Festivals Books

This book was great for helping plan my son's kindergarten valentine party. The snack ideas were super and pretty easy to assemble. The highlight of the book is the valentine bingo game where everyone wins at the same time. The children just loved the game as they all shouted "bingo" at the same time. We also did the ice cube game and the cupid game. Both were also big hits with the children! I would highly recommend this book for any class parent needing some creative ideas for kids from 5+.

With all the crafts, snacks, and games, you will have everyone entertained for years to come. This book is great for classrooms, parents, day cares, work, & more. Perfect paired with Valentine Boxes.

Wonderful Book - Pleae make more like this!!

What a wonderful book. Valentine parties are always a favorite the crafts/activies are warming to ones heart. Every room parents or hostess/host needs this book for any type of party. Suggestion purchase the complete set.

I run an after-school program for a non-profit organization with children that range in age from 6 to 14. It's very difficult to plan holiday events that will interest all the kids, but I got some great ideas from this book! It covers everything from games, to crafts and special treats. While most of the activities are geared towards the younger crowd, I was able to extract some ideas for the older kids as well. A very well organized and creative book!

In this brief text, Fr. Brown masterfully distills his biblical exegesis into a form which is digestible by those who do not have a predisposition for exegesis. In this collection of essays based on his larger work "The Birth of the Messiah," Fr. Brown discusses specific motifs from each of the infancy narratives, looking for their significance not only intra-textually but also inter-testamentally. While much of the exegesis remains brief, it is enlightening for each narrative and serves as a "spring board" to further studies as needed and desired. Nonetheless, for its brevity, the content is dense enough to truly give one something upon which to reflect during Advent and Christmas.

This booklet contains an excellent summary of some of the important conclusions reached in Father Brown's comprehensive and scholarly work, "The Birth of the Messiah." Father Brown's concern in the booklet is the theological message of the evangelists--he views this as the most important aspect of the message, and something that can get lost amid modern searches to either prove or disprove each item of the stories as historical events.

As usual, the late great Father Brown did an excellent job. He explores the Old Testament roots of Mathew's and Luke's Birth Stories and analyzes broad and beautiful topics such as "the Meaning of the Magi" (the Good News is for all who will believe, including Gentiles) and the "Importance of the Shepherds" (they symbolize an Israel that comes to recognize and glorify its Lord Jesus, the Davidic Messiah foretold in the Jewish Scriptures).

Father Brown said he hopes the regognition that there is an adult Christ in the message of Christmas--i.e., that the theological meaning of God's gift of Jesus is included in these beautiful opening verses--will lead believers to proclaim that revelation to others, and that they will respond in faith. It was a wonderful thing to have this brilliant and intellectually honest scholar also put his faith on display.

Father Brown has written some great books. While this is a good book, I would advise a touch of caution here. If you or your church believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Bible, this book may not be good for you. That said, this book is an interesting study. Father Brown points out that both Matthew and Luke have passages in their Gospels that tell of Jesus' birth. However, neither Matthew or Luke were present at the birth of Christ. There is a theory that Mother Mary (who was obviously present at the birth of Christ) talked to Matthew and Luke about the birth of Christ. (Father Brown does not seem to believe this.) But even if we accept this theory as true, it does NOT disprove the important facts that Father Brown points out. The first thing he points out is that while Matthew and Luke present a different picture of Christ's birth, they both wrote with a hindsight of Jesus' great works, his crucifixion, and his ressurection. (Anytime we are writing something with hindsight, we can color the previous events to our liking. Moreso if the way we color it helps lead up to the ending.) Basically, Matthew wanted to emphasize Jesus' greatness. So, he includes the star that lead the 3 wise men to Jesus. Matthew also wrote for the Jewish populations. (He was trying to emphasize that Jesus was the new Moses.) In the Old Testament, there is the slaughter of children at the time of Moses' birth. So, Matthew has the wicked Herod order the deaths of all the new born children in hopes that Jesus will be killed. Like Matthew, Luke was also trying to emphasize the greatness of Christ even at his birth. So Luke adds the beautiful story of the wise Simeon who pronounces Jesus' greatness: "Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people" (Luke 2:29-31). Also with hindsight, Luke has Simeon make a reference to the crucifixion: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also..." (Luke 2:35). Father Brown's point is emphasized further when he points out a major point. Obviously, Matthew and Luke included passages on Jesus' birth. But while they made their changes, they still had to stay to some extent within the earlier written Gospel According to Mark. (Mark of course does not include a birth chapter.) Well obviously, Mark presented Jesus' conflict with the Jewish authorities. Well, the Jewish authorities were fascinated by the 12 year old Christ in Luke: "...all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers" (Luke 2:47). So, if the religious authorities were so fascinated by Christ as a 12 year old child, then why as an adult was he rejected to the point where the religious authorities wanted him crucified? Don't get me wrong. This IS a great book as well as an important study. But it is my opinion that the content of it could be disturbing to some.

