Christmas Books

I really enjoyed this book. I have purchased copies to share with family and friends. I enjoyed the relationships that took place between the men and women. This book contained no sex, so my 13 year old daughter could read this book. I can't give enough praise to the authors of this book but, I will read this book every Christmas and it will remain on my shelf as one of my favorites.

I really enjoyed this book. I have purchased copies to share with family and friends. I enjoyed the relationships that took place between the men and women. This book contained no sex, so my 13 year old daughter could read this book. I can't give enough praise to the authors of this book but, I will read this book every Christmas and it will remain on my shelf as one of my favorites.

From the back cover:

An American Country Christmas
These heartwarming, all-American stories from five beloved authors capture all the passion, joy, and rich rural tradition of the holiday season across the nation. Patricia Rice spins a dramatic tale of romance lost and found in the bluegrass country of Kentucky. Jodi Thomas tells of a Texas tomboy who gets more than she bargained for under the mistletoe. Upstate New York is the setting of Raine Cantrell's moving Civil War story. Emily Bradshaw fills us with the spirit of the season--Western style--in her wonderful tale of a woman who melts the frostbitten heart of the man who rescues her from a Christmas blizzard, and Karen Harper paints a chaming picture of old-fashioned love from America's heartland. Filled with hope and heartbreak, touching reunion and tender devotion, this exquisite collection proves that love burns so much brighter when the heart comes home for Christmas.

And my review:

This is one of the very few Christmas romance anthologies that I bought brand-new, but it was well worth the money. While some stories were better than others (as is always the case with these collections) there were no "stinkers" in this book. And no sex scenes either, so you could let your teenage daughter read this.

1) A Husband for Holly by Jodi Thomas
This was my first sampling of her work, and I was quite impressed. She does an excellent job of weaving in historical detail without detracting from the story. Four stars.

2) Friends are Forever by Patricia Rice
Not the best one of the bunch, but still enjoyable. I liked the author's portrayal of mountain life. The romance was not quite as intense as it could have been, but it was an entertaining read. Three stars.

3) The Gift by Emily Bradshaw
Hands down, the best novella of the bunch, and one of my favorite Christmas stories. This is one that I read every single year without fail. I've read some of this author's full-length work since this story, but this one is still the best thing she's written, in my humble opinion. Not many authors can do a good job of balancing romance, Christmas, a touch of the paranormal, and an amnesia plot (which never felt contrived) but this author did it. If you read no other romance at Christmastime, read this one! (More than) five stars.

4) A Time for Giving by Raine Cantrell
Another sweet story. I've tried one of this author's other full-length novels, but my interest fizzled out halfway through. But this story was very touching, and worth a re-read. Four stars.

5) O Christmas Tree by Karen Harper
Another good story. Not as good as some of her other works, but still enjoyable. If you want a really good Christmas story by Karen Harper, check out "Promises to Keep", which is a Civil war Christmas romance. I liked her portrayal of the emmigrated German family, and the heroine's struggles to balance her heritage with her need to fit in as an American. Four stars.

For once, an anthology where every single story was worth reading (and some for re-reading!). Very rare these days. This is one that I'll never get rid of. I won't even lend it out, because I know I won't get it back. (Smile) Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed every one of the stories in this collection. I kept reading and re-reading "The Gift" by Emily Bradshaw. Another pregnant woman in a blizzard, but this time our heroine can't remember who she is or where she's from (and it's better off forgotten, anyway). But she changes the lives of the father and son who find her and she and her daughter charm their ways into a whole new life. I just loved it! "A Husband for Holly" by Jodi Thomas was enchanting! And Raine Cantrell's "A Time for Giving" was also a delight I read more than once.

I first heard this story on the radio during the Christmas season, many, many years ago. It might have been before Amazon even existed. I searched everywhere for the audio version, couldn't find it, and settled on the (first) book.

If you are not familiar with the story, read it, listen to this Audio Book, share it with loved ones. If it touches just one person, it will be the best thing that ever happened to them.

This is one of my favorite stories. I play it every Christmas and I give it as presents. A wonderful CD and I would recommend as a must for everyone.

The story itself is wonderful. The story of a young man who feels obligated to visit his aunt who has had a stroke and is not the same person that she was when she hosted the Christmas get togethers in the past. Or is she?

You will be delighted with the author's telling of his tale. His voice conveys the feelings and the story takes you there. To the family gatherings of your past and to the people who were so important to them.

