Holidays Books

We just finished reading it; I had to finish it while she was eating her breakfast before school b/c she loved it so much and wanted to see how it ended! She loved it as much as i thought she would, so it was very gratifying. What beautiful illustrations and such a sweet story. It is made more charming by being set in the past, in England.... I think all of Rumer Godden's books I have tried are fantastic, and look forward to discovering the rest of them with my children.

Godden has such a wonderful literary style; it's a shame her children's stories aren't more widely known and that so many of them are out of print. This was one of my favorite books as a child, and now it's one of my daughter's favorites. I won't bother with a plot synopsis, since others have already done that. I'll just say that it's a lovely story with a sweet, absolutely satisfying ending. Adrienne Adams did the original illustrations for many of Godden's children's books, including The Story of Holly & Ivy, and I'm a big fan of her artwork, but Barbara Cooney's new drawings for this story are just as good, or even better in my opinion.

If your child enjoys The Story of Holly & Ivy, I recommend you check your local library and used bookstores for the other stories from the Four Dolls collection: Impunity Jane, Candy Floss, and The Fairy Doll; also look for Mouse House and The Mousewife. All of these are particularly good if you have a precocious reader, because the writing and vocabulary are relatively advanced, yet the content is age-appropriate for younger children.

OK, I'll admit, I'm 35 years old and this is my absolute favorite christmas story (Besides the orig. one!).

This is a long read aloud (one or two sittings) but a great one. I have used it successfully with 3rd and 4th graders (large group) and with any age above 3 (one-on-one).

I first came across the story of Holly and Ivy as a child in the school library. Nearly 40 years later, I was delighted to find it again. It is one of those stories that stays with you and it is one that I was delighted to give to my daughter.

On the surface, it's a story of simple wish-fulfillment: doll gets girl; girl gets doll and family. I realized, reading it this time, that it also Rumer Godden's revision of Hans Christian Andersen's beautiful awful tale of the Little Match Girl. In this version, though, the orphaned Ivy doesn't freeze to death and her wishes, despite all the rational reasons for them not to, come true. Godden's writing is exquisite here--balanced between the beautiful fantasy of Christmas wishes and dolls who think and the quiet, half-hidden awareness that this is just a story and that the ending could have turned out very differently. As a child, I loved it; as an adult, its poignancy surprised me by bringing me close to tears.

The illustrations are well-matched--both simple in line, but full of the pertinent details that children listening to a story love to find. Just a really nice match of story and artist.

It is a long book for reading aloud (though there are natural breaks). I've read it twice to my seven-year-old and the tension of the story is such that I didn't end up taking breaks reading it. Because of the language, it's more of a reading-aloud than reading-alone book for the younger reader set. I wouldn't give it to a child who wasn't fairly comfortable with chapter books unless I knew there was another willing reader in the house.

It is very much a doll story. A child who liked Dare Wright's The Lonely Doll would grow into this one. And if the child likes Holly and Ivy, I recommend Rumer Godden's Miss Flower and Miss Happiness and its sequel, Little Plum.

If you have big noisy Thanksgiving Dinners, this book captures that atmosphere perfectly. The text is fairly simple, but the illustrations are great. There is a lot going on and to look at. My 4 year old and 6 year old both really enjoyed reading this book.

This sweet book describes Thanksgiving in a big family with folks continually pouring through the door. We are a BIG family, 11 kids, 25 grandkids, and we read this to the younger ones this year. They just loved it! Sweet and loving story, I returned to buy more copies!

I just love this book, it so perfectly covers Thanksgiving and families. I have read this book at least 20 times, and I still find something new. The author has thirty guests over for dinner. My boys and I have fun following a different character through the whole book. Very enjoyable!

The busy, whimsical illustrations tell much of the story in this book that kids will enjoy poring over. Grandma and Grandpa are up early to wrestle the turkey into the oven. Aunts, uncles and cousins start arriving, with assorted babies, pets, paraphernalia and packages.

The simple acts of peeling potatoes, setting the table, hunting for extra chairs, yakking, horseplay -- and several visual subplots --are joyfully depicted in this celebration of family gatherings.