One of Raymond Brown's most enduring and significant works is THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH. It is without a doubt the most helpful work for preparing Advent and Christmas homilies as well as Bible studies based on the Advent and Christmas seasons. Though it's filled with great information, it's not quick reading by any stretch of the imagination. A quick reference guide would be more than appreciated by most readers and AN ADULT CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS and a volume that precedes it, A COMING CHRIST IN ADVENT, both published by Liturgical Press, serve this purpose.

AN ADULT CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS looks at the second chapters of Matthew and Luke's Gospels which deal with the birth of Jesus. Brown acknowledges the historical difficulties associated with these stories: Why did people not notice and record the star or Herod's massacre of the infants but doesn't allow these factors to take away from the overall message of Jesus' birth. He pays attention to the theology of the stories, namely that the Infancy Narratives for both Matthew and Luke summarize what we will discover in the Gospels themselves, specifically that upon learning of Jesus Christ some will respond and others will not. Brown further states that these stories challenge readers today in the same manner, so they're not cute stories as much as important lessons for mature believers, hence the titles.

The three essays in this book, the first of which focuses on Matthew's narrative, the second which looks at Luke's birth narrative and the Presentation in the Temple, and what Brown calls the "Third Christmas Story" or the finding of Christ in the Temple, were originally published as articles in the journal WORSHIP. They're informative and great for group discussion or homily ideas. Because it's a slender volume, it's perfect for an Advent Bible Study series or spiritual reading for people who combine scripture study and prayer. At such a busy time of the year, people want substance but often don't have time for lengthier works. This volume is perfect for that purpose. It's also great for preparing a homily, since it has major themes specifically for Advent. It also has footnotes with references for THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH and other works by Brown which makes it a great beginning for further research.

I read this book in this time of Christmas, 2001-2002. The content was incredibly interesting and changed my mind about the narratives of Jesus infancy. The two initial chapters of Matthew and Luke now say different things than I understood just a month ago. Recommendable only for people with a very well cemented faith. Short and very interesting and clear reading. That is the reason why I am a father Brown's fan.

Alabaster's Song is a story that you should own, even if you don't have a child. It is warm and sweet, and brings you back to the place where the child inside each one of us still lives.

As always, Max Lucado has the gift of reaching down into the depths of your heart and soul, and touching you, drawing you closer to God.

Make this book part of your library, part of your Christmas traditions. I read it each year to my "babies", who are now 19, 17, and 13. It is a tradition I will carry on with my grandchildren.

This is a fabulous book that brings to mind the wonder of Christmas through a child's eyes. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is timeless and unforgettable! I read this story to my children, ages 11, 8, and 4, each year around Christmas. I even read it to my MOPS group as a Christmas reading last year. Thank you, Max Lucado, for another wonderful children's book!

Very cute story about a little boy whose Christmas Tree angel comes to life to sing sweet songs to him. Gorgeous artwork brings the story to life with brilliance. I loved that the story repeated itself once the little boy grew up and had a son of his own who hears the angels music.

This is one of the most beautifully illustrated, delightful stories I have had the good fortune to encouter. Alabaster, the spirited little angel, touches the life a boy with positive results. The message in this gentle story is that when good is done, pass it on. It is so lovely, so moving that it might make one misty eyed. This book is a real treasure. Max Lucado and the illustrator have used their talents to enrich the lives of others.

As a Preschool Teacher of 4 and 5 year olds, I have read many books about the Christmas Story. This book is by far, the childrens' favorite. It is both touching and exciting. I have never read one of Max Lucado's books that I was not absolutely thrilled with.

This book is so cute. I bought it for my son for his birthday. He likes the book and I read it to him along with all the other Leslie Patricelli books that I have bought. Definitely recommended.

