Festivals Books

This is such a cute book, and my children love reading it over and over. Your kids will definitely want to leave cookies for Santa after reading it. A must have!

My 3 1/2 yr. old daughter really likes this book! Highly recommend! Understands that even Santa can have a bad day but after a "love you" note from children with a gift of cookies, Santa loses his grumpies!
Savannah

This book is just plain fun to read out loud. You can go slow and soft and get faster and louder until you and your child are yelling, "I'm a grumpy Santa Claus!" I have even read this one without my 3-year-old around. I bought it for everybody I knew with kids last year.

Excellent book for kids, and at least humorous for adults reading the book to the kids, at least for the first couple of times out of the hundreds you will be.

As a substitute teacher, I picked this book up a couple of days ago in a "special ed" class to read to 6 boys (grades K-2). It's very easy to read aloud and it kept the kids' attention even though they'd already heard it 2 or 3 times. It's a very humorous story and it even teaches a lesson!

Youngsters eight and younger will love this spooky children's tale about a little old lady who refuses to be afraid of "things" following her through the woods on her way home. "The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything" is simple, fun, and excellent for kindergarten and first grade kids to practice their reading skills on. It works even better as a tale read to a child. My daughter loves it when I read this story to her and put emphasis on the noises that each of the old ladies' followers makes. From "Clomp, Clomp" to "Boo, Boo," my daughter giggled her way through this story. There's just enough spookiness to the story to keep kids a tad antsy, but the resolution eventually makes everything okay.

I highly recommend this tale to anybody who has a child eight years of age or younger and stress that this story works best if it's read to the children instead of having them read it. Author Linda Williams has done a nice job of making a lightly spooky tale for youngsters and Megan Lloyd's dark and moody (though somehow amazingly fun) illustrations only add to the tale's atmosphere. It's a fun Halloween tale that works on any night of the year.

We pull this one out in the fall. The story is great for standing up and moving around -- clomp, clomp - wiggle,wiggle - shake, shake - clap, clap - nod, nod... plus, there's a great surprise (which we shout out VIGOROUSLY!) and a happy ending. It's one of our best fall books.

This is one of my all-time favorite children's books. It is an interactive book and I suggest everyone who reads it to a child or group of children get them on their feet and acting it out. Much fun and laughter!

This book is great for the fall season. The writer gives suspence with bravery.

Teacher at day school introduced us to this imaginative book. Both of our children absolutely adore it.

I thought that this book was interesting, sad, and happy altogether. This book is around Christmas time, it has to do with babies and people dieing. It sounds like you wouldn't want to read it, but it really isn't that sad. Thats I recamend you to read this book.

Starry Starry Night is about a girl's mom who's pregnant. Her daughter and husband are really exited and ready for the baby to come, but when its time for her to have the baby, they find out that the baby won't live too long because only half of her brain developed. They try to donate her organs to other babies who needed it, but, once they all decided that it was right they found out they couldn't do it because once the baby had died her organs would be useless.
My favorite part of the story is when they are waiting at the hospital because all of her friends were there to support her. You should not read this book if you don't like sad endings, because the ending is sad.

i read this book, and i thought that it was good! at the sad parts in the book, i cried, because they were very heartbreaking! if u don't have this book, i recommend getting it!
P.S. read all of the other books by Lurlene McDaniel. they r very good!

In "Starry, Starry Night," Lurlene McDaniel has written three more wonderful stories that will without a doubt make you cry.

The first story "Christmas Child," is about a fifteen year old girl named Melanie, and her mother is pregnant. Melanie is extremely excited to be an older sister, and has already finished painting the nursery and buying Christmas presents for the baby. Five days before Christmas, her mom goes into labor - and Jessica is born. But there's one problem, Jessica has a terminal illness that can't be fixed...she will die within a few days. Even though Jessica is only in the family's lives for a few days, she changes each of them forever.
This story made me cry, it's a great one!

"Last Dance" is my favorite of the 3 stories. Brenda gets a phone call from a Mrs. Drake, and she's asking her to go out with her son, Doug. Doug has cancer, and his wish is to go out with Brenda, because, according to him "She's the most beautiful girl in the world." Brenda really begins to fall for Doug, but, will it all work out in the end?

