#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 25: Legend of the Candy Cane

The Legend of the Candy Cane
by: Lori Walburg
Picture Book

Beautifully Told & Illustrated

This is one of my favorite Christmas books. Great artwork, a well-told story that incorporates the nativity, as well as a page at the back of the book that tells the history we do actually know of the candy cane.

The illustrations are true artwork, unlike a lot of what is in books for children. I was SO disappointed to learn that the text of this book was recently re-released with different illustrations! The illustrations by James Bernardin are far superior to the new release, so make sure you get the copy shown here!

There's really nothing to dislike about this book! Highly recommend.

5 stars

And with this, we have completed our #StorytimeChristmasCountdown! To see other books in the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown Collection, click here. I hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas - I will see you in 2016!

#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 24: The Tale of Three Trees

The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale
retold by: Angela Elwell Hunt
Picture Book

Provides a Springboard for Talking with Children

This legend is provides a nice springboard to talk about how what we want and what God wants for us may (sometimes) be the same thing, and yet look drastically different from what we imagined. The Tale of Three Trees is appropriate for Christmastime and Easter as it highlights both Jesus' birth and death. The book does not mention his resurrection (a rather important part of the story!) but as a parent you can verbally include that piece.

Overall, a nice book with well done illustrations.

Story: 3 stars
Illustrations: 4 stars
Average: 3.5 stars


To see other books in the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown series, click here.

#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 23: The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker
retold by: Mark A. Taylor
Picture Book

Classic Tale with a Strange Ending

The tale of the Nutcracker is well known thanks to the ballet. This particular retelling is naturally severely abbreviated, as is appropriate for a picture book. The book follows along the truncated path with cute illustrations. Indeed, my only complaint is that at the very end - after Clara wakes up - this rendition has the Nutcracker smile and think! I wish the ending excluded this addition, as it is rather unnecessary.

4 stars.

To see other books in the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown collection, click here.

#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 22: The Story of Christmas for Children

 

The Story of Christmas for Children
by Erv Gnat
Picture Book

Not accurate

The book is a nice concept of simply explaining the Christmas story to children, but it falls short. The explanation of gift giving falls short. It also makes assumptions about what Mary and Joseph were feeling and the actions of the shepherds that the Scriptures do not tell us. The magi arrive at the stable, instead of a few years later, which is an unfortunate but common mistake in the retelling of the story. The story is told in rhyme and the illustrations hearken back closer to the 50's, though with a slightly 80's flair.

It's not a bad book, it's just not an outstanding one.

3 stars.



To see other books in the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown collection, click here.

#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 21: Ho-Ho-NOOO!

Ho-Ho-NOOO! (TJ and the Time Stumblers, Book 4)
by: Bill Myers
Chapter Book

Best One Yet in the Series!

These books are not my favorite, but once you get used to them they aren't too bad. This one is my favorite so far - mainly because instead of time going backwards so everything can be redone, TJ has to learn her lesson and live with the actual results. That seems a much better way to teach a lesson than to have gadgets to get you out of the mess you (and the Time Stumblers) created. 

The book is targeted to middle-schoolers. See series review here. 

4 stars


To see other books in the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown Collection, click here.

#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 20: Mortimer's Christmas Manger

Mortimer's Christmas Manger
by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
Picture Book

Cute Story

A unique telling of the Christmas story providing a nice springboard into discussing God's provision for us and why he came to earth. The illustrations are nicely done.

4 stars

This review appears as a part of the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown series.

#StorytimeChristmasCountdown Day 19: The Christmas Baby

The Christmas Baby

by: Marion Dane Bauer
Board Book

Makes Jesus just another Baby
This was a super disappointing book. Sure, shepherds and angles and kings appear at "the baby's" birth (never mentioned by name), but the rejoicing is simply that there was a baby born. Nothing salvivic or communicating the true nature of the Christmas story. Further, the "kings" weren't at the manger, but came later (though this is a common mistake in books). The book starts to get things right when it notes that this baby smiled with God's own smile, but it immediately continues by noting that since this birth every baby's  birth has been likewise celebrated by family and angles and that the babies have smiled with God's own smile. Yes, we are all made in the image of God, but it seems the book's purpose is to un-deify Jesus and make him just another baby.

The illustrations are alright, nothing special, but not bad - save for those of angels. Those are just strange.

Cannot recommend.

Text: 1 star
Illustrations: 2 stars
Average: 1.5 stars


To see other books in the #StorytimeChristmasCountdown Collection, click here.