We have a big Christmas book basket (not to be confused with the seasonal book basket for winter) and check out lots more from the library. Every year I like to add one or two Christmas books to the basket, the ones I'm already looking forward to reading next year. These were my favorite "new" books this year:
A Christmas Like Helen's by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock; illustrated by Mary Azarian (Houghton-Mifflin, 2004). "To have a Christmas like Helen's, you'll need to be born on a Vermont hill farm, before cars, or telephones, or electricity, and be the youngest of seven children." This gorgeous book is the next best thing. Be sure to read the author's note (she's one of Helen's 32 grandchildren).
A Clever Beatrice Christmas by Margaret Willey; illustrated by Heather M. Solomon (Atheneum, 2006). We love Clever Beatrice. This time Beatrice promises her friends that she will show them a bell from Pere Noel's sleigh, a button from his cape, and a curl from his beard on Christmas morning. Perhaps Pere Noel will leave some of those things behind at our house this year, too? We'll leave him a big piece of the buche de noel just like Beatrice and her mother did.
Santa's Littlest Helper by Anu Stohner; illustrated by Henrike Wilson (Bloomsbury USA, 2004). For my littlest helper, who loves forest animals. I love that Santa's helpers look...just like Santa! Makes sense to us. And I just noticed that there is a sequel: Santa's Littlest Helper Travels the World (Bloomsbury USA, 2007). All of these author-and-illustrator teams have other books I haven't yet seen yet. It's like a Christmas present!
Are any of you adding a Christmas book to your basket this year?