"Kathy's Life" is the last story in the book, and my least favorite. Ellie has it all: the boyfriend, the popularity, and...oh yeah, the divorced parents. But when Ellie and Kathy are assigned to do an English project together, they both change, for better. Kathy is the live in nanny for a young couple's son, Christian. When Ellie and Kathy begin to talk, Ellie finds out a big secret, about why Kathy is the way she is.

All the stories in this book are good, but Ellie's (Kathy's Life) story is pretty racy at first...it's pretty different than any other Lurlene McDaniel book in that sense.

Overall grade: A-

This book is awesome. I sat down almost a whole day and just read this book. I love how it had three different stories in it. I loved all of them i really liked the baby one and i wish tha she would like write like what happens afterwards and so on. She is such a good author i wonder how she gets all these inspiration.

A widow obtains an old witch's broom it still has some magic in it. The neighbors are not very accommodating but the Widow is crafty. My 8 year old son really enjoyed this book. It would also be good for Halloween reading. It is recommended for ages 5-7 years.

I am 7 years old and my mom and I read this together.
This is a story about a broom that still has magic left in it. My favorite part of the story is how the lady tricks the neighbor into thinking that the broom they killed was a ghost!

I teach second grade and my class just loved this book. Chris Van Allsburg is one of our favorite authors but this is one of his best!!

I am 23 and plan to teach at the secondary level, but when we read this book in one of my education classes I knew I had to share it. I bought it, went to a first grade classroom and they were hooked. Many wanted to hear it again, others wanted to get a copy for themselves, still others just wanted to look at the magnificent pictures again. It is a fabulous book and a wonderful story!

I did indeed love this one. The art work, per usual, for this author, was absolutely perfect. It is the type of work that can appeal to children as well as adults (I'm well into my sixties, and I enjoyed it...of course I have a lot of little boy in me still). As to the narrative, I did feel this was one of the author's better works. Allsburg is certainly a teller of good stories. I have observed this work being read to the children at our local library and it is one of their favorites. Again, the art work is almost magical, quite detailed and rather amazing to view. Recommend this one highly.

This is a wonderful story that shows the importance of keeping family traditions alive and about the courage it sometimes takes to carry on in the most difficult of times. You will absolutely love Ruthie and will warm up to her really thoughtful and loving mother. This is a story very close to my heart since I grew up close to the Appalachian Mountains and remember how excited we were at Christmastime--- to just be together.

I bought this for my kindergarten granddaughter as her Christmas book. I wanted something a little different from the typical Christmas book and this one delivered. She really enjoyed the book.

I have been collecting Christmas books for my family for years and this was my 2007 pick. The illustrations are lovely and the story simple and sweet. Very interesting for those who enjoy Appalacian literature.

A heartfelt, inspiring story about Christmas in the Appalachian Mountains. We live in Asheville, NC and our young children love us reading this book to them over and over!

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree tells a memorable story that might have taken place during World War I or today. Set in the North Carolina Mountains, the author and illustrator weave a literary experience children will love! The CD is a winner, too--featuring the stunning illustrations!

This is a wonderful book with a wonderful story! My kids love collecting candy on Halloween to leave for the Fairy Eve. And they love waiting to see what toy Eve has made them in return for their candy. It is something they looked forward to for weeks before Halloween! We'll continue this tradition for years to come.

. . .enough said. Buy this book. It makes a great gift for children of all ages.

All Hallows Eve: The Story of the Halloween Fairy isn't your typical children's Halloween story. It's not filled with the usual ghosts and goblins...there's really nothing remotely scary making it a wonderful choice for those with smaller children. The story is about a little fairy named Eve who lives in a pumpkin patch with other fairies. They carve out faces on the pumpkins to use them as "cozy spaces". Yet despite all of her magical fairy powers the one thing Eve can't do is make candy...and Eve dearly loves candy! It seems Eve can only make toys and her toys that look life candy just don't taste very good. Eve's friends want to cheer her up and they go about visiting the other fairies in the pumpkin patch to gather treats to make her feel better.

