blessed on Christmas Eve with the ability to hear animals speak. She researched Christmas stories from around the world that featured miracle tales of animals and wove the stories into a lullaby that Mary might have sung to her newborn baby. The text is very simple and the illustrations exquisite. This is a book that will truly be a treasure for those who collect fine Christmas books.

A picture book that is suitable for older children is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey. Toomey is a widower who has become sad and reclusive since the death of his wife and son. A seven-year-old boy and his widowed mother are persistent in offering their friendship as Jonathon carves a creche for them. The carving of the creche is a story within the story and there is a joyous miracle on Christmas day. This is a tear-jerker that gives me chills every time I read it. It is not sappy and overdone but truly touching. This is the perfect picture book for children in the middle grades who might consider themselves too old for picture books. The book was written by Susan Wojciechowski. Illustrations are rich, realistic watercolors by P.J. Lynch. If there is a seven-year-old boy in your life, you must have this book. The rest of us should find a seven-year-old boy and buy the book so that we can live the story through the eyes of the child. 

Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Barbara Cooney (from two Grand Dames of children's lit)

For the very youngest child, Who’s Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate is engaging and endearing. The book follows a pattern so predictable that my son Christian, who was not even really a fluent talker at three, had the entire book memorized so that her could “read” it to Patrick, one. All the animals in the stable take part in preparing their house for a very special visitor.

Three of my children were baptized during advent and we received a lovely picture book as a baptism gift. This is the Star  by Joyce Dunbar is a lovely story of the birth of Jesus that builds on itself. The book works well as a read-aloud because it is rhythmic and employs rich, poetic language and gorgeous illustrations that hold the older listener while younger listeners absorb the story. 

One book in our box which is so tattered and well-loved that I would like to replace it in hardback isThe Donkey's Dream by Barbara Helen Berger. It tells the story of the dreams a donkey dreamt as he carried the Blessed Mother to Bethlehem. This book is one of a few really “Catholic” feeling Christmas books. The images of Our Lady—which read like a litany—are worthy of study and discussion with older elementary and middle school children but the story can stand on its own with very young children. The pictures are beautifully colored and framed by a border of forget-me-nots, also called les yeux dex Marie.  

The Legend of the Christmas Rose by William H. Hicks is the story of Dorothy, a nine-year-old girl whose older brothers are shepherds. When they see an angel who directs them to a baby in a manger, Dorothy secretly follows them. Just before she arrives, she realizes she has no gift. Beautiful white flowers miraculously appear. When she presents them to the Christ child, He performs another miracle. The book is well-written and illustrated by lovely, realistic paintings. To extend the book, I would bring some Christmas roses into the house. 

King of the Stable, by Melody Carlson, is the story of Matthew, who leaves his father’s affluent home to live with relatives in Bethlehem. Not accustomed to working, Matthew is a bit discouraged when he is made “king of the stable,” in charge of feeding, watering, and cleaning up after the animals. Since this is Bethlehem and Matthew is in charge of a stable, wondrous things are certain to happen. 

Jacob’s Gift by popular Christian author Max Lucado, tells the story of a carpenter’s apprentice, Jacob, who is competing with the other apprentices to determine who will be chosen to help build the new synagogue. Jacob loves working with wood and pours his heart and soul into a beautiful feeding trough. He falls asleep just as he finishes only to be awakened by brilliant starlight and a tough decision. Jacob truly learns that “when you give a gift to one of God’s children, you give a gift to God.”  

CHRISTMAS GIFT OF THE PRIESTHOOD:

King Island Christmas by Jean Rogers, illustrated by Rie Munoz This is an Eskimo story.  Will Fr. Carroll make it in time for Mass?

The Miracle of St. Nicholas by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Judith Brown Don't miss this story of a Russian Christmas surprise. I dearly, dearly love this book. This year, with all the parts of our parish mission dispersed into various homes in the neighborhood, the book resonates all the more.

INSPIRED BY CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Joy To The World! Carols selected by Maureen Forrester, illustrated by Frances Tyrrell (favorites and lesser-known songs with especially cute illustrations)

And It Came To Pass by Jean Slaughter, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard (the Biblical account interspersed with snippets of carols, vintage 1971)

Silent Night, The Song and Its Story by Margaret Hodges, illustrated by Tim Ladwig (I totally wish I could visit Austria some day.)

 A gift book to give a musical family is Silent Night illustrated by Susan Jeffers. The text is that of the lovely carol and the illustrations, in shades of blue and soft yellow, are by popular children's illustrator Susan Jeffers. This book will help visual children to interpret the carol. The pictures are very engaging. Since the words are well-known, you might also find yourself digressing from the text to just chat your way through the book. These are pictures for conversation. Music is included so this book would make a pretty decoration propped on the piano. 

 Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella, A Provencal Carol, pictures by Adrienne Adams 

 The Huron Carol is a beautifully illustrated, sophisticated picture book. Illustrator Frances Tyrell has set pictures to the English translation of an old Christmas Carol composed by Father Jean de Brebeuf, a French Jesuit missionary who lived among the Huron Indians in the early 1600’s.The carol entwines the traditional Christmas story with Huron spirit and tradition. In this book, the pictures complement the text and maintain the authenticity of the Huron heritage.  There's an MP3 here: The Huron Carol by Father Jean de Brebeuf

 'Twas In The Moon Of Wintertime, The First American Christmas Carol adapted by Roz Abisch, illustrated by Boche Kaplan (same song as the previous book with a completely different art style.  See which one your children prefer.)

My friend Kathy discovered O Holy Night: Christmas with the Boys Choir of Harlem at the Catholic Shop and called especially to tell me about it. The first thing that struck me about this book, illustrated by the renowned Faith Ringgold, is that the Holy Family is dark-skinned and the supporting cast is multi-ethnic. The book begins with scripture and then moves to illustrated lyrics of traditional carols. An accompanying CD is a soulful recording of the Harlem Boys Choir singing Christmas carols. Truly, this book and CD set is a sensory feast. 

Deck the Hall by Sylvia Long. Is a fun, whimsically illustrated book of the favorite carol. Pre-readers love to "read" it aloud because they know the song.

Any version of The Nutcracker if going to the ballet is in your plans this year.  The Scarlett family has a commercial version that is kind of a Where's Waldo-inspired Nutcracker.  The Foss family has this one:

The Nutcracker,  is a hefty coffee table book in classic Sendak style.

Tallulah's Nutcracker is a must-give book for anyone who has a little ballerina on her list. This is a darling story of a little girl who makes ind of a big mess of her first Nutcracker performance, but then lives to tell the tail (er, tale;-).

NURTURING FAMILY-ORIENTED THEMES

Grandfather's Christmas Tree by Keith Strand, illustrated by Thomas Locker (survival in 1886 Colorado)

In The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree:  An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston, it’s Ruthie and her mother who must fulfill the family’s Christmas obligation. They are supposed to furnish the perfect Christmas tree for the town’s celebration. Ruthie’s father had chosen the tree before he left to fight in the war. But he has not yet returned home when it is time to harvest the tree for Christmas. This is a touching story of great wealth amidst poverty. Barbara Clooney’s illustrations are wondrous and this lovely tear-jerker is destined to become a family favorite in our house. 

An Orange for Frankie This story of generosity is a new one in our house this year, a gift for someone who learned that trips to Lansing can bring lessons and blessings. This is a holiday story close to author Patricia Polacco's heart. Frankie was her grandmother's youngest brother, and every year she and her family remember this tale of a little boy who learned--and taught--an important lesson about giving, one Christmas long ago. Polacco is a favorite author who doesn't disappoint with this one.

My Prairie Christmas by Brett Harvey, illustrations by Deborah Kogan Ray (touching and suspenseful)

 A New Coat For Anna by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Anita Lobel Based on a true post-WW 2 story of delayed gratification, can be enjoyed year around.

Silent Night by Will Moses has folk art and a new baby--what's not to love?

The Snow Speaks by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Jane Dyer (one of my favorite illustrators)

The Miracle on 34th Street I love this version. It's out of print, but worth the hunt.

 The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden, pictures by Barbara Cooney  Both boys and girls like this for different reasons.

Linda Schlafer’s A Gift for the Christ Child: A Christmas Folktale is a lovely story of two South American boys who travel from their poor home in the mountains to the glorious church in town to make a Christmas offering on behalf of their family. Along the way, they are called to minister to a woman in need. This book is also illustrated with bright collages, but they are simple collages. And it’s the simplicity of the illustrations that really captivates and truly expresses the message of the story.

A children’s favorite is The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg. A young girl named Lucy helps a stranger in town unpack the boxes in his store. There, she discovers that his is to be candy store. The owner shares with Lucy the legend of the candy. When held upside down, the cane is a “J”, for Jesus. The red stripes represent His suffering, which washed away our sin and made us pure as the snow, represented by white stripes. I really appreciated this gentle reminder that the sweet baby was born to die for all of us--the ultimate Christmas present. The candy held upright looks like a shepherd’s staff. I pointed out to my children that the bishops and the Pope carry such staffs today. This book really begs to be a project. Lucy and the candy man went to every house in town leaving candy canes and an invitation to the store to learn the legend. I don’t think I’m up to entertaining the whole town, but perhaps a few neighborhood children would enjoy a candy cane and some cookies while we read some carefully chosen Christmas stories. 