A wonderful Christmas story and a delightful Christmas Gift.

I picked up the cassette version in Hanover, NH while visiting the bookstore there, then my wife and I listened to it on the drive home to Connecticut. We'd heard about the book, but hadn't read it. What a treat. First, it surprised us to hear it in rhyme. But it wasn't rhymy, if you know what I mean. It flowed, and the sentences weren't doing somersaults to make the rhyme scheme work. It was great prose, too, not just poetry. And the narrative which carried the sentiment was so touching. Not even a half hour for both this story and the sequel, both of which were on the same cassette. Lovely. Delightful. Sorry I hadn't discovered it earlier. reviewed by Steve Burt, author of A CHRISTMAS DOZEN FROM THE CHRISTMAS STORY PASTOR.

I thought this was very cute like all the dr seuss books and relatively easy to understand ( for beginners), how ever I didn't like that for translating the book doesn't ryme very well.

I bought it for my three year old son, and I can't express how much joy my little one has every night when he goes to bed, he immediately runs to bed and literally ask my wife or me to start reading. I highly recommend it for all the little ones!! ! !, you won't regret it.

This translation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas loses none of the rhythm and fun of the English version. Spanish-speaking kids (and English-speaking kids who are learning Spanish) need more Dr. Suess books translated.

This story by the famous author DR. seuss has become a favorite among chilren of all ages. The Grinch, a green monster, doesn't like Christmas, so he steals children's presents and takes wreths from houses. This book is so good it is now a movie starring Jim Carrie. I believe this is Dr. Seuss's best book.

Our family is already a big Marc Brown fan, so we thought we probably had a good bet in this new D.W. book. We were right! While most kids spend a lot of time thinking about what they are going to get for Christmas, so does D.W. However, this book gets D.W. (and your child) thinking about what they can get for others! I loved that D.W. took initiative and made the gifts herself, rather than going to the mall!

The illustrations are great and this is another winner from Marc Brown!

"D.W.'s Perfect Present" is a story fit for the holidays. This story is part of a newer set of Arthur / D.W. books aimed at slightly younger readers. It is both fully written and illustrated by Marc Brown.

This book is about D.W., who is searching for Christmas gifts all over and outside the Read household. She looks everywhere, but everyone seems to be making a gift for someone else. As D.W. sees all these gifts, she comes to realization that changes her outlook on the holidays.

D.W. is as cute as ever in this story. The story is fairly simple to follow, but quite enjoyable. Most of the pages are fully illustrated with bright, lush color. This is a wonderful book that will make just about anyone happy for the holidays.

D.W. is excited about Christmas and she begins snooping around the house looking for her gifts. She asks her Dad if a gift he is wrapping is a present for her. But no, it's a fruitcake for Grandma Thora. D.W's Mom is making something in the basement. "Is that for me?" D.W. exclaims. No, it's a ladder for Arthur's tree house.

Featuring Arthur, Mom, Dad, baby Kate, Pal the dog, and Grandma Thora, D.W.'s Perfect Present is a colorful and delightful holiday book that shows the good feelings that come from giving. Not only is this a great story, but it also features gorgeously rich illustrations by author Marc Brown.

On the back of the book is a fun Holiday Hunt where your child can help D.W. find 13 holiday gifts hidden throughout the house

There are only a few more days until Christmas, and D.W. is ecstatic. Unfortunately, she's also extremely nosy, and believes that there are more presents hidden around the house, other than the ones sitting under the Christmas tree. So D.W. sets out searching, looking high and low. However, she soon realizes that due to her selfishness, she never purchased presents for her family, so she begins creating masterpieces for everyone, including Pal, Arthur's puppy.

Fans of the ARTHUR TV show will be enthralled to find a holiday book perfect for young readers and their parents. While it shows how young children truly act when the holidays roll around, it also depicts how great it feels to give presents to the ones you love. This is a wonderful holiday story that will be cherished for years to come, especially by those who love D.W.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

The format of this book is "just right" for grievers. Short sections allow the reader to read as little or as much as they can handle at one sitting. This is an excellent gift for the seasons of Fall and Winter when society inundates us with holiday celebrations and togetherness. Since September 11, 2001, this book ought to become a best-seller. I've given out at least a dozen copies to family and friends.