Its whimsical rhymes are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss and the magic of the fairies almost makes the story feel like a Christmas story. It makes for a different and fresh take on Halloween. All Hallows Eve is written by Lisa Johnson and illustrated by her husband Tucker and they certainly make a great team. Quality illustration is somewhat a lost art in children's books today as often publishers just try to get books put out as cheaply as possible but that isn't the case with All Hallows Eve. This is a wonderful hardcover book with dust jacket and the kind of story that you can share with your kids or grandkids over and over every Halloween season.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

I love this book - its the sweetest Halloween explaination I've ever heard. Before kids are ready for spooks and scares, this can help be a great introduction to dressing up and visiting neighbors. I love the characters and the illustrations - i can't wait for the sequel!

This is a wonderful book for any fairy lover. I know this site recommends it for children 4 to 8 years old, however, all ages of fairy lovers will love it. I bought several copies for friends my own age and over and I am nearly retirement age. Both the author and illustrator do a wonderful job. You will do yourself a favor by buying a copy to add to your fairy book collection.

I have to get mine rebound. My sister and I have the one we used to read as kids and her kids and now mine beg for it everynight. Needless-to-say, it's in tatters!

My kids', and now my grandkids' favorite favorite favorite book.
I wish I could buy fresh new editions for all the children in my life...

I loved being read and reading this as a child, the funny poems and pictures are a delight. I still have the copy I had as a child and now enjoy reading it with my two daugthers, my older daughter loves the humor too. It is wonderful it is available in print again for families to love.

One of my favorite books as a kid; really made me want to visit New England. One of these days I have to buy myself a copy, but I really wish it was in print for new kids to enjoy.

I am so pleased to see that Amazon is offering this book. I grew up reading it and the rhymes are still so vivid. The illustrations by Wendy Watson are splendid and offer a wonderful glimpse into family life and life in small communities--quaint and old fashioned. It's a Garrison Keillor or Dylan Thomas type of world. The sweet and humorous pictures often contain little snippets of conversation (between the foxes) that illuminate the rhymes and make it that much more interesting a read, and there's always something happening in the background that makes it fun to pore over. I would highly recommend this for children 3-7. It's a warm book and perfect for a Fall day when the leaves are turning or Winter evening with a cup of cocoa.

This is a fun book to read aloud to kids and adults. The characters add a bit of whimsy to Christmas!

This is the best Christmas book written since "Twas the Night Before Christmas." We love this book so much it has disappeared and we have to buy a new one. Even my sister-in-law, who has no children, loved it so much she went out to buy it. She reads it to her high school students every christmas. They love it too. This is definately a book for everyone. I have read it to classrooms full of 2,3,and 4th graders and it has always been a hit. You will love this book!

This book is a hoot! My 5 year old loves it, I thought it was hilarious, and my husband thought the illustrations were great, too. I intend to buy additional copies--for my adult friends.

We bought "How Murray Saved Christmas" for our annual Christmas book (year 11). The author has created a fun story with witty writing and wonderful illustrations. Kids and adults are sure to find this book filled with Christmas fun! This is not your typical Christmas tale, but it is sure to become a family favorite! Give it a try.

I also recommend Mike Reiss' "Santa Claustrophobia" ; you will not be disappointed!

I have received everything from quiet snickers to loud guffaws, as I read this book to the students in my school. What a "thinking person's" twist to the Santa Claus story! This can be read again and again, each time picking up more clever turns to the Christmas night adventures of Murray and his elf buddy.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition is a treasure for those -- like me -- who love this Christmas classic. It is a great "behind the scenes look" that includes photos of the cast of characters whose voices are so familiar. Give it as a gift to the "Peanuts Fan" in your life.
Philip D. Halfacre
Author, Genuine Friendship

While we've been treated to many Charles Schulz documentaries and remembrances over the years, "A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is the first book to focus on the first Peanuts' television special. The book includes in-depth interviews with producer Lee Mendelson, animator Bill Melendez, and Vince Guaraldi's children. This book is the ultimate backstage pass to the recording studio, with interviews with the original child actors who voiced the characters and sang on Guaraldi's "Christmas Time is Here." As a bonus treat, the script and original animation art round out the book.

