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Book Nook !
By Debbie Trask
Toddlers
Two Lists for Christmas by Lisa Pieterse-Carson , Illustrated by Ethan Roffler
Ages 1-9
Christmas is an exciting time of year filled with wonder and enchantment and Two Lists for Christmas does a fantastic job of demonstrating the thrill of the holiday . Six friends are gathered to celebrate and to create lists for Christmas when the unthinkable happens : Santa crashes ! Setting aside their lists , the friends work together to get Santa and his reindeer back in the air . Along the way they each learn about their own personal strengths and a valuable lesson about the joy of helping others .
Lisa Pieterse-Carson has done a wonderful job of creating a diverse cast of characters in her story . From a slow sloth named Sammy to a resourceful monkey named Millie each character learns about their strengths when they help Santa and his crew get back into the skies . In addition to learning to work together , the characters learn about the gift of giving and how doing something nice for others makes them “ feel good and happy inside .”
5 More Sleeps ‘ til Christmas
Written by Jimmy Fallon , Illustrated by Rich Deas
Ages 3-6
Just 5 more sleeps ’ til Christmas ! Can you believe it ’ s here ? I know that Santa ’ s coming soon ’ cause I ’ ve been good all year .
Everyone who grew up celebrating Christmas remembers the excitement that built up to the most magical day of the year . But why not make the last week until Christmas more fun by counting how many sleeps until the arrival of Santa and his reindeer ?
My Big Wimmelbook Christmas Village
Illustrated by Monika Parciak
Ages 3-7
In these one-of-a-kind picture books , every page is bursting with life — and tons to discover ! Children as young as age 2 have a blast pointing out recognizable things — a blue tricycle , a hungry dog , a piggyback ride — while older kids can follow the star characters from page to page , telling their stories along the way .
In this special holiday-themed Wimmelbook , it ’ s Christmas time ! Christmas Eve , to be exact . From the outdoor ice rink to the bustling holiday market , a busy cast of characters is having a great time as they celebrate by skating , sledding , shopping and singing away . But will the little boy get the tractor he wants for Christmas ? And where is Santa ? Kids follow along and find out in My Big Wimmelbook — Christmas Village
Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe , Illustrated by Howard McWilliam
Ages 3-6
In this delightfully inventive holiday tale , an elf named Shmelf takes a journey from the North Pole . . . and discovers all the joys of Hanukkah .
Shmelf is one of Santa ’ s most important elves . He ’ s part of the List Checking department , and he makes sure all the good boys and girls get their presents ! But when Shmelf finds out that some children are missing from Santa ’ s list , he goes to investigate .
What Shmelf uncovers is Hanukkah , a wondrous and joyful holiday that Jewish families celebrate each year . As Shmelf observes a family lighting the menorah , playing dreidel and hearing the Hanukkah story , he sees how special the traditions of the holiday truly are--and he wants to be a part of it ! Luckily , Santa just might have a special role in mind for Shmelf . . . The rich traditions of Hanukkah come to life in this whimsical and magical story that ’ s perfect for the holiday season .
22 | ST JOHNS PARENT MAGAZINE