My 2 year old LOVES all the Leslie Patricelli board books. He has almost all of them. However, I didn't like that this book wasn't a board book. So this means he can't sit and read/look at it by himself. The board books are perfect for little toddlers such as my son. He LOVES to read and be read to. The story is great and so are the illistrations. I just think it should have been a board book like the others. Leslie is a GREAT writer!!

I took this book out from the library based on the great pictures and I am so glad I did. My 2-year loves it (and so does my 8-year old)! It is magical in it's simplicity and really captures the sweet imagination and tenderness of early childhood.

Ms. Patricelli does a wonderful job of capturing the thoughts of toddlers and preschool age children. Her stories are adorable, and the artwork is well done. My daughter loves her books, and I don't mind reading them over and over again. This one is the first of her larger format books, as the rest are board books. I love when he climbs into the box! So cute!

I purchased this for my 2-year old niece for her birthday. She loves "Yummy Yucky," "Blankie" and "Binkie" books by the same author so this was a perfect birthday present. She calls it the "big Yummy Yucky." Like the previous books, this one is very charming and funny. I definitely recommend it for the younger set!

This is a dear book. Our five young children own dozens of books, and this one stands out as one I'd buy as a gift for all occasions. It cleverly names the many kinds of hugs we all know and love!

My 17 month old daughter really likes the book. At first, when I read the introduction, she was a little bored, but by the end of the book, she was hugging her stuffed animal to show me how SHE hugs.

I seldom give 5 stars but this book is worth every star. It's one of those Mommy feel good books like "Guess How Much I Love You". It's not hopelessly sappy either. It will make you smile, laugh and want to hug anyone is nearby.

This book is an excellent book for teaching young children about hugging. It talks about a variety of people you might wish to hug. It gives a cute description about the hug. I think parents will find this book "a must have" particularly with young children.

I thought this was one of the best children's books I had seen in a long time. It emphasized the value of the family. That is am important quality in today's lifestyle. I loved the art work also.

Cute children's story. My 5 year-old loved this book. She had fun finding the bugs on each page. Bright colors and fun pictures! For older kids, as the younger ones will probably rip the pop-ups.

My 20 month old daughter loves this book. It's a great choice for toddlers who like lifting flaps, yet are careful with their books.

I loved this book, the pop ups were really delightful. I would buy the entire collection for my Grandson!

I love David A. Carter's pop-up "bugs" books! I've bought several for my grandchildren, ages 5 and under, and they love them too! The pop-ups are so unique - unlike any others I've seen. I WILL be buying more of these books in the future!

My little boy is 10 months now, and ever since he got this book (when he was 6 months) he loves it. I mean L-O-V-E-S I-T !!! As soon as I pull it out he shakes with excitement. He LOVES flipping the easter eggs to discover the bugs underneath, and the last page is especially adorable, with all the bugs in a single easter basket. What an awesome concept. I have had to make some repairs with tape because it is hard to teach a 10 month old to be gentle ! ha ha. But it is SO worth it. This book is HIGHLY recommended even for little babies.

My first grade class at St. Theresa School really enjoyed this story. It's a great way to explore the seasons and holidays!

Elton the Elf is an outstanding book. It's fun for my class to help Elton through the various holidays and find the holiday he belongs to. The children are able to see many holidays that are celebrated throughout the year. They want to read it again and again.

This book was absolutely wonderful. The story is adorable, and the illustrations were splendid. Traveling through the holidays was great fun. I highly recommend this unique book!

Elton the Elf is a wonderful book for young children. I teach at a preschool and this book tells about an elf who goes through the whole year trying to find his holiday. The story beautifully explains what happens to the elf as he travels through the year until he finds his home. The book illustrations along with the story shows the children what happens at each month from January to December. The young children love hearing about the elf (...).

Elton the Elf is a wonderful storyline about a little elf who finds his way home after traveling through various holidays. The unusual idea of traveling through holidays is a unique one. Both the author and illustrator, who has bright and colorful illustrations, mesh their talents together creating a children's book that will bring a smile to both adults and children's faces.

Esther's Uncle Mordecai is the gate keeper.He raised Esther from a baby. My favorite part of the story is when Esther becomes queen of Persia. My favorite part of the story is when he laughed. When he was done laughing, he said "Esther, you are now queen of ersia". I like the book Esther because it is taken from the Bible. The comments are the same as in the Bible. If you really like the Bible story, I insist that you read this book!

