It's Christmastime again and that means holiday books. Here are five that I have shared with my young and not-so-young readers, and each one was a hit.
Red and Green and Blue And White
written by Lee Wind, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Levine Querido, 2021, 32 pages
Isaac and Teresa live across from each other and are best friends. Isaac's family is Jewish, in fact, the only Jewish family in the neighborhood. They celebrate Hanukkah with decorations and a menorah in their front window that glows blue and white. Teresa's family celebrates Christmas with a tree and lights that glow red and green. One night, someone throws a rock through the window at Isaac's house, knocking down the menorah and sending a clear message. Not to be intimidated, Isaac's family sets the menorah back up the next night. Across the street, Teresa decides to draw a picture of a menorah and hang it in her family's front window in a show solidarity with Isaac and his family. Before long, windows all over town are displaying hand drawn menorahs in their windows as they stand against hate and anti-Semitism. The story of Isaac and Teresa is based on a true incident that happened in 1993 in Billings, Montana. Lee Wind's fictionalized version of that incident really sheds light on the true meaning of the holidays. Oh, yes, and a reminder that kids can really make a difference in the world. Let Isaac and Teresa be your inspiration.
Carla and the Christmas Cornbread
written by Carla Hall, illustrated by Cherise Harris
Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2021, 40 pages
I've always been a fan of Carla Hall, she just seems to delight in everything food related. And I remember her talking about her granny when she was on The Chew, so I was pleased when I heard Carla had written a picture book her Granny's cornbread, because like Carla, cornbread is one of my favorite things to eat. The tradition of Christmas cornbread began one year when young Carla, her sister Kim and their mother headed over to Granny's house on Christmas Eve. It was an evening full of excitement, Christmas songs, dinner with Granny, her grandfather Doc, and, of course, cornbread. Later, after changing into pajamas, Carla noticed a sugar cookie complete with icing and sprinkles, which she immediately took a big bite of. Uh oh, that was a cookie for Santa. Feeling terrible about she had done, Carla was sure she was now on Santa's naughty list. But when Granny calls her back into the kitchen, she has an idea - why not make a special cornbread for Santa, after all, he gets so many cookies on Christmas Eve, but probably doesn't get any cornbread. But will Santa like it? Carla discovers the answer the next day in a note from Santa himself. This is such an uplifting, inspiring story about a close-knit Black family, and the Granny that Carla always talked about comes shining through. Santa is depicted here as Black, and there is some bonus back matter - the recipe for Carla's Christmas Cornbread and the Cinnamon Butter to go with it, which I can't wait to try.
The Real Santa written by Nancy Redd,
illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
Random House BFYR, 2021, 32 pages
A young Black boy just loves Christmas, and especially all the brown-faced Santas that are around his home - on the tree, on the gift wrap, even on his sweater. Every year, his family visits Grandma and Grandpa on Christmas Eve, where there's a special present for him and his younger sister this time - a jolly brown-faced Santa complete with list of names including theirs. After some photos and a snack, he asks his Daddy which one in their collection of Santa's looks like the real Santa. As they set out a plate of cookies and glass of milk for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer, all the adults agree that no one has ever seen the real Santa. No one? Well, this young boy has a great idea. After everyone's asleep, his plan is to sneak downstairs with the brand camera he just received from his parents, and stay awake until Santa's arrival, then to quickly snap a photo. But as the night wears on, sleep overtakes his best intentions. Will this curious young boy ever see what the real Santa looks like? As he is carried off to bed, he wakes up just enough to see that Santa looks just like him. This is such a sweet, gentle, heartwarming story about a happy family celebrating Christmas together. The illustrations are red, white, and green Christmasy, and the book is just a delight to read. My young readers loved it, particularly seeing Santas that look more like them that the usual white Santa.
Bulldozer's Christmas Dig
written by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann
Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum, 2021, 40 pages
It's Christmas Eve, and all the trucks are busy. Dump Truck is carrying garland, Digger Truck is stringing lights onto a wreath that Crane Truck will lift and hang. Looking at all this activity, Bulldozer Truck is worried - he hasn't any presents to share with his friends. Maybe, just maybe, he can find some treasures if he digs around the construction site. But it seems that all he finds is junk - nothing that looks like a proper Christmas present. As he continues to dig, the junk piles up. Suddenly, Bulldozer looks at the pile of junk he's dug up and sees...possibility. Quickly and carefully, pushing the pile this way and that way, until he decides one thing is missing - a string of lights. But now Dump Truck, Digger Truck, and Crane Truck are ready to go home for the night. That is until Bulldozer Truck reveals his lovely Christmas tree, and with the help of his kitty cat friends, it even has to lovely tree topper. "It's a present to treasure" says Roller Truck. And he's absolutely right. This is the third book in the Bulldozer series and a welcome addition for fans of that little truck, and a delightful story for new fans. The illustrations are big, bold, and colorful and jolly. My young reader's loved this warmhearted story, especially the sound effects that are incorporated into the text and repeated by them with each reading. Does that make it an interactive story? Yes, it does. My kiddos love participatory stories like this.
The Star Tree written and illustrated by Gisela Cölle,
translated by Rosemary Lanning
NorthSouth, 2021, 32 pages
This is the story of an old man who lives alone in a house surrounded by tall buildings. He's watched the city grow, the parks and gardens disappear, and people living in apartments who don't know their neighbors anymore. A few days before Christmas, the old man starts thinking about how friends and family would gather round, sing carols and make welcoming golden stars to hang in their windows. Pulling out some gold paper, the old man begins to make stars, lots of stars. He decides to take his stars to the countryside to see them shining in the darkness. When a storm knocks the power out in the city and people find themselves in darkness and silence, they can see the old man and his shining stars on top of a hill. Soon, the old man's neighbors are heading out of the city and up the hill, where they stop and stare in wonderment at his beautiful stars hanging from a tree. Soon, everyone is singing and it begins to feel like Christmas again. The old man gives everyone one of his shining stars, which they take home and hang in their windows and the city shines again with Christmas stars. This is such a charming Christmas story, it has become one of my personal favorites. I particularly like the message it sends about Christmas - the simple pleasure of time spent peacefully with friends and family. This magical story has kind of an old fashion feel to it and the painted illustrations, done in a dreamlike style, are a perfect compliment. If you are looking for a good Christmas Eve tale, this would be ideal.
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