The Angel of Mill Street by Frances Ward Weller, illustrated by Robert J. Blake Catholic culture pervades this survival tale.

Nine Days To Christmas, A Story of Mexico by Marie Hall Ets and Aurora LaBastida Caldecott Medal, use this if you celebrate La Posadas.

 A Time To Keep, The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays (check out the December, then January sections)

CHRISTMAS POETRY 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: This version or this one. Or this incredible pop-up version. We don't wrap these in our house. We start reading daily at the beginning of Advent and aim to have it memorized by Christmas.

 A Christmas Garland, Stories, poems, and prayers for the holiday season compiled by Grace Hudson, illustrated by Margaret Tarrant (sweet illustrations)

Welcome Christmas! A Garland of Poems chosen by Anne Thaxter Eaton, decorated by Valenti Angelo(1955, sparsely illustrated)

TALES OF CHRISTMAS 

 Why The Chimes Ring by Raymond MacDonald Alden, illustrated by Rafaello Busoni (cathedral setting)

For Every Child A Star, A Christmas Story by Thomas Yeomans, illustrated by Tomie dePaola  (would work well for Epiphany, too)

The Fourth Wise Man, Based on the story by Henry Van Dyke, retold by Susan Summers, illustrated by Jackie Morris (even the endpapers are gorgeous in this one)

Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti (the best version I have ever seen, good prep for or follow up to a live performance)

The Christmas Donkey by Gillian McClure (the only book on the list with a talking animal, I promise)

SPECIAL FEAST DAYS DURING ADVENT:

St. Barbara December 4th: This is the day we build and decorate gingerbread houses (because St. Barbara is patroness of architects;-), so I break out all the Jan Brett Christmas/gingerbread books on this day for artistic inspiration. The treasury is out of print, so don't miss Who's that Knowcking on Christmas Eve? Home for Christmas, Christmas Trolls, Wild Christmas Reindeer

St. Nicholas, December 6th: We seem to be collecting quite a treasure trove of Saint Nicholas books, so I’m not sure how The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi escaped us until now. A very complete account of the beloved Patron of Children, this book’s gilded pictures are memorable and tease the reader with almost icon-like presentations of modern Christmas symbols. For instance, young Nicholas tosses gold coins into a fur-trimmed red Christmas stocking. There is so much to talk about on every page of this book and so many opportunities for every member of the family to grow closer good St. Nick!

The Gift of Saint Nicholas by Dorothea Lachner, illustrated by Maja Dusikova (Eastern European village-y feel)

The Baker's Dozen by Heather Forest, illustrated by Susan Gaber Scarlett family fave.  I told my crew that the semi-creepy old lady is a metaphor for the baker's conscience.  Others have done versions of this story, but this is my top choice.  When a business begins to cut corners or cheap-out over time, our family refers to it as a Van Amsterdam.  Read this book and you will see why.

From my favorite publishers, the folks at Bethlehem Books, comes The Miracle of Saint Nicholas. Alexi is a Russian child whose grandmother tells him of the soldiers who closed Saint Nicholas church many years ago. When he asks why they can’t celebrate Christmas there this year, she tells him that it would take a miracle. The little boy believes in miracles. I purchased this book to give to my children on the feast of Saint Nicholas. It is my sentimental favorite because it reminds of me of people in my life who are very dear to me and who have meant much to the growing faith of our family. Two of my children’s godparents are Eastern Orthodox and, among other things, the boys are learning a true appreciation of Eastern religious art. I am especially pleased with the icons throughout the text. It is nice to see both the art and the faith of the Russians so beautifully depicted here. 

Immaculate Conception, December 8th:

These do a good job of covering Mother Mary's early life.

Young Mary of Nazareth by Mariana Mayer (my first choice)

Mary by Brian Wildsmith (great artwork)

Mary, the Mother of Jesus by Tomie dePaola

St. Juan Diego, December 9th/Our Lady of Guadalupe:, December 12th

The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Empress of the Americas by C. Lourdes Walsh, illustrations from paintings by Jorge Sanchez-Hernandez (excellent version)

The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie dePaola (very reverent, but easy to relate to)

St. Lucia (Lucy), December 13th

 Lucia Morning in Sweden by Ewa Rydaker, with illustrations by Carina Stahlberg (modern family's customs)

Erik and the Christmas Horse by Hans Pererson, illustrated by Ilon Wikland (also set in Sweden, vintage 1970)

Lucia Saint of Light by Katherine Bolger Hyde Lovely book, with recipe of Santa Lucia buns and also with music for a hymn. Written from the Eastern Orthodox perspective.