Esther was an ok book. It is easy to read. It was about
this girl named Esther and how she became a queen and
saved her people. I recommend this book to anyone.

Esther's Uncle Mordecai is the gate keeper.He raised Esther from a baby. My favorite part of the story is when Esther becomes queen of Persia. My favorite part of the story is when he laughed. When he was done laughing, he said "Esther, you are now queen of ersia". I like the book Esther because it is taken from the Bible. The comments are the same as in the Bible. If you really like the Bible story, I insist that you read this book!

I like this book of Esther because it is all what God knew what was going to happen. My first favorite part is when the king crowned Esther Queen of Persia. That was God's plan. Later, a man named Haman wanted all the Jews killed. God wanted Esther to save her people. My second favorite part is when Esther shows up to the king uninvited. Esther had the courage to do that. But, will Esther save her people in time? Read this book to find out.

I have read dozens of Jewish books to my kids, and this stands out as one of the few that I am going to keep for THEIR kids. The reason? It portrays Esther as a real person that girls can truly identify with, while not straying from the honest Torah understanding of the holiday. Additionally, the combination of realistic text (presented in the form of Esther's diary) and stunning illustrations make this book a literary treat. I wish this author-illustrator team would get together to create stories about all the Biblical heroines!

This book is poetry. A story of a medieval horse race in Italy, with different sections of an ancient city sponsoring different jockeys and horses. A lot of plotting and undercurrents happen during each race --the race is easily the most important civic event in the city. A young jockey nurses an unlucky horse back to health, and his bond with his horse makes them an unbeatable team. The illustrations are magnificent. The story had me entralled. I read it when I was 11, and absolutely could not put it down.

How can this beautiful book be out of print! This is the story of the medieval (in every sense of the word) Il Palio race around the walled town of Siena, Italy. Horse clubs (contrade) from the 17 wards of the city gather to form alliances against others, horses and jockeys evaluated and selected and a very strenuous and difficult race around the town plaza is portrayed. I can still remember the scene, banners of the contradas flying, their symbols (the Wave, the Snail) and the subterfuge and plotting to win this race, which lasts only a minute or two. Not only accurate, but a dramatic tale of a young jockey. Brilliant. I hope it is someday reprinted.

Gaudenzia is an outstanding blend of horses, history and human interest. As a child I loved the story of how the cart horse became a champion. I thrilled to the traditions and pageantry of the Palio. As an adult I read this book to my son and realized there was a second story of the rider, who had persisted in his love for a horse.Even if you are not a horse lover,there are also some subtle lessons of ethics and loyalty in the story.
My college-age son recalls that the rider had a childhood so poor that his family would rub a saugage with bread for lunch to get a bit of grease, because the precious sausage had to be saved for dinner.This made a big impact on him.
Did this story influence two generations? Yes! Although I have waited over 40 years to make the trip, this July I will finally see the Palio in Siena - with my son.

This book is easily one of Henry`s best horse tales- yet it somehow seems to get overlooked these days. The story combines her familiar young person/horse bond narrative with a fascinating look at the very unique Italian tradition of the Palio horse race. Dating from medieval times, the Palio, held in Siena, re-creates the old drama of the various rival city states. Along with this slice of history, the author gives us the character Giorgio Terni, an idealistic young man whose dream is to become a trainer of horses. He evantually does achieve this, also becoming a Palio rider and forging a friendship with the high-strung yet lovely and fast mare Gaudenzia. Everyone is ready to give up on the mare becoming anything but a work horse- except Giorgio, whose faith in her talents never falters. He devotes all of his time to her, regaining her trust in people and getting her in physical shape to race. He`s truly a good role model for animal-loving youngsters. The story never loses its momentum- as a sixth grader reading it for the first time, I could`nt put it down. I also recall how upset I was when Giorgio must ride a different horse in one Palio race, and how the rules of the game indicate that he must try to prevent Gaudenzia from winning, even to the point of striking her with his whip. These realistic dilemmas give the book an authenic feel. Like the Pie in National Velvet, Gaudenzia is an underdog horse who comes out on top regardless. I hope this one makes it back into print!

