Book Review: FamilyFun Homemade Holidays

✰✰✰✰ Part of the fun of the holidays is the joy of making holiday crafts, gifts, and recipes. What better way to get started with the festivities than with a book from the experts at FamilyFun magazine? This book is chock full of 150 holiday treats, decorations and gifts suited for giving to individuals or planning parties. Included are ideas for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day. Choose from crafts like the Faux Fireplace, Angel Votive, Holiday Garlands, or Popsicle-stick Snowflakes. Recipes include Old-fashioned Gingerbread,   Jolly Jelly Thumbprints, Chocolate Church Mice, and many more.

The Bottom Line: The crafts and recipes in this book are easy to make and kid friendly. Most of the ideas can be made with easy to find supplies and ingredients. There are plenty of full color photographs throughout. Kids will enjoy making these recipes, gifts, and decorations with adult supervision. Enthusiastically recommended for parents, teachers, and librarians looking for festive holiday ideas to use at home, in the classroom, or as a supplement to story time.

Details: FamilyFun Homemade Holidays: 150 Festive Crafts, Recipes, Gifts & Parties edited by Deanna F. Cook and the experts at FamilyFun magazine. Paperback published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. in 2009. 96 p. ISBN: 978-1-4027-6358-8

Book Review: The Snow Angel by Christine Leeson

✰✰✰½ Daisy and Sam are two little mice as excited as can be about Christmas. They rush outside into the Christmas snow and are surprised when an angel falls from the sky. The concerned little mice rush to the fallen angel's aid offering it food and watching over it. When it comes time for the angel to take flight again, she leaves behind a gift of her own to the delight of the mice.

The Bottom Line: This charming tale is easy to read to the little ones and emphasizes themes of kindness and sharing. Children will adore Jane Chapman's glittery illustrations in soft pastels. Recommended for toddlers through kids in Grade 1.

Details: The Snow Angel written by Christine Leeson and illustrated by Jane Chapman. Hardcover picture book published by Tiger Tales in 2007. 32 p. ISBN: 978-1-58925-068-0

Book Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

✰✰✰½ The Herdman kids are the worst. They lie, steal, hit, and worst of all, there are six of them. One day they show up at church and take over the annual Christmas pageant. How can this happen? The Herdmans don't even know the story of Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus.

Everyone fears that the event is headed for disaster, but the holidays just wouldn't be the same without the annual Christmas pageant. Will this be the worst Christmas pageant ever? Read the book and find out.

The Bottom Line: This is a picture book adaptation from Barbara Robinson's novel, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Brightly illustrated and fun to read, the Herdman kids prove that you can't always judge a book by the cover. Recommended for kids in grades Pre-K - 3.

Details: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever written by Barbara Robinson & illustrated by Laura Cornell. Hardcover (picture book edition) published by Harper in 2011. 40 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-089074-2

Cookbook Review: Santa's North Pole Cookbook by Jeff Guinn

✰✰✰✰ The authority on Santa, Jeff Guinn, brings readers a cookbook narrated by the jolly old elf himself. For each section and recipe, Santa provides some background information and his own stories. His head chef Lars also adds helpful hints and comments where appropriate. The recipes range from the very simple (like Kissel or Cranberry Puree from Russia) to the more challenging (like Black Christmas Fruitcake from Trinidad and Tobago).

Santa has collected over 70 holiday recipes from his annual trek around the world. This cookbook includes  holiday recipes for breakfast, breads, appetizers, main courses, side dishes, drinks, and desserts. Also, an index is included so you can look up recipes by ingredient or country.

The Bottom Line: Add this cookbook to your holiday collection just for the fun of it; it's chock full of interesting facts and trivia. Plus, the type is in Christmas green ink and is easy to read. The recipes are straight forward and easy to follow; however, a few of the ingredients may be a challenge to find. Since the recipes vary in the amount of expertise required, this cookbook is recommended for aspiring chefs of all skill levels. With dishes from all over the world, there's sure to be something for everyone this holiday. Finally, if you enjoy this title, check out Guinn's other books about Santa including The Autobiography of Santa Claus and How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas.

