A FEW CHRISTMAS TITLES FOR YOUNG READERS

I am not going shopping on Black Friday. I hate shopping on regular days. And shopping on Black Friday is like shopping on regular days times a million. But…if I was going shopping, and was buying presents, I would most likely be buying books. Here are a few new ones I would need to buy for someone…

I'd definitely be buying Eric Littwin's newest, PETE THE CAT SAVES CHRISTMAS, for the primary grade readers in my life. A take off on Clement Clark Moore's TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, it's a little more text than most of the other Pete books, but it's still lots of fun.

Twas the day before Christmas and Santa was ill
In the cold winter wind he had caught a bad chill. 

Our good friend Pete, in a red minibus which is eventually pulled by reindeer, steps in to save the day.

"I'll do it," said Pete.
"And although I am small,
at Christmas we give, 
so I'll give it my all."

And then one of Littwin's famous repeated refrains

 "Give it your all, give it your all,

At Christmas we give, so I'll give it my all…"

This PETE THE CATE would also be a great gift for anyone who collects different versions of 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

 SANTA ON THE LOOSE, by Bruce Hale, illustrations by Dave Garbot, is not a book for read aloud. Instead, it's a kind of "Where's Waldo?" (do you remember that series?) does Christmas. On the first page, we learn that the North Pole is in a tizzy, because all of the Christmas toys have been stolen. There are six possible suspects. On each of the next ten two-page spreads, the reader has to find Santa, then figure out what clue he is holding. When all of the clues are pieced together, the guilty party can be identified. And then, as an added bonus, there are nine other objects the "reader" can go back and find on each page. This would be a perfect present for the week/night before Christmas, when everyone is excited and needs something to stay busy.

TOGETHER AT CHRISTMAS, by Eileen Spinelli, is a counting book. Ten little mice are huddled together in the snow on Christmas Eve. One by one, each mouse finds a warmer place to sleep. But…

Though every mouse is snug alone
on feather bed, in nest, by stone--
somehow it doesn't feel quite right
to be without one's friends this night.

And so all of the little mice come back together to celebrate Christmas.

I'd buy this book for Bin Lee's beautiful illustrations. I think kids are going to love them.

IT'S CHRISTMAS by Jack Prelutsky, is not a new book, I think it was first published about twenty years ago. It's been reissued, however, as part of the "I Can Read!" series, with new full color illustrations. First and second graders love the "I Can Read" series- there's enough text and content to make the books interesting, but there is not so much text that they are intimidating. IT'S CHRISTMAS is twelve rhyming poems about various Christmas traditions-- mailing cards, standing under the mistletoe, writing a list for Santa, getting a sled when there is no snow, etc. And there's just enough naughty- Auntie Flo who gives underwear for Christmas, and a puppy who piddles, to grab the attention of kids who are not totally sold on reading yet.