Search results matching tags 'christmas' and 'being helpful'

Christmas Fiction: Inspiring Realistic Stories (Picture Books)

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 03:52:00 GMT

As I have read dozens and dozens of Christmas stories this season, these are some of my favorites. Each one teaches valuable lessons about family, others, love, sacrifice, generosity, and much more!

Josie’s Gift (ages 5-10) by Kathleen Long Bostrom

It is Josie’s first Christmas without her father. Each year he carved a figure in their family nativity scene. Initially, Josie is focused on her loss and her longing. Her mother reminds her to concentrate on what they have, rather than what she wants. All she can think of, though, is the beautiful blue sweater in the store window. On Christmas Eve, she discovers a box with the sweater in it. She is thrilled to receive her wish, but she still feels an emptiness in her soul. During a visit to the barn, she finds a family, who has lost everything, taking shelter there. Josie willingly gives her sweater as a blanket to the desolate family's baby. She tells them, “Christmas is not about what we want. It’s about what we have.” Josie finally understands the meaning of the holiday.

Christmas Day in the Morning (ages 6-10) by Pearl S. Buck

When Rob overhears a conversation between his parents, he realizes how much his father loves him. With very little money and Christmas coming up quickly, Rob longs to give his father something special. He decides to get up extra early on Christmas morning to go out to the barn to complete both his and his father’s chores. He finds that each task goes more easily than it ever had in the past. Rob manages to get it all done and sneak back into bed. When his father goes out to get started, he is so touched by his son’s gift that he comes back in to hug his son and tell him, “Nobody ever did a nicer thing.” In retrospect, Rob realizes that Christmas morning was his first gift of true love.

Christmas Tapestry (ages 6 and up) by Patricia Polacco

Jonathan is upset about his family moving from their beloved church in Tennessee to pastor at a dilapidated one in Detroit, Michigan. He asks himself, “What possible good reason could there be for leaving home and coming here?” The whole family works hard each day to bring the church back to life, eventually others in the community help out. As Christmas draws near, the church building is ready for a special mural to be painted. Jonathan is encouraged by the progress and excited about the mural. Bad weather and a leak ruins a focal point of the wall where the mural is to be painted. Through a series of events, some of which at first appear discouraging and others that are providential cause two people to be reunited after many decades. Jonathan realizes that all the events—seemingly unfortunate and the blessed—are part of a Christmas Tapestry.

The Christmas Candle (ages 6 and up) by Richard Paul Evans

On a snowy Christmas Eve, a self-centered man seeks out a chandler for a candle to light his way home for the holiday. He pushes aside a beggar impatiently as he makes his way to the shop and scoffs at the chandler for his artistic works that will “devour themselves.” As a challenge, he purchases one of the frivolous candles and journeys back out. First, he comes across a beggar woman, who appears to be his mother. Troubled by her appearance and desiring to help her, he offers his cloak. The woman snatches it and runs off. He realizes it is not his mother though. Next, he sees a man lying on the side of the road who looks like his brother. He gets him into an inn and gives everything he has to take care of him, only to find out it is not his brother. The man finally comes across a young, hungry girl in the cold who reminds him of his sister. As this point, he has nothing left to give. He flees. At home, he sees all his blessings—food, family, warmth—so he runs back into the night to find the girl. The man learns, “If we will see things as they truly are, we will find that all, from great to small, belong to one family.”

Christmas Fiction: Santa's Helpers (Reindeer)

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:43:00 GMT

The books about Santa are seemingly endless. As a result, I am breaking them up into smaller groups. These are the best books about Santa’s reindeer helpers.

Where’s Prancer? (ages 3-7) by Syd Hoff (Beginning Reader)

Santa returns to the North Pole after giving out presents. He goes inside to warm up with a cup of tea. When he ventures outside to give his reindeer a treat, he realizes that Prancer is missing. Santa is on edge, thinking every phone call or knock on the door is his faithful, missing reindeer. He finally remembers that the last place he saw Prancer was Philadelphia. Santa and the seven remaining reindeer go back the city of brotherly love to look for him. The group finds Prancer looking into a window. He stayed back because he “wanted to see how people looked on Christmas Day.” Santa and the reindeer enjoy observing the “many happy faces.” They are “glad they had helped make them that way.” Everyone returns home safely. Where’s Prancer? can be read independently by beginning readers.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (ages 3-8) by Robert L. May

Rudolph is used to being berated for his nose “red as a beet” which is “twice as big” and bright. On Christmas Eve it is so foggy out that Santa has difficulty navigating, until he visits Rudolph’s home where he sees that “the lamp wasn’t burning; the light came, instead, from something that lay at the head of the bed.” It is Rudolph’s nose! Santa asks him to help deliver the presents. Rudolph proudly assists Santa that night. When they return to the North Pole, Santa praises Rudolph for his bravery and brilliance in front of the other reindeer. Rudolph humbly accepts the compliments and admiration of the others. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is written in rhyming couplets.