When I first picked up this book, I thought, "Is it going to be good?," and I was pleasantly surprised. It helped me reach a horizon of encouragement to continue on after I lost a loved one. It sought to gently answer the questions and anger many people have in a state of mourning. I highly reccommend this book to anyone who is looking for comfort on a page.

This book is one of the best on the market for grieving. It covers how to handle the process, gives tips on how to handle Holiday celebrations, birthdays, when people say stupid things.

It is written in 3-4 page chapters---easy to read and very effective. I have given this for about 5 years to people ---especially in the case of a sudden death, and or the death of a young person.

Think it is one of the best available.

This book can heal the wounded soul. It is an eloquent reminder that when we suffer we do not suffer alone.

If you're interested in this kind of book, I'd highly recommend Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices, by John Allen.

Have the series of the Delaney's and this was the missing book. Pleased to find it and enjoyed it very much.

This is the first story that I came across about the Delaneys. I absolutely love Iris Johansen's books and I was thrilled to read this! It is one of the best and it has made me interested in finding all of the books that cover the Delaneys. An awesome read, I couldn't put it down for a second and when it ended, I wanted more. I recommend this to anyone!

This is a lovely 3 in 1 book of the Delaney's: "Christmas Past", "Christmas Present" and "Christmas Future." A lovely mirror carved with holly was supposedly given to Shamus Delaney by the gypsies. Succeeding generations have discovered that it is a magical mirror enabling only Delaneys to see past, present and future. Don't miss Dominic and Elspeth's story in "This Fierce Splendor"--the one that started it all!

I loved Iris Johansen's "Christmas Past" because here we get a glimpse of how Silver Savron is doing, as well as the love story of Rising Star's son. Zara St. Cloud is outcast even among her fellow gypsies. She is desperate to prove she has Delaney blood in her by searching for the mirror. Kevin Delaney is bored. When he finds a housebreaker at Killara, he is determined that she will be his Christmas amusement. Hot!

This book tells the story of a mirror that brings love to those who look into it. It can drive people away, bring them home, prevent events from happening, and help events occur. No matter what a person sees in this mysterious mirror, the mirror brings love to many of the people who have looked into it.

My toddler class loved this book. They would always giggle and make all the animal sounds. I loved that it showed that even if we don't think we are good enough...we are. A sweet story and a great addition to any preschooler's collection!

I liked the idea of the book- the underdog/ shy donkey finding that he too had something to give the baby Jesus .I was hoping for a book that highlighted some aspects of the nativity- something that would reinforce what I am teaching my children about the birth of Christ. I nice book but not an historical teaching tool.

My 1-year-old really enjoys this book. It's the real Christmas story told from the animal's perspective. My son LOVES animals so he enjoys hearing what each animal says to baby Jesus. Almost all the kids I know would love this book!!

No offense to the reviewer disappointed that this is not a "historical teaching tool", but this book is not intended to be that! Nancy Tafuri is one of the most gifted picture book authors for the very young, and she has used her talents here to make the Nativity story accessible to the very youngest readers. The gentle text and expressive pictures draw young children into the stable along with the animals to see the newborn baby, and to greet him.

I read this at storyhours for two and three year olds. The children love joining in on the animals' songs, and when the donkey sings his noisy "hee-haw" song, they laugh along with the baby. No, they don't get the deeper message, but we are talking about very little children and their first introduction to the story--and this works!

There are plenty of good books out there for older children about the Nativity. But if you want something to gently introduce your child to the wonder of Christmas--here it is.

Interesting. And a bit disturbing. Christie is really a master at getting into a person's head. I couldn't put the book down. I changed my opinion three times as to who the murderer was, but the 3rd time I was correct. (Another thing that entertains me is how quickly people fall in love in these novels!)

This book was excellent. It was definately surprising at the end, and had a real twist to it. This was an excellent Agatha Christie book, and I recommend it to everyone.

This book was great! And I am proud to say that I solved it! It wasn't easy to crack though, and I mearly guessed it, and amazingly I was right! I highly recommend this book to anyone. It's definately a must read.

Why don't you read this book? Feel once again the spirith of the english country-it seems to happen nothing and to be completely boaring. But sometimes...

I discovered An Ellis Island Christmas while trying to research my own family's journey from Poland in 1917. Growing up, I remember my babcia (grandmother) storing her sewing supplies in a small wicker hamper with a cloth lining. This was the same container that brought my grandmother and great-grandmother's possessions from Zamosc, Poland. When I flipped through An Ellis Island Christmas and saw that beautiful watercolor of a Polish willow hamper that matched my own heirloom, it was an emotional moment.

