Here is a list of kids book reviews for December 2013, by our friends at Green Bean Books in Portland, OR. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please comment with YOUR favorite books for the holidays!
The Christmas Parade by Sandra Boynton $14.99
If you loved legendary Sandra Boynton’s unforgettably goofy barnyard books, The Belly Button Book, or Hippos Go Berserk you’ll love the boom-biddy boom-biddy-boom-boom-boom of her elephant, chicken, pig, hippo, cat, reindeer, rhino, cow, mouse, duck-filled Christmas Parade. Each creature plays a different instrument. You got oreo-cookie cows on sax and a bitty-bird playing the loudest tuba you ever heard! A joyfully cacophonous romp through the twinkling streets on Christmas Eve!
Santa from Cincinnati by Judy Barrett HC $16.99
Families will love this loopy portrait of Santa as a young man . . . from The Queen City! While little Santa is as roly-poly as every toddler, NOT every baby loves his troupe of stuffed reindeer as much as baby Santa, none gurgle “HO HO HO” as their first words, and none become quite as fanatical about toy engineering as this future Yuletide celebrity! By the end of the story this little boy from Cincy has grown into the jolly big-bellied philanthropist we all know and love.
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko $16.99
Sadie’s holiday season is a mish-mash of two different family traditions. Santa nibbles Papa’s latkes instead of gingerbread and Mama sprinkles golden Hanukkah gelt under the Christmas tree. Sadie sings both of silent nights and dreidels, stories are told both of nights represented by the menorah candles and of the kings and creatures visiting the manger! And best of all Sadie gets presents for 8 days plus 1. The book concludes with a recipe for scrumptious cranberry kugel stuffing. Lovely illustrations collaged just like Sadie’s wintertime customs.
Best Christmas Book Ever by Richard Scarry HC $12.95
Busytown is getting ready for Christmas. The firemen are stringing lights on the buildings. The stores are crowded with shoppers. Everyone is busy. Look! Hilda, the kitties, and Lowly Worm take a sleigh-ride over to Farmer Pig’s in search of a Christmas tree. Grouchy Mr. Gronkle learns a little Christmas spirit after taking a spill on the skate pond. Mr. Fixit gets his tow truck stuck in a snowdrift. Busy, bustling, festive and fun, this snowy Scarry book is as lovely as the rest, and comes with a Visit to Grandma’s House game and songs to sing.
