25 Days of Christmas Books

Does your family have Christmas traditions?  Maybe you have an advent calendar or the Elf on the Shelf.  For the last several years, we've done the 25 Days of Christmas Books.  This is a simple and fun way to share stories during the holiday season.  Children of all ages enjoy being read to, and this is a great way to bring your family together without spending money.  We have a box with 25 books from the library: one for each day in December.  I have heard of some families who wrap the books and they are surprised when they open it, but we leave ours unwrapped.  Every evening, we pull one out of the box and read it as a family.  We repeat some stories every year, but mostly they are new to us. 

Here is a list (is no particular order) of the books we are reading this December.  Why not start the 25 Days of Christmas Books with your family?

1. Our Very Own Christmas by Annette Langen 
2. Tom the Christmas Elf by Pirkko Vainio.   
3. Christmas Wishes by Tony Mitton 
4. The Donkey's Dream by Barbara Helen Berger
5. That's Good! That's Bad! On Santa's Journey by Margery Cuyler 
6. Santa and the Three Bears by Dominic Catalano.    
7. The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming : a Christmas story by Lemony Snicket 
8. Christmas in the Big Woods, adapted from the Little house books by Laura Ingalls Wilder 
9. The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup   
10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.    
11. Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera.    
12. Yes, Virginia : there is a Santa Claus by Chris Plehal 
13. A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz      
14. The Nutcracker by Michael Hague 
15. It's Christmas, David! by David Shannon 
16. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
17. Christmas in the Big Woods, adapted from the Little house books by Laura Ingalls Wilder 
18. Minera Louise on Christmas Eve by Janet Morgan Stoeke
19. Peppa Pig and the Lost Christmas List by Neville Astley and Mark Baker
20. A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel.    
21. The Christmas Cat by Maryann MacDonald
22. Merry Christmas, Little Witch by Lieve Baeten
23. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
24. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Anderson
25.  Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore

 --Angie RH, HQ

Dewey Discoveries: "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis" by Matt De la Pena

In a time when the world was dark with war and our nation was still very racially divided, boxer Joe Louis offered a taste of hope. Louis' journey and famous match are simply and lovingly chronicled in , "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis." Written with grace and simplicity by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by the beloved Kadir Nelson, it is a wonderful homage to Louis' lasting legacy. Click on the link above to reserve a copy today. Appropriate for grades 3-5.

Dewey: J 796.83


Want more books about Joe Louis? Check out these books:

"Knockout: a Photobiography of Boxer Joe Louis" by George Sullivan

"Joe Louis: America's Fighter" by David A. Adler






--Andrea W., H.Q. 

Dewey Discoveries: "The Animal Book" by Steve Jenkins

The world is full of amazing creatures--children, of course! They are curious and full of wonder and love nothing more than learning about all the things the world is full of--like animals! With beautifully detailed paper collage, prolific illustrator Steve Jenkins has put together an amazing encyclopedia of interesting animals in "The Animal Book". Each page is chock-full of interesting animals with just enough information about each one to pique the interest of the curious children in your life. Appropriate for grades two to six. To check out some more of Jenkins' artwork, click on the links below.

Dewey Number: 590

--Andrea W., H.Q.

My First Day

Never Smile at a Monkey

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Staff Review: "When the Beat Was Born" by Laban Carrick Hill

Hip hop music's humble beginning is explained in "When the Beat Was Born" by Laban Carrick Hill.  Do you know why it's called "break-dancing"?  It was what dancers did in a break in the music, and it started in the Bronx in 1980.  A boy named Clive moved to New York from Jamaica and wanted to be a great DJ.  He lived a poor neighborhood, but his Dad gave him a great sound system.  Clive wanted to share the music, so he would rent out the rec room in his apartment complex, but after word spread that he was a talented DJ, the parties got too big for the space.  He took it to the streets and threw even bigger parties.  It started with neighborhood friends, but soon people were coming from all over the city to hear him spin.  He wanted everyone to feel the dancing beat; that's where hip hop was created.  Clive went by DJ Kool Herc and he inspired legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Sugar Hill Gang. 

--Angie R., Headquarters

You will be missed, Barbara Park

Tragic news in the world of childrens books Friday with the passing of Barbara Park, author of the beloved Junie B. Jones series.  Ms. Park was 66 years old and died after a long battle with ovarian cancer.  She was a long-time resident of Scottsdale Arizona.
The author was always known for her witty personality.  As a child, she was a good student, but a little too chatty.  She was a troublemaker and spent plenty of time visiting with her elementary school principal.  She loved reading and making people laugh.  Junie B. was based on herself as a young girl.   Since 1992, she wrote more than 30 books in the series.  When asked about the success of the books, she told Publishers Weekly, “For 20 years I’ve gotten to laugh my way through my work,” she says. “For me, that’s a dream job.”
As a thank you, laugh your way though one of her books.  In addition to Junie B., she has picture books and middle grade novels.
 --Angie RH, HQ

Calling All Train Lovers

Elisha Cooper has written a tribute to the modern train. We start out journey on a red strip Commuter train and move on to a bright blue Passenger train as it hurries between cities. In the city the reader encounters a slow moving orange Freight train as it hauls supplies across the Great Plains. Our cross continent journey continues on a green Overnight train as it switchbacks its way over the Rocky Mountains only to meet a white High-Speed train. The High-Speed train “flies”, “glides” and “races” towards the city on the coast. 

Cooper’s text in "Train" is wonderfully descriptive. We encounter trains that make “da dum da dum of a beating heart” sound, tunnels where train’s “chatter turns into a whisper” and at trips end the “last thunk” as the train stops.  If you have a young person in your life who dreams of being a conductor when they grow up, you might want to also try "Steam Train, Dream Train" by Sherri Duskey Rinker. 




--Robbin O., Headquarters

 

Spotlight on FLIP: "Baby Signs"

 Have you noticed the black bags with blue or green labels at your local St. Louis County Library branch? Those bags are part of an awesome program called FLIP (Family Literacy Involvement Program). FLIP was developed by the Houston Children’s Museum in partnership with the Houston Public Library. SLCL received a grant to create a limited number of kits for six branches in 2011. The kits proved to be so popular we had to create more! Now FLIP kits are in all 20 SLCL branches.

FLIP kits contain everything needed for parent and child to have a great shared literacy experience. Each kit contains a book, activity sheet and supplies.

FLIP KIT: Baby Signs by Joy Allen

Ages: INFANT (0-18 months)

This kit contains the board book “Baby Signs” by Joy Allen. After reading the book with your child use the activity sheet to get ideas for learning sign language. The kit also contains a pack of American Sign Language flash cards to help you and your child learn more signs. Use the blank cards to create your own flash cards.

--Desiree, HQ