*Details on Peppermint Day and so many more Advent traditions are in the book:-).

All Saints Day Giveaway

Yesterday, Christian tried to persuade me to take down the curtains in the living room. We were shooting a trailer to show you some details on In the Morning by the Manger. He said the curtains weren't really Christmas-y enough. I reminded him it's an Advent devotional, not a Christmas book. He said Advent was about Christmas. From there, we dissolved into an observation about mall Christmas decorations before Halloween. 

This is not that.

These next few days on this blog might seem a little like walking into Macy's before Thanksgiving and discovering the North Pole has been dumped there, but I hope not. Advent is all about preparing for Christmas. Lots of times, though, we wake up after a two day turkey stupor on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and discover that if we're going to do some of those things we promised ourselves last year that we'd do "next Advent" we have exactly 18 hours to procure supplies. 

This "Advent prep" week is about giving yourself a little more margin than that.

So let us begin to prepare to prepare.

One of our family's long held traditions is to open stocking gifts on St. Nicholas Day. I have a love-hate relationship with this tradition. I love it because it fits so nicely with the St. Nicholas story and because the stocking gifts usually include tree ornaments and Christmas craft supplies and other things that are useful during Advent. I also love it because thinking through nine stockings while nursing a newborn was a feat and if I could accomplish that feat and have everybody happy on December 6, I could check something huge off my Christmas list. It encouraged me right there at the beginning of Advent. I kind of hate it because, well, that post-Thanksgiving stupor and getting my act together quickly and all. 

So, here I am to remind you that you have to fill stockings. And even if you're not a St. Nicholas stocking person, you might want to think about stashing the gold coins that appear at Trader Joe's right now to put in shoes for St. Nicholas day because I promise they won't be there on the night of December 5. I know of what I speak. 

One of my favorite stuffers for both stockings and Easter baskets are the wooden peg dolls from St. Luke's Brush. They are probably the most loved toy over time in my house. We are all pretty attached to these beautiful wee friends.

On this All Saints Day--well before stocking stuffing time and in plenty of time to order and get yours--I'm happy to offer a St. Teresa doll to give away. Garry Brix, at St. Luke's Brush, does such a beautiful job with these. He's even done some incredible custom work if you have a saint who's a little off the beaten path.

To be entered in the giveaway, just leave a comment with your Advent goals AND your favorite St. Luke's Brush saint doll on this post. Let's start helping each other.  Then...

Today is All Saints Day. It's the perfect day to peruse the St. Luke's Brush site and choose some saints for your family. It's all the more perfect because your foresight will be rewarded with a coupon for 10% off. 

See? You're well on your way to having your act together for Advent. Tomorrow, we'll talk Advent books. 

Thinking About Advent

Katie told me this morning that there are 60 days until Christmas. I haven't stopped to verify that (and it's taken me days to write this), but I'm going to go with it. I'm really, really excited about Advent this year. Kristin has been here this week and we're updating the Comfort and Joy  Advent bundle from last year. All the dates reflect this year, of course, and she's made some new printables and screensavers, including a daily sheet to keep your thoughts and plans in place.

For this year's purchasers, in addition to the Comfort & Joy Facebook group, we plan to check in with you live once a week on Facebook, via video. Yes! Facebook Live every  week to chat with one another and support and share--sounds fun, right? 

There are two distinct Advent products this year and I want to be sure that you understand what each one is. Today, we're focusing on Comfort and Joy . But, just to briefly answer questions about the Blessed is She Advent journal, here's a quick delineation.

In the Morning by the Manger is very different, but complimentary to Comfort and Joy .  I wrote the Blessed is She Advent journal, so those are my words, too. As it goes, this isn't really a case of either/or, but of "both." The Blessed is She journal is a Bible study. There is an abundance of scripture, an essay every day related to the scripture for you to think about, a prayer, and a journaling prompt. It's designed for your morning quiet time or a small group Bible study. I'm so happy with it and I loved writing it. It's all-new writing, written entirely last summer. I'm so excited about this new book, I made a video for you.

But back to the Advent bundle of ideas and encouragement:

" Comfort and Joy is a book of family celebrations of the liturgical year. It's about the active part of living this season in the community of a family. It's definitely geared towards mothers (though some single women have enjoyed it). And it's a compilation of essays and memories written over the last thirty years. The devotional part of it is a very short quote and prayer and an action item. " Comfort and Joy offers traditions and recipes and many, many "been there, done that" essays of encouragement. It also features a podcast, a Facebook group, a planning journal to print, and Facebook Live meetings. It's a bargain (only $11 again this year) because it's all digital.

