This post is going up a little early because of CHRISTMAS (I love Christmas) and trying to get ahead of a few things! And I don't want to post this on Christmas. And it has to be on a Friday because it's always on a Friday. I KNOW Christmas is still two weeks off (TWO WEEKS) but this is when it is happening.
Most of what we've been reading are Christmas books. A LOT of Christmas books. We own around 20 and then I'll checkout over 100 from the library, maybe closer to 150 (I will do my best to report a number, it's a lot). We started Christmas books the day after Thanksgiving and will continue them through Luke's Christmas break. Next year I plan to write a post about how I manage 100-150 library book checkouts that all "need" to be read in about 6 weeks because I feel like I have a really good handle on the process. So await that long and overly detailed post! The weird skills I have as an adult that I never knew I would consider skills...
Some of these are Christmas books, some of their favorites that I am rereading nearly daily in Sam's case or very often in Luke's. The ones that, thankfully, don't have a hold line so we can renew and renew and renew until I finally return them in January. Or before then if I get really annoyed. HOPEFULLY it won't come to that. Here are some books they are loving lately.
SAM (2¾)
Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting
I didn't expect this story, about a cricket who hides in someone's indoor Christmas tree, to be such a hit with Sam but he calls it "the spider book" (we're working on that) and wants it read daily. More than once a day. I appreciate that it's short and has good pictures. I also appreciate so that far I haven't found any bugs in our Christmas tree.
Nighty Night, Baby Jesus: A Noise Nativity by Molly Schaar Idle
Another daily read for Sam, the pictures are great and I do love a rhyming story. Sam is fascinated by one particular picture of Mary in this book and what is on the side of her face (a shadow). He'll find me in the house and ask me, repeatedly, what is on her face. He still doesn't get that it's a shadow. Also, not sure he understands what a shadow is. Between this and the illustrations that kinda make the straw under the manger look like water...Sam has A LOT of questions with this one.
Another rhyming nativity story about the animals living in the stable. It's also super short which is good when I'm reading it multiple times a day!
The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field
NOT a Christmas book but a heavy favorite of Sam's, about a koala named Kevin who stayed up in his tree because it was predictable and safe and the ground was just too scary (I maybe relate to Kevin a little too much). This one ALSO rhymes so I guess Sam has a thing for rhyming books. It is an outstanding picture book though and I'd probably put it in my top 20 that I've read.
Stir Crack Whisk Bake by America's Test Kitchen Kids
This is not new to the blog and now I'm thinking we need to buy it for Sam for his birthday because we've had it checked out forever and I don't see him letting me return it anytime soon. It is a really good interactive board book.
LUKE (7¾)
How Santa Got His Job and How Santa Lost His Job by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by S.D. Schindler
These are two of Luke's favorites from last year that he really likes again this December. The first is all the jobs Santa had previous to being Santa and how they helped him prepare to be SANTA. The second isn't quite as good - about an over ambitious elf who wants to replace Santa with a machine (spoiler: Santa is still better) but it's fine.
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
I saw this movie in the theaters during Christmas break my senior year of college because it was the kids' Christmas outing for my Dad's work and you also got $10 and candy...21 year old me was cheap too. I've watched it most Christmases since and it's become an annual tradition for us since Luke was old enough to watch movies. HOWEVER, I don't know that I had ever read the book or if I had, it wasn't since I was a kid. It is, not surprisingly, fantastic, the pictures are incredible. I have since ordered a copy.
The Knights Before Christmas by Joan Holub, illustrated by Scott Magoon
A play on the classic "Twas the Night before Christmas" poem but about knights who don't want to let the "invader" Santa in their castle. Sam mistook "invader" for "Vader" as in, Darth, and then spent the rest of the book looking for Darth Vader. Also, it RHYMES. Rhyming Christmas books are really a thing.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barett
We've owned this book maybe Luke's whole life but I hadn't logged it for him until recently and I was surprised we hadn't read it. I KNOW I read this one as a kid and loved it and Luke loved it and all the giant food. It is a classic for a reason.
How to Lose a Lemur by Frann Preston-Gannon
To be fair, my lemur-obsessed kids didn't understand why anyone would want to LOSE a lemur. It's literally Luke's dream for a lemur to follow him home (and the plot of his young author book at school last year). But they will take any book with a lemur in it so enjoyed this one.
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