A Bagful of Magic: Children’s Holiday Books

Debbie Arnold

Reading. What a gift we can give to ourselves and our children. As writers, parents and teachers we know how important it is to model reading and to instill the love of that into our children. I hope you’ve been reading a holiday story to your children each day, but just in case you need some suggestions, I have a few. Fill a bagful of holiday kids’ books with these favorites:

santa's bag

  • A Christmas Treasury by Stephanie Nettell (Ed.) contains a well-chosen selection of holiday poems and stories. I especially like that it contains excerpts from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
  • Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury  combines seven of Brett’s best-selling, beloved books: The Mitten, The Wild Christmas Reindeer, Trouble with Trolls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Hat, Christmas Trolls, and The Night Before Christmas. Like all of her books, this one has amazing art work and is generally recognized as one of the finest children’s books on the market today. That said, it is expensive. Consider it an investment or suggest to grandparents, aunts or uncles what a nice gift it would be. This absolutely beautiful book will become a family heirloom.
  • The Night Before Christmas (A Visit From St. Nicholas)- the classic attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. How could you not share this one. Don’t visions of sugarplums still dance in our heads? This one is not to be missed.
  • Olive, the Other Reindeer by Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh. Olive is a quirky little dog who misunderstands the lyrics of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” hearing “Olive, the other reindeer” and heads off to the North Pole to become Santa’s helper. The illustrations are computer generated and the narrative is humorous.
  • The Little Reindeer by author and illustrator Michael Foreman is a sweet tale about reindeer that accidentally gets wrapped up as a gift for a little boy by Santa’s elves. The little boy keeps his new pet a secret even after the reindeer learns to fly and heads back to Santa’s workshop. 
  • Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Pinkney. I bought this one several years ago and still enjoy sharing it. It’s a great way to introduce children to the traditions and principles of Kwanzaa.
  • The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg has been around for several years but remains one of our all-time favorites. It’s a beautiful book — both the story it tells and the illustrations it presents. Watch the movie starring Tom Hanks if you get the chance .
  • The Christmas Story, first published in 1952 by Little Golden Books, was written by author Jane Werner Watson and illustrated by my absolute favorite Little Golden Book illustrator, Eloise Wilkin. It’s such a beautiful little book and an excellent presentation of the birth of Jesus.
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. Can we have a Christmas without Cindy Lou, Max and the Grinch? I never tire of reading this one out loud with its twisting rhythm and creative language. Even the youngest can grasp the truth of this one. Buy it in hardback because, if your little ones are like mine, you’ll wear a paperback out very quickly.
  • Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn and Mark Buehner is a companion to Snowmen at Night and continues the adventures of the snowmen at Christmastime. Just like Grinch, this one is meant to be read aloud.
  • Mortimer’s Christmas Manger – by Karma Wilson is another perfect read aloud choice. When Mortimer takes up residence in a manger scene and one by one moves the nativity “residents” out. Then one night he overhears the story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus and realizes that the bed he has been enjoying really belongs to the Baby Jesus.
  • The Legend of the Christmas Cookie by Dandi Mackall tells the story of a young boy named Jack who learns of his family’s tradition of baking cookies and sharing the story of the birth of Jesus with needy families. In doing so, he learns to become a cheerful giver. There’s also a cookie recipe included which could be made with your children.
  • The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski is more appropriate for younger elementary children than preschoolers even though it appears to be a lovely picture book at first. Mr. Toomey was a woodcarver who spent his days alone and always seemed gloomy. No one knows the reason why until the Widow McDowell and her son ask Toomey to carve some special characters for them — ones they had lost in a move. It’s not only a beautiful story relating the true meaning of Christmas, it’s the story of love lost and love found. I wonder if you will read it without tears.
  • How about these classic Little Golden Books: The Animals’ Christmas Eve, The Christmas Story, The Little Christmas Elf, The Night Before Christmas; and The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas and The Twelve Days of Christmas.
  • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever– Barbara Robinson’s classic tale of the Herdmans’ interpretation of the Christmas story. If you’ve never read and shared this one, do yourself a favor and get a copy today. It’s funny and laughable, but it’s also heartwarming. It’s a reading must.
  • A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens. I’m rather partial to this one after having taught it for so many years. Find a good adaptation — not the Mickey Mouse or Barbie versions, but one that is truer to Dickens’ original allegory. While Dickens did not write A Christmas Carol as a children’s book, it can easily be understood by them. It is not a retelling of the birth of Jesus, but rather a story emphasizing that we are indeed our brother’s keeper and that mankind has a responsibility to see that no child grows up ignorant or wanting.
  • The Way of the Wolf by Martin Bell. While not specifically a holiday book, it does contain a story that is special to our family and one my husband shared year after year with our daughter, and one she continues to share with her children today. This is actually a collection of stories in which the wolf is a metaphor for God. The Tale of Barrington Bunny contained within this book is a parable of Jesus — the greatness of His love for us and how He died for us because of that love. Do yourself a favor, get this book; read about Barrington and share that tale with those you love.

I could go on and on with this list, but it’s a good start as it is. The emphasis is on “start.” Share the classics. Discover the sure-to-be classics. In sharing them with your little ones, you’ll be giving one of the most precious gifts you can. Reading is a magical gift we give to ourselves and share with others.

