Great Holiday Reads

At Christmas, I'm always asked for good holiday books for children (might have something to do with my occupation or it could be that I am known to be a bit of a book freak!).

So I've posted some book suggestions that I think are great. If you have time, check out one or two (or three or four!) of these fantastic reads, cozy up on your own (or better yet with someone you love), and enjoy a good book.

Oh yeah, with my list comes a rule: the term "cute" is NOT to be used to describe these books. It's Murphy's Law (and now you know along with all my students). Cute is for puppies, kittens, and babies, not for books! There are way too many other descriptive words to use for such treasures!

Now, enjoy!

Picture Books
A Little Bit of Winter by Paul Stewart
A Shepherd’s Gift by Mary Calhoun
Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera
Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas by Elise Primavera
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting
Going Home by Eve Bunting
Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo
Homeless Christmas Tree by Leslie M. Gordon
How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss
I Spy Christmas by Walter Wick
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff
Night Tree by Eve Bunting
Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold
Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
The Bear Santa Claus Forgot by Diana Kimpton
The Christmas Candle by Richard Paul Evans
The Christmas Cobwebs by Odds Bodkin
The Donkey’s Christmas Song by Nancy Tafuri
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Alan Ahlberg
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell
The Mitten by Jan Brett
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto
Who Was Born This Special Day? by Eve Bunting
Wombat Divine by Mem Fox
ANYTHING by Robert Sabuda!

Poetry
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou
Christmas Is Coming by Charles Ghigna
Christmas Presents by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Do Rabbits Have Christmas? by Aileen Fisher
It's Christmas! by Jack Prelutsky
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
The Night Before Christmas, In Texas That Is by Leon Harris
Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes

Chapter Books
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborn
December Secrets by Patricia Reilly Giff
Horrible Harry and the Holidaze by Suzy Kline
Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake by Cynthia Rylant
Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Santa Claus Doesn't Mop Floors by Debbie Dadey
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Case of the Christmas Snowman by James Preller
The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa by Bill Wallace
The White House Christmas Mystery by Carole Marsh
Who's Stealing the Twelve Days of Christmas by Martha Freeman

A problem

I have a problem. Well, I have lots of problems (no commentary on that from any members of the peanut gallery) but this is a problem that distracts me from family, friends, and life when it takes over. The problem I have? Books.

How can books be a problem? Well, for me the problem is that when I have a good book waiting to be read, I have to finish it. No closing it up for the night and coming back to it tomorrow. No bookmarks to keep my place. Nope, if it's good and I like it, I have to get to the end right away. It's a problem! But not necessarily a bad problem, right (no comment, Brian!).

The problem recently surfaced with a newly published book called Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. It's the most recent book in the Twilight saga, which is about true love and oh yeah, vampires (you should read it, mom!).

In all honesty, it took me awhile to get into the whole vampire saga that enflamed the literary world with the publication of Twilight, but once I cracked the spine I too became hypnotized and found myself unable to do anything but read until it was over. Since then I have "devoured" each book in the series as it has been published. (Obviously this post calls for "vampire" related terminology!).

This book has been sitting on my table waiting and waiting for me to open it up so that I could be swept back into the world of Bella, Edward, and Jake. My literary friends, who have found themselves "sinking" into the pages of this book, have been waiting for me to get it read.

However, being the responsible grown-up that I am (or at least that I'm supposed to be), I actually ignored the book for days because I had so many things that had to be done. Reality check: being responsible was "draining" because all I wanted to do was curl up and read.

So last night, that's what I did. I opened the book at 5:30 pm (have you ever noticed that a new book smells good when you open it!) and that was it, Breaking Dawn had a hold of my literary "jugular!" I moved from room to room, from one spot to another around the house until finally, I closed it at 3:30 am with a tremendous sense of satisfaction that it was all good!

What a marvelous way to spend a Friday night (or any night when there are no other distractions or responsibilities). But now you can see that books really can be a problem - at least for me! Thank goodness Brian loves me despite my problem!

Tagged by D (UGH!).

I am only participating because I "happen" to have a book handy (imagine that)!

The rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog.
5. Tag 5 people.

My Response:

1. The book... It's All Too Much
   (no commentary on why I own this!)
2. p. 123, the 5th sentence:
   "Remove what doesn't belong in the room."
3. My response: Great idea... who wants to do it for me!!!!
4. Seriously... any takers? I'll pay you (with chocolate)!
5. I don't have anyone else to tag!

Now, I have to go read. Or, better yet, maybe I'll remove some of the stuff that doesn't belong from my sunroom!

And just for kicks...

Find more clutter-free tips from Peter:
http://www.peterwalshdesign.com/