I loved this book! It has material for every fan of the famous TV special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I may not be musical, but if you are, this book includes the music. I am fond of the discussions of the people involved in creating the production of the TV show and the script. I will be using the script in my classroom for Reader's Theatre. The book has a lot of material that has meaning for me personally. I was young when this special was shown on television and it was always one of my favorites. The book was not a disappointment to read and own. I am very glad I bought it.

This is the ultimate companion to the tv show. The art work is from the original show and the dialogue is a great bonus! The book is also packed with great trivia and information about the decisions "behind stage" that led to the creation of the ultimate Christmas Special.

"Charlie Brown Christmas" is the crown jewel of Christmas specials. Heavy on holiday introspection, but with the dry wit and humor you'd come to expect from Charles Schulz's creations.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" just expands that experience, by outlining how the famed special came to be -- the music, the animation, the voice acting, even the advertisement to get people to watch it. It's a charming, nostalgic little book, and a good accompaniment.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" was spun up quickly, when Coca Cola wanted a Christmas special in less than a week -- and Charles Schulz's lovable loser Charlie Brown seemed to be the ticket. But the special was made very differently from other cartoons -- 2-D animation, no laugh track, uncutesy kids, and (horrors!) a jazz soundtrack. It was doomed to fail, they said.

Well, instead it became a booming hit, and has been running every December ever since. Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez reminisce in here about the much-loved Charles Schulz, and about Vince Guaraldi, who made the distinctive piano soundtrack, and why it's so beloved -- it dares to approach holiday ennui and commercialization, then dashes it away with Linus' description of Christmas' meaning.

As for the "making of" portion, there are storyboards, musical scores, test photos, clips of television reviews, and rare photos like Melendez and Schulz doing the football gag. Finally, there is the entire script of the special, framed by colourful stills from the cartoon.

You couldn't wring this much information from most half-hour animated specials, no matter how much fun they were. But it's a bit different with "Charlie Brown Christmas." It was so completely unusual -- and has proved to be so timeless -- that a book on the making of it, and its effect, seems completely right.

It's a very conversational, reminiscent book. It feels like sitting in a room with Melendez and Mendelson, listening to them reminisce about "Sparky." And we also get input from other people involved in the project, such as Christopher Shea (Linus), who talks about his famous "Second Chapter of Luke" speech, as well as odd bits of trivia (the little girl playing Sally had to be fed her lines).

The Christmas special is more than able to stand on its own, but "Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is a wonderful accompaniment. Full of interesting tidbits and history.

We really enjoy this series- we read to our 5 & 3 year old boys
each night...just two or three chapters. They love the MT stories.
Easy reading.

Mary Pope Osborne has done it again with this book. A great book for children.

I love the magic tree house series!!! I greatly enjoy reading these with my daughter!!!! Keep bringing them on.............mommytess

If you like adventure books, than read this book. This book is about three kids who go to a castle and try to help a family, while trying not to be too scared. This is a really good book for anyone to curl up and read. It also has easy text for young readers to read and understand. Maybe you will like this book if you read it too.

Book review of
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve


If you like magical places this is the book for you. The ages are 7-11. Jack, and Annie, and teddy have to finish a mission. That they were assigned by sorcer. They have to restore a castles order.
Jack, Annie, and Teddy have to restore a castle to normal. Jack is the leader. Annie helps and takes to animals. Teddy is a young sorcer. Teddy has rims to make the magic work.
Jack, Annie, and Teddy have to work together to save the castle. Teddy comes up with a plan to get the diamond. Jack found the diamond right away and flew to the castle. They help each other to protect the diamond. These three have to work together to over come obstacle.
The story takes place in a castle, tree house, and a nest. The castle is hunted. The tree house is failed with books. It can also transport you almost any ware. The nest is failed with jewelry and rare items.
Jack and Annie have to get back. Sometimes supped up on the ledge. It was the raven king. He had Teddy in a bird cage. You will have to read it to find the rest out.