The Second Day of Christmas...
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....holiday books!
We are in the midst of a cozy holiday season. For those of you celebrating Hanukkah I have a couple of fantastic books for you - an oldie but goodie and a new twist on the holiday. For the Christmas folk, I have two for you as well!
I'll start with the Hanukkah books since we are already in the fourth day of this celebration. My first book is Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel. This is a favorite among my students and has been told in many storytelling classes. A small town is haunted by goblins throughout Hanukkah and the townspeople are afraid to celebrate. However, Hershel comes along and saves the town by proving that he can outwit the goblins. This will be a family favorite for you if it isn't already!
The newbie is Lemony Snicket's The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming. I read this to my class last week and we couldn't stop laughing! In a town where everyone celebrates Christmas, except for one family, a latke is sizzling in a pan when he jumps out because the oil is so hot. As the Latke wanders around the village he is questioned by traditional Christmas cheer brought to life. "Why is he making so much noise?" asks the Christmas Lights. "Why is he changing the scent floating in the air?" asks the Candy Cane. The poor Latke can't stop screaming as he has to explain, over and over again, that he has nothing to do with Christmas. He is part of a different holiday all together! Lemony Snicket offers a poignant message about feeling part of traditions during the holidays.
An Early American Christmas, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaolo, is a lovely tale that shows what it was like for a town in New Hampshire where Christmas wasn't celebrated long ago. A nice companion to Lemony Snicket's tale, this book reminds us that we all struggle to feel heard and honored in our customs. Sadly, An Early American Christmas has limited availability. I found mine at the Los Angeles Public Library. If you can get your hands on it, bravo! dePaolo's illustrations never fail to impress.
One of my all-tme favorite Christmas stories is The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. This version, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, is a beautiful rendition of the classic. Whether it is in honor of Christmas, or just as a reminder of the spirit of giving, The Gift of the Magi never gets old. In this story, Della, determined to get her husband a wonderful Christmas gift, cuts off all her hair to buy the watch chain he has always wanted. Jim, her husband, also eager to give the best possible, sells his pocket watch to buy Della combs for her beautiful hair. I don't know, for me, it never gets old. If you are a fan, pick up this book for the holidays!
We are in the midst of a cozy holiday season. For those of you celebrating Hanukkah I have a couple of fantastic books for you - an oldie but goodie and a new twist on the holiday. For the Christmas folk, I have two for you as well!
I'll start with the Hanukkah books since we are already in the fourth day of this celebration. My first book is Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel. This is a favorite among my students and has been told in many storytelling classes. A small town is haunted by goblins throughout Hanukkah and the townspeople are afraid to celebrate. However, Hershel comes along and saves the town by proving that he can outwit the goblins. This will be a family favorite for you if it isn't already!
The newbie is Lemony Snicket's The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming. I read this to my class last week and we couldn't stop laughing! In a town where everyone celebrates Christmas, except for one family, a latke is sizzling in a pan when he jumps out because the oil is so hot. As the Latke wanders around the village he is questioned by traditional Christmas cheer brought to life. "Why is he making so much noise?" asks the Christmas Lights. "Why is he changing the scent floating in the air?" asks the Candy Cane. The poor Latke can't stop screaming as he has to explain, over and over again, that he has nothing to do with Christmas. He is part of a different holiday all together! Lemony Snicket offers a poignant message about feeling part of traditions during the holidays.
One of my all-tme favorite Christmas stories is The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. This version, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, is a beautiful rendition of the classic. Whether it is in honor of Christmas, or just as a reminder of the spirit of giving, The Gift of the Magi never gets old. In this story, Della, determined to get her husband a wonderful Christmas gift, cuts off all her hair to buy the watch chain he has always wanted. Jim, her husband, also eager to give the best possible, sells his pocket watch to buy Della combs for her beautiful hair. I don't know, for me, it never gets old. If you are a fan, pick up this book for the holidays!
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