Diane Goode went to a lot of large family gatherings when she was growing up, which is why when she asked herself "What happens at Thanksgiving?" the answer was "Why, everything!" This idea is important because you want to pay attention to the details in these pen-and-ink drawings with a watercolor wash that tell the story of what happens when twenty-eight friends and relatives arrive on Thanksgiving Day. It begins with Grandma and Grandpa rising early on Thanksgiving morning to get the turkey in the oven before the guests arrive to help, talk, and eat (not necessarily in that order). The story is told by young Maggie, who arrives with her family first, when it is time to peel the potatoes and roll out the dough. But then more people arrive, from Maggie's glamorous aunt and the uncle with a hairpiece that cannot stay in one place to the acrobatic cousin and the friendly dog that follow Maggie around. Intended for young readers age 3-8, being able to read the simple text of "Thanksgiving Is Here!" is only part of the fun. The main part comes from looking at the pictures and discovering what is in the surprise package, who might be interested in becoming more than friends, and several other things that can be learned only by carefully studying each and every illustration. "Thanksgiving Is Here!" is either a perfect reward for young readers who have helped prepare the food or set the table, or as a fun way of keeping them occupied while the adults have all the Turkey Day fun.

I highly recommend this children's book about the Christmas story for all ages! The story is told well for even young children to follow, but is profound enough for adults to enjoy. The illustrations are my favorite part of this book!! They are so colorful and inviting and bring the story to life. I specifically like the broad ethnicity Bettoli uses for the characters, as many cultures can see themselves in the pictures, and I believe this would allow many different people to personally relate to the story, no matter their background. The Holy Family actually looks like the region where they lived. I plan to use this book for many years with children and adults of all ages! Thank you for such a wonderful redering of the Christmas story!

This is the sweetest Christmas book you'll find anywhere. Its easy rhymes and poignant pictures will enchant you and your child. My three-year-old son has already memorized parts of it and will read it along with me. It warms my heart to hear him recite the story of Jesus' birth. I have given this book as baby gifts several times, and the parents have all loved the book as much as I have.

"This is the Stable," is one of the most refreshing books I have seen on the birth of Christ. As an adult reader looking at these enchanting pictures and reading these simple words, I couldn't wait to turn the page to the next illustration. As I read and delighted in the images, I felt a lightness of being, a hopefulness and a joy. I can only imagine the impression of what a young child would feel being introduced to the birth of this wondrous being of light through this book.

The simplicity of the words of Jesus's birth are so sweet and dear and the illustrations speak volumes.They embrace a magic and universality that is so needed in our world of separation of religions. The large voluminous angel wings wrapped around this story lets one know there is a divine order in all things. My hat is off to you Delana Bertoli and Cynthia Cotton for creating this little masterpiece that shines the light and wonderment we so need in this world for our children. A must for all young readers!

This is the PERFECT Christmas book - I bought two dozen copies to give away as Christmas gifts. The traditional Christmas Story is told in a simple yet engaging manner. The artwork however makes the story come alive - it's amazing. When one of my grandchildren (who happens to be half African American) saw the picture of Baby Jesus she said "Look Grammy, Baby Jesus is the same color as me - light brown!" and indeed he was. I especially loved the angels who appeared to the shepherds: Miss Bettoli had each dressed in a glorious bright colored flowered robe. When I saw that picture my first reaction was, "I knew my mother (since deceased) wasn't wearing a boring white robe in heaven - she wouldn't have worn bland colors when she was alive so I'm sure she wouldn't do it in heaven"! Can't rave enough about this book.

This is a captivating telling of the Christmas story for youngsters. But for me, the illustrations are what make this book stand out from others. Kids will be drawn to the gorgeous colors and the rendering of all the characters - human and animal - so that they're immediately likable and comforting. There's so much rich detail that every page encourages the creation of its own little story beyond the brief text. And there's something there for adults, too. We big people can appreciate these illustrations as artwork, admiring and enjoying the rendering and composition. I'd like to think that kids with a creative eye could learn something about art as well as experience this lyrical rendition of the Nativity, which makes it a twofer in my book.