Rudolph’s Second Christmas (ages 4-9) by Robert L. May

After a vacation in the South Pole, Santa returns to find his house full of thank you letters. He enlists Rudolph to help him open and read them. Rudolph comes across one that brings him to tears. Two children did not get a visit from Santa because they move so much with the circus. Rudolph sets out to find them. He learns that the circus is so poorly received that it only stays in a town for one day. On his way home, he comes across a group of misfit animals—a canary that talks, a parrot that sings, a cat that barks, a dog that meows, a hare that is slow, and a turtle that is fast. They feel lonely and ostracized from others. Santa and Rudolph work together to help these animals become the stars of the circus—which now is so popular is stays in one place for months! Santa has no problem finding the two circus children the next Christmas. They even get an extra present at Christmas to make up for the previous year.

Reindeer Christmas (ages 4-9) by Mark Kimball Moulton

One snowy winter night, a family comes across a weak and tired reindeer. They bring him inside their home where they make a comfortable place for him by the fire and put out some oats and fruit for him to eat. When they wake up the next morning (Christmas Eve), the reindeer is gone. On Christmas day, they find an extra present under the tree…from Santa Claus. He thanks the family for taking care of Donner, who accidently got separated from them while they put stars on the trees, because there would have been no Christmas without him to help pull the sleigh. In return for their kindness to Donner and all the forest animals they care for, the family is given a single magical wish. They selflessly use it to wish peace, happiness, and love to others the whole year through. Reindeer Christmas is written in poetic form, including rhyme, alliteration, and rhythm.

How the Reindeer Got Their Antlers (ages 5-9) by Geraldine McCaughrean

As soon as the animals were created, some of them began to argue who should be king. An angel gives each one a crown and sends them to different places to “reign.” Before the reindeer is given a domain, he journeys and hides in the coldest, most desolate part of the world because he is embarrassed by his crown of antlers. When Santa calls out for help one Christmas Eve, only the reindeer are willing to help him. It is their crown of antlers that save Santa and Christmas. Santa assures the reindeer that they are “the best, most handsome animals in the world.” In return for their assistance, they reindeer are given the gift of flight each year for “one simple magical night of soaring over desert, woods, and fields.” Now, young reindeer look forward to growing their own crown of antlers.

Honorable Mention:

Who’ll Pull Santa’s Sleigh Tonight? (ages 4-8) by Laura Rader

When the reindeer come down with colds right before Christmas, Santa tries out different plans to for how to get the toys to all the boys and girls. He finds that the simplest one, though, is most effective.

Christmas Picture Book: The Animal’s Christmas Carol by Helen Ward

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:12:00 GMT

Story Summary:

The Animal’s Christmas Carol (ages 4-9) was inspired by the French Christmas carol “The Friendly Beasts.” Using comforting rhyming stanzas, animals all declare the glory of the Lord and give unique gifts to the newborn king. For instance, the cow and her calf give up their manger bed while camels carry the gifts from the wise men. Other animals, also, see how they play a part in this glorious event. The ram gives his wool for a warm blanket, the turtle dove sings a song to the baby, and the mongoose keeps poisonous snakes at bay. All the beasts fill the stable, “warm and bright, with love and peace that Christmas night.”

Evaluation:

The illustrations of this oversized book are stunning! The poetic verse is delightful. The Bible states that even nature worships God, and God, Himself, takes care of them. In this narrative, God uses the animals to take care of His son. It made me think about all the ways the God works behind the scenes for us. We do not see how that delay prevented us from a car crash or that small error prevented a bigger mistake. We do not see how God protects us from wild animals or, even, wild people. We tend to take his protection and blessings for granted. The Animal’s Christmas Carol reminds me of the importance of giving God the gift of our worship and our talents, each person in his/her own unique way.

Other Illustrated Christmas Carol Books:

Away in a Manger by Thomas Kinkade

The First Noel by Janina Domanska

Silent Night by Susan Jeffers