The picture book tells the story of Krysia, a six-year-old Polish girl whose father has already left for America (as was frequently the case). Now, Krysia and her mother and brothers are boarding a steamship that will take them to Ellis Island. Their journey is a tiring one, first having to walk on foot to reach their point of departure, then facing seasickness and storms at sea before arriving at their destination. Because this is a book aimed at ages 5 and up, there are brief hints of immigrants deported for illnesses and the threat of WWI, but the story does not dwell or linger on these darker moments, instead focusing on Krysia's wonder at the journey, her friend and shipmate Zanya, and her dolls.

Christmas Eve at Ellis Island is a wondrous experience for Krysia, who discovers that Father Christmas has made the journey all the way from Poland. She also discovers bananas and electric lights for the first time.

The beautiful watercolor / colored pencil graphics truly bring Krysia's experience to vibrant life; the haunting image of the Statue of Liberty must have been exactly as my grandmother saw it when she was a little girl. The sepia-toned illustrations of a rustic Polish cottage and the imposing Ellis Island hallways are softened by the melancholy Krysia, until she smiles at last when being reunited with her papa.

This is a beautiful book to introduce younger readers to the Ellis Island immigrant experience, and it's even more meaningful for those of us who had a grandparent who immigrated in recent memory . I was lucky enough to finally track down the original ship manifests and Ellis Island documents for my Polish grandparents (who immigrated at roughly the same time as Krysia), and my personal experiences as a second-generation Polish-American made An Ellis Island Christmas even more meaningful.

If you Could bring one thing to a place you've never been to, what would you bring? Well in "An Ellis Island Christmas" a six year old girl is going to America and she can only bring one of her two dolls. So, she brings her favorite doll to America. On her journey she always asks'," when are we going to get there." When they finally got to America she only misses two things, her house and her doll that she supposudly left at home. After her family gets through the tent and are American Citizens, Krysia, the girl, gets one present from her mom for Christmas. I bet you could guess what it is.

Written from the perspective of a little girl, this story gives an excellent idea of what it was like for the immigrants who came to America during the years, 1892 to 1924. This is the story of six-year old Krysia Petrowski's voyage to America.

Krysia's father was already in America to make a new life for his family. When he had a job and a home, he sent for his wife, daughter and two sons. The decision to leave Poland, their homeland was difficult; leaving behind family and friends was not an easy thing to do. The children could only take necessary items and each child was allowed to bring just one toy. Their clothes, blankets, shoes and toys were knotted up in a sheet to be carried over the shoulder. Krysia had a problem choosing between her two beloved dolls. She took Basha because she was the smaller of the two dolls and would take up less space.

After leaving their village, it took the family four days of walking to arrive at the port where a large steamship was there to take them across the ocean. The difficult sea voyage involved poor sanitation, sickness and lack of decent food. After about fourteen days, the passengers finally view the Statue of Liberty and depart at Ellis Island on Christmas Eve.

On Ellis Island, the immigrants went through many inspections, which included medical examinations for each family member. The paperwork and examination usually took three to five hours to complete. Passing the examinations meant that the immigrants were allowed into the country. Those who did not have the proper papers or failed their medicals, were delayed for days or even months and could be sent back to their original countries.

This well written and carefully illustrated little book is ideal for children who are studying the history of America or the story of their own family.

"An Ellis Island Christmas" is a first person fictional story of a 6 year-old girl emigrating from Poland to America in the early 1900s, inspired by the author's grandmother. As I read the book, I was reminded of my grandmother's story of emigrating from a Russian-Poland border town to America in 1910 at age 6. Like the girl, Krysia, who traveled with her mother and two older brothers to meet her father in America, my grandmother traveled with her mother and older brother to meet her father and sister there. Many details are very similar to what my grandmother told me, including the long arduous journey to the ship, the ship severely rocking, and all the passengers getting sea sick. (Although in my grandmother's case, she was the only passenger who did not get sick!) With so many authentic details, from leaving home to the ride on the ship to the Ellis Island immigrant processing (including medical exam), author Maxinne Rhea Leighton captures the essence of the Eastern European immigration experience during America's peak immigration years of 1892 to 1924.