Share the magic of reading through children’s holiday books.

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What are some of your favorite holiday children’s books? Which ones have a special meaning or tradition in your family? Why not share those in the comments?

Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and magical holiday season.

 

The Magic of Pretty Prose

by Kayla I. Shown-Dean

At a writing conference, I was shocked and appalled to hear one of our speakers announce, “Pretty prose is dead.”

While I realize this person has much more experience than me in professional reading/writing, I’m afraid I’d have to disagree. Pretty prose has several distinct purposes. First and foremost, it exists to paint a picture for the reader. The following passage is an example of pretty prose taken from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. It paints a beautiful picture, setting in this scene for the reader.

Heart of Darkness PrettyProse

I mean, could you imagine if Conrad had simply written: “There was a large jungle whose trees formed a straight line in a faraway land by the ocean. It was foggy there, probably because it was so hot.”

What kind of picture does that form in your mind’s eye?

I honestly believe that to remove pretty prose is to take the art out of writing. It takes years of hard work and practice (countless hours spent) to perfect each passage at the sentence level. It often means writing, rewriting, editing, rewriting, rewriting, editing, and rewriting three or four more times. It means being selective about your word choice. Each word has been chosen for purpose and clarity—and if you’re one of those writers who loves to employ symbolism, theme, and motif, this task is doubly difficult. Still, it is well worth the work.

For example, there’s a passage in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights that is absolutely breath-taking. 

Wuthering Height pretty prose

While on a surface-level reading, it appears as only a description of the distraught Heathcliff, but because of the author’s use of the word cloud, the reader can see that there is some deep storm brewing within this man. In fact, word cloud is used 24 times in this story, making it a reoccurring symbol as it reveals the ever-changing mood of its characters.

So now, you may be wondering: how can I write pretty prose?

To answer simply: it takes a lot of practice. However, there are lots of tools you can employ to help you along the way.

1.) Describe, describe, describe

As you’ve learned, pretty prose is a lot of description. So pull out those adjectives! If you’re looking outside, what colors do you see? Are there any shadows? Where is the sun? (That can be used as a subtle way to indicate the time.) What textures and shapes are out there? Do you have any snow on the ground? Is it melting, fresh, mushy? Etc.

2.) Use your five senses.

Don’t just limit yourself to your sense of sight. Yes, we depend on this sense the most, but your other senses have a lot to contribute to the painting of your setting. What sounds do you hear? How does it feel? Is it windy? Is it hot? Dry? Cold? What does it smell like? Is there a crisp, cool wind? Does it smell of pine? And for all you foodies out there: taste. I believe this is one of the least used senses when it comes to writing. When our characters are eating, we tend to just say what they eat, but we don’t describe its taste. Bring your readers in with you; make them hungry!

3.) Pull out those similes and metaphors.

What does that pie taste like? Is it similar to another kind of dessert? What about the noises you hear? Do your kids run around the house screaming like a cat getting run over by a garbage truck? Or is your husband a sloth of a man? Using similes and metaphors can help make personal situations more relatable to your readers.

** Remember, a simile is a comparison of two things using like or as, while a metaphor compares two things without the use of the prepositions.**

4.) Be consistent with any set theme or motif.

For example, if you’re working with reoccurring symbols of darkness and light and you’ve decided to let darkness represent ignorance and light represent knowledge, make sure that you haven’t shifted gears or gotten your wires crossed somewhere in your writing process. An easy way to do this is to do a find-word search in Microsoft Word. Then you can search each time you used the word light to make sure it is used in the way in which you intended.

 

Assignment time: (you knew it was coming, right?)

To practice pretty prose, I want you all to write a paragraph describing what you see (touch, taste, hear, smell) when you’re in your own backyards. Go ahead; reveal in the magic of pretty prose. Then, paste your paragraphs in the comment section or post them to social media using the hashtag #magicalstory.

Chris Olsen: Gift of Homemade Truffles {Foodie Friday}

Struggling for gift ideas as the holiday season approaches? Festively gift-wrapped, homemade truffles make an amazing present for any friend, co-worker or family member with a sweet tooth. Made from eggless cookie dough, these treats are completely safe to eat raw. You can make them ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to five days — if you can resist for that long, that is.

chris olsen browniebattertruffle

Happy Holidays to you all and wishing you and yours the best for 2016! 

**Just a note…I like to make these in a few different flavors for a large variety: chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter and snickerdoodle!  If you want those recipes go to my Facebook page,like it and ask me to send them to you and  I will!  Happy Holidays!  Chris~

chris olsen cookiedoughtrufflesboxed (1)

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Chris Olsen: Brownie Batter Truffles

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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch fine salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon nonalcoholic vanilla extract
  • Confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Melt the chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute total.
  3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. Add the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla to the melted chocolate, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
  5. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until well incorporated. (Turn off the mixer and use your hands to help combine if needed.)
  6. Scoop tablespoons of the batter, roll them into smooth balls and put them on the prepared baking sheet.
  7. Put the confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder on a plate.
  8. Before serving, roll the truffles in confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder to coat.
  9. The truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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Check out these delicious truffles from @chrisholsen1 for #ARWB #FoodieFriday

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Chris H. Olsen is a nationally known home and garden guru, designer, author, public speaker and TV personality. 

  

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