I love horses, love to read, and Marguerite Henry is my favorite author, and out of all of her books (I've read them all), I think this is the BEST! About a year ago, I got a book from the library called "The Wildest Horse-Race In The World". I read it, and just loved it! I found out that it's original name was "Gaudenzia, Pride of The Palio". Now, I liked that name MUCH more than "The Wildest Horse-Race In The World"! Gaudenzia is the horse's name. It means "Joy of Living". The Palio is the race, which is run on July 2, the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and August 16. It is run around Siena, Italy, 3 times. There are many sharp, danguerous curves. Horses and riders are sometimes even killed. The prize for winning the race is a handpainted banner of the Blessed Virgin Mary.It is a religous race, and before it is run, the horses are brought into church, and blest, and the fantinos (riders) are blest by the archbishop. ...

You may have been wondering "Is the Palio still raced?" The answer is yes! On July 2 and August 16, in Siena, Italy, this ancient race that has been run for nearly 800 years is still run to this day. I would really like to go to Italy and see it! I highly reccomend this book to anyone who loves horses, horseracing, reading, and history, and is ages 7 to 107! This is a really wonderful book, and I HIGHLY reccomend it!!!

God But I Loved This Book! I have no idea why it affected me so powerfully but I was nearly in tears in the first thirty pages. Maybe the book tapped into my deepest memories of rituals from my childhood. Maybe it was a lack of rituals I was lamenting. Perhaps it's the new rituals my wife and I are creating in our new home and in our new marriage. Regardless, I found myself reliving moments from my past and I was very moved. There were so many beautiful stories and thoughtful ideas in the book. I wanted to meet many of the people who contributed their rituals. The way the author weaves herself and her own story into the book made it so much more accessible than it would have been otherwise. It gave the book a soft but strong spine. Well-written, well-designed, and rich with practical ideas, this book can help any family to deepen the bonds between its members and infuse the mundane events of everyday life with special, long-lasting meaning.

Meg Cox's Book, "The Heart of a Family," is among my all-time favorites in my collection of family life books. Many of our family's traditions are accounted in "The Heart of a Family" but in reading it I discovered the power and significance of keeping traditions all over again. I couldn't put it down.

I appreciated the diversity represented as traditions are never "one size fits all." Meg's approach is merely to paint a picture of what other families are doing, not to promote specific ways of doing things and that is very effective. I enjoyed the mix of special occasion and holiday traditions as well as day-to-day rituals and also was inspired to try some new ideas with our family of four teens.

I wish this book had been available when our children were young as many of the ideas of the other families seem so meaningful as well as a lot of fun. It is hard to start TOO many new ways of doing thing with teenagers! I highly recommend it to all families, especially those with young children as a powerful tool to help shape the identity of a family. L'Tishia Suk

The Heart of the Family is a delightful read--and the perfect book for anyone who celebrates any and every kind of event and builds tradition around such celebrations. It is the perfect holiday gift and a great tension reliever for those you know who devote time and energy to entertaining others and making special days and events even more special. As an added bonus, family has all sorts of meaning for Cox and she portrays all sorts of families and their particular traditions, many of which they have created for themselves. A feel good book with depth and insight.

When I divorced my husband, I was looking for ways to heal my family and to provide additional support for the challenges children of divorce face. This is a wonderful book and has ideas for every type of family. The ideas cover every day activities as well as holidays, and includes great ideas for extraordinary days to be recognized as children grow up and face their own trials. The "how to" do your own traditions is effective and powerful. I have been divorced two years now and feel happy and confident that my family will be okay. The rituals and traditions we are building have healed and strengthened our bonds as a family. By the way, during the divorce I went to a child psychologist for advice on my children's welfare. All of her suggestions sounded so familiar, I asked if she had read this book. She had and uses it as a key reference for counselling families.

Ms. Cox has provided a solid foundation to describe what makes families special and why rituals are the bedrock of our greatest moments of closeness within the family circle. As a single mother, I was thrilled to discover so many easy and practical ways to create meaningful moments in the lives of my children while still giving them the opportunity to create and influence the process of family unity in a sometimes hostile world. This book is a must for all parents who feel strongly about keeping their children involved in family life because it reminds us of the basics: you can not create a perfect world for your children but you can give them a loving family to support them throughout their lives. This book provides ways to achieve a united and joyful family without being preachy or making you feel that you must follow some prescribed list of activities.