Illustrator Dennis Nolan, whose illustrations grace dozens of children's books and other publications, also does a fabulous job of capturing the immigration experience with his sensitive, softly drawn, detailed drawings. He excels in capturing expression, such as the girl earnestly trying to decide which doll she could keep, her look of slight apprehension boarding the ship, and the joyful reunion with her father.

The back of the book says it is for ages 3 to 8. I would suggest ages 6 through 9 or grades 1 through 3. At 31 pages, many containing several paragraphs of text, the book is too long and detailed to read to a preschooler as a bedtime story. But it's perfect for a young grade school child to read to him- or herself. It's a fabulous idea for a story, beautifully and sensitively executed, and although geared toward children, I believe adults would enjoy it too as I have.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

Ernest, the miniature donkey, and his friend Chester, a retired draft horse, couldn't be more excited about Christmas. The sky is changing colors, there are wreaths hung around the barn. But when it starts snowing, Ernest and the other barnyard animals head inside, where they will be safe from the cold. However, once inside the barn, Ernest realizes that Chester is nowhere to be seen, and sets out looking for him. He soon finds him lying in the snow, unable to get up. It is now up to Ernest to get the other barnyard animals to help Chester up, so he can find shelter away from the cold. After all, the true meaning of Christmas is giving and helping others.

I have been a donkey and horse lover ever since a VERY young age, so I was ecstatic to find ERNEST'S SPECIAL CHRISTMAS, as it combined two of my favorite animals together with my absolute favorite holiday, and created a lovely new children's book that will warm everyone's heart around the holiday. Filled with an adorable adventure story, as well as magnificent illustrations depicting various barnyard animals in their everyday routines, ERNEST'S SPECIAL CHRISTMAS is sure to be a hit.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Slowly the skies began to turn gray and it started to snow. The animals looked up as small snowflakes fell from the sky. It looked magical. "It's going to be a beautiful, white Christmas," thought Ernest. ~Ernest's Special Christmas

Ernest is a lovable miniature donkey who has appeared in three previous stories. He is friends with a kind, white draft horse named Chester. They know Christmas is near when they see the red bows on the wreaths decorating the pasture gates. It is almost time to celebrate Christmas, but the barn seems rather lonely. Ernest realizes that Chester is not in the stall.

"I better go find him. After all it's Christmas Eve. We should all be together."

As snow blankets the farm, Ernest braves the snow to look for Chester. Since Chester is white and the snow is getting deeper, Ernest almost trips over Chester. Ernest is a thoughtful little donkey and he knows he has to get Chester back to the barn. So, he quickly rounds up all the other animals and even the birds and mice join in to help. Ernest shows love and determination and helps his friend so they can celebrate Christmas together.

The watercolor illustrations are beautiful and Carol A. Camburn has created the cutest miniature donkey who looks like a huggable cuddly stuffed toy. Chester and Ernest are real friends and you can see their "real" picture on the inside of the cover. Carol has a horse named Billy and also loves cats. Laura and her husband live on a farm in New Jersey. They have made a home for homeless horses and miniature donkeys who enjoy a quiet retirement. Her life on the farm is her inspiration for "The Ernest Series."

Ernest holiday greeting cards are also available in packs of 18 cards. The inside message reads: "True Friends are the best gift of all. Merry Christmas." The book cover is darker than shown here at Amazon. There is a powdery blue background with snowflakes that is quite pretty. I even found the tiny mouse on the cover. Children and "adults like me" will have fun finding the tiny mouse hidden on every page.

"Ernest's Special Christmas" is a charming Christmas Eve adventure that shows children how love, thoughtfulness, and kindness can make the holiday season a more heartwarming time of year.

Additional books in this series (age 4-8):

Ernest and the BIG Itch - A story about problem solving and you can search for the ladybug hidden in each illustration.

Twist and Ernest - Lessons about not judging others based on appearances and prejudice

Teeny Tiny Ernest - Ernest realizes that who you are really comes from the inside and then he is not so sad about being such a small donkey.

~The Rebecca Review

Ernest's Special Christmas by Laura T. Barnes is a heartwarming story of friendship between a little donkey and a hardworking draft horse. When snow falls thickly, the old horse finds himself unable to move, the little donkey must get help from his animal friends to ensure that everyone comes safely home. Enhanced with illustrations by Carol A. Camburn, Ernest's Special Christmas is an engaging tale of spirit and compassion, based on real-life events and animals at Barnesyard farm.