Details: Santa's North Pole Cookbook by Jeff Guinn. Hardcover published by Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin in 2007. 247 p. ISBN: 978-1-58542-589-1

Book Review: A Christmas Spider's Miracle by Trinka Hakes Noble

✰✰✰✰½ A long time ago in a faraway forest of the old Ukraine, there lived a mother spider with her brood of little ones. As Christmas approached, the cold temperatures became unbearable. The mother spider did her best to protect her children, but as she drifted off to sleep she feared the cold would be too much for them.

Nearby, a poor peasant woman with children of her own struggles to make ends meet. The woman's children have been very good, but she is sad because she has nothing to give them on Christmas. There will be no feast or presents for her children, but the woman decides that at the very least, there will be a tree. Later that night at the edge of the forest, she finds the perfect little fir tree and brings it home, but alas, she does not possess the materials required to make decorations for the little tree. The poor woman falls into a troubled sleep.

Meanwhile, the mother spider awakens. She explores her new home. It is warmer than the forest and there is food as well. Grateful for her new home, the spider decides to give the peasant woman and her children the greatest Christmas gift of all and she spins her way into legend.

The Bottom Line: The legend of the Christmas spider is one of my favorite holiday stories. It's the reason many people (including me) have a sparkly spider ornament on their tree at Christmastime. This legend has been retold many times, but author Trinka Hakes Noble brings her own magic to the tale. Also, children will enjoy Stephen Costanza's watercolor and colored pencil illustrations, which were painted with a beautifully subdued palette of blues, greens, and purples. A Christmas Spider's Miracle will appeal to all generations from the very young to the young at heart. Highly recommended for children in grades Pre-K - 2. Also, highly recommended for librarians and teachers looking for a holiday book to tie in with a craft project (for example, a Christmas Spider Ornament) for story time.

Details: A Christmas Spider's Miracle written by Trinka Hakes Noble & illustrated by Stephen Costanza. Hardcover picture book published by Sleeping Bear Press in 2011. 32 p. ISBN: 978-1-58536-602-6

"Christmas in July" Book Reviews for 2012

It's never too early to start planning ahead for the holidays. July is the  time of year when we here at Mini Book Bytes Book Reviews take a special look at books featuring the winter holiday season. Holiday picture books will always hold a special place in our hearts, so we'll review several including A Christmas Spider's Miracle by Trinka Hakes Noble, The Snow Angel by Christine Leeson, and Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck.

Additionally, we'll check out a few cookbooks and a craft title or two. So make some hot chocolate, grab a peppermint stick, and join us as we try to beat the summer heat with these wintry selections.

Stay cool everyone!

P.S. I found this beautiful image at Activity Village.

Independence Day Books for Kids

When you think about the Fourth of July, chances are you probably think about barbecues, family reunions, ceremonies, parades, concerts, and, of course, fireworks. However, there's another way to celebrate Independence Day. Whether you will be spending the holiday at the beach, the campgrounds, or grilling in your own backyard, now is the perfect time to learn more about America's favorite summertime event...the 4th of July!

If you have ever wondered about the signing of the Declaration of Independence or who sewed the first American flag, then a visit to your local library is in order. Your library is filled with books about Independence Day trivia, facts, and stories. Check out a selection of both fiction and nonfiction books for kids today.  

My top picks for nonfiction books for kids include:

1. The Fourth of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh
2. The Making of America by Robert D. Johnston
3. Fireworks, Picnics, and Flags by James Cross Giblin
4. The Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key
5. Independence Day Crafts by Mary Berendes

My top picks for picture books for kids include:

1. Fourth of July Mice! by Bethany Roberts
2. Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong
3. Corduroy's Fourth of July by Don Freeman
4. A Fourth of July on the Plains by Jean Van Leeuwen
5. Looking for Uncle Louie on the Fourth of July by Kathy Whitehead

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Note: The free clip art used on this post was found at Graphics Hunt.