Christmas Children's Books

Opening the 2011 Christmas books!

Another Christmas tradition in the Chaston household is opening the yearly children's Christmas book.  In recent years it turned into a two-book deal for each of us kids: the idea was to get one serious or religious book and one funny book (though it doesn't always turn out that way...).

I think the funniest book last year was one of Amy's: The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket, Illustrated by Brett Helquist.  It was satirical and witty, and somehow also sweet at the same time!  Exploring the psyche of a lump of coal at Christmastime!

The most profound book was hands-down Lighthouse Christmas by Toni Buzzeo, Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, one of Keith William's books.  You really will have to read it.  A story about how a little girl  and her family (sans the mother who recently passed away) give up their one day to go to town for Christmas in order to stay at the lighthouse and search for a lost ship.  The ending is extraordinary.

Appropriately, one of Erik's books was The Snowman Band of Snowboggle Bend by Cheryl Hawkinson, Illustrated by Mike Esberg about a band that encounters all kinds of trouble getting to their Christmas gig!  Erik always overcomes obstacles when he is setting up the audio for my performances!

One of mine was The Magical Christmas Horse by Mary Higgins Clark, Illustrated by Wendell Minor. It's about a little boy who helps fix up a toy rocking horse for his little sister.  It's a tender story, with beautiful illustrations.

Over the years, we've collected many, many books.  Some of our favorites are:

• Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story (Cynthia Rylant, Christ K. Soentpiet)
• The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Susan Wojciechowski, P.J. Lynch)
• Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect (Richard H. Schneider, Elizabeth J. Miles)
• Santa's Book of Names (David McPhail)
• Humbug: A Christmas Carol (Lee Baker)
• Fancy Nancy: Spendiferous Christmas (Jane O'Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser)
• Santa Cows (Cooper Edens, Daniel Lane)  THIS IS A MUST-READ!
• Elfis: A Christmas Tale (Alan Katz and Pete Fornatale, Dani Jones)
• Olive, the Other Reindeer (Vivian Walsh, J. Otto Seibold)
• The Twelve Bots of Christmas (Nathan Hale)
• Eloise at Christmastime (Kay Thompson, Hilary Knight)

I could put down every children's Christmas book we have, but that would make this the longest blog in blog history, so I only put my absolutely, positively favorite books on the list!