The Blessed is She journal is art. It's printed and gorgeous. Really, click and see how gorgeous it is. Or watch the video. It's a quiet, personal gift to yourself. It's the contemplative moments of Advent that fuel the rest. It's a lay flat book that you hold in your hand and interact with in quiet moments every day. We're working on a trailer for that one to show you more. I'm going to do everything I can in the next few weeks to make sure people understand the differences. Next week, we're all about the Blessed is She journal and showing you how amazing it is. 

This week, it's " Comfort and Joy:

I've gathered all my Advent memories, detailed the unfolding of three decades of traditions, organized the gift lists, curated the recipes. I've passed the best of the best of my family's Advent and Christmas into the gifted hands of my first son's wife.

She made them into a beautiful book.

I hope you'll take it into your home, highlight it, cook with it, and let it bless you. Inside, you will find a short morning devotion for every day from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve--just a quick one page Think-Pray-Act. Then, there is an essay for further pondering, something I hope will inspire you. Sometimes, you'll find something to do with your hands or cook in your kitchen. Sometimes, I remind you to slow down and snuggle a small person. There's encouragement here, and acknowledgement that this season isn't all bon-bons and twinkle lights.

I even made a 45 minute podcast, so I can offer some tips on pouring grace for yourself. You can listen while you scrub bathrooms or bake cookies or drive to rehearsal. 

There is tangible support.

Please invite us into your celebration.

And all of it, the bundle--Ebook, printable Joy Journal, and podcast--is available to you for only $11. With your purchase, you can elect to be added to a closed Facebook group for further community as you prepare this season. It's for sale here.

I hope you'll walk with us to Christmas!

Here's what some people are saying about the book:

"So. I've been reading the daily advent quotes, prayers and reflections in the Ebook bundle that [Elizabeth] and [Kristin] put together this year and I've felt such a sense of calm and peace over the last few days. Nothing has changed except my attitude and perspective, but isn't that usually the most important stuff to change? That strangest part is that each day I've done one small thing to prepare for His coming rather than try to "GET IT ALL DONE RIGHT NOW" the way my results-oriented self usually wants to do it. Yesterday, we baked salt dough ornaments and I brought up our main nativity. Today, I got some extra greenery while we were out and beautified the mantel (I am love with how it looks! Simple but elegant.) The kids painted their ornaments. I'm moving from one required  task to the next, but trying to leave room in my mind and heart to say "yes" to the little extras that I normally think I don't have the time or energy to do. "Lord, give me the grace to be the mom and wife I can't be on my own." Anyway! This is too long! You can get the Ebook yourself...I do recommend it. "

--Dwija, House Unseen

Elizabeth Foss is a good friend of mine and has mentored me over the years in mothering and intentional traditions. As a mama of nine, she has much wisdom, experience, humility and perspective to share. She has put together a beautiful Advent ebook this year that I spent hours last night reading and pondering. Written from a Catholic perspective, her gentle voice will reorient your heart towards the Infant Jesus through teaching you to pray, to trust, to wait and also very practical suggestions for celebrations, feast days, recipes and crafts. I have read and looked at many Advent resources over the years, and this is the first one that really seems to understand the strain that mothers are under during this season and encourages and guides and gives lots and lots of grace. It's on sale for ...the price of fast food combo meal these days. This will be slow food for your soul. Well worth it. --Aimee Kollmansberger

My friend Elizabeth has written an e-book - mom to mom- just in time for Advent! I hope you will check it out😊. In this book, aptly named " Comfort and Joy", she shares the best of the best of her family's pre- Christmas traditions, spanning nearly 30 years. This amazing mother of nine, now a loving mother-in-law and grandma, offers gift lists, recipes, her thoughts and prayers. Elizabeth has a gift of inspiring other moms. If you're looking for something special for a fellow mother, this might be it. --Theresa Thomas

 I started reading this early because I couldn't wait until tonight. I just want to say, thank you Elizabeth and to your family for creating such a beautiful book! I'm in awe! It's more than I expected and I'm ever so grateful that you have shared your heart and soul in the pages. God bless you! -- Cheryl Kirkpatrick

Just purchased and took my first look at the Advent journal. It looks beautiful! I was starting to work on my own calendar so this saves me some time. Thank you for this labor of love! --Shauna Occhipinti

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BUNDLE.