I echo the review from "A Customer".
In addition...
I'm a preschool teacher and the kids definitely understood the story. It's a great addition to a multi-cultural program and can open up conversation about culture.
As for the book, I enjoyed the illustrations!

I bought this book for my three year old daughter. She absolutely loved the story. Now when she plays in her kitchen she makes me homemade tamales. :-)

Our family loves this book! We checked it out from our local library and soon it was my four year old daughter's favorite. When December rolled around, I checked it out again, bought tamale makings and my four year old and I made cheese tamales. We took them to her pre-school class for snack along with the book. Her teacher read the book to the class and then they all had the tamales that my daughter and I made. It was a huge hit!! Now that she is in kindergarten, we will do it again (I am buying the book since I have two girls and I think this tradition will go on for a while!). Tamales are a really kid friendly activity and it was a great experience for both of us. You should try it!

I love this story because it brings back memories of when my family would get together at Christmas time to make the annual batch of tamales. Everyone was involved and when all the work was done, we couldn't wait until they were ready to eat. The story is well told and my students look forward to hearing the story year after year.

My class of second and third graders really enjoyed this book. Many of them make tamales at home every year. They enjoyed reading about someone else that shares the same traditions. It opened up a lot of discussion about telling the truth. The only problem was all the talk about tamales made them hungry!

If you like books about adventure then you should read "The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of School" by Ken Derby.
The book takes place in Kansas City and New York. It is about Tony, Mo, Anna, and Mr. Gore. Ever since Tony can remember he has been watching The Late Show and wanting to be on it .Now he has the chance to get invited to the show. So he goes with his teacher and friends on an escapade but Tony, Anna, and Mo get lost. Do Tony and his friends find their teacher? Does he get to be on The Late Show? You just have to read this book to find out.
I would recommend this book because it is interesting and funny .I give this book4 stars because many exciting things happen.

This book is funny. My teacher is making us read 5 books but by far this is my favorite. Tony ( the "funny man" ) seems to always find a way to soak his teacher. You will love his lists at the end of each chapter. IMPORTANT: READ! IS VERY FUNNY!!!

Have you every messed up the first day of school with 10 good ways? We think that you should definitely read this book!! The way we felt about this book was that it was very funny and interesting. We give it five stars because it is a hilarious book. We recommend this book to all ages because it can cheer you up when you are feeling down. This awesome book is guaranteed to make you laugh.

Book review by: Lauren, Vaness, and Rebecca

The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of School

Do you like comedy books? If so, The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of school written by Ken Derby is for you. Tony Madison, (Tony Baloney or TB) Anna, Mo, and Mr. Gore are the main characters. The 3 (not including Mr. Gore) are always getting into trouble. They really bug their teacher. TB stops at nothing to get on The Late Show with David Letterman. One day on Halloween, he wears a bear suit at the Chiefs/Jets football game. Pretending to go to the restroom, TB, Anna, and Mo, sneaks down to the field to get a football autographed by a professional player. He runs out on the field, and runs away from the people on the field. He scores a fake touchdown. Will it make him famous? Will he make it to the Late Show? You'll just have to read and find out for yourself in the book The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of School. We recommend you to read this book, because it was good and no boring parts all the way through the entire book. That's why we give the book 5 out of 5 stars.
By: Jake, Robert, Nathan, Tyler

THIS IS A EXELENT BOOK I BOUGHT IT OF OF OUR SCOLASTIC BOOK OREDER THING AS A JOKE TO MY TEACHERS AND SAID"ILL USE THIS STUFF NEXT YEAR" THEN I READ IT AND I LOVED IT!!!!! IT IS HALARIOUS WHEN HE GETS INTO LOTS OF TROUBLE AND THINKS OF WAYS TO GET OUT OF IT I DONT THINK I SHOULD TELL YOU ANYMORE OR IT WILL SPOILL THE BOOK THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEW
AND ALSO I AM WAY KOOLER THAN YOU AND BETTER!!! JUST KIDDING

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My 11 Year old daughter is telling me what to write here:

This book is very funny! The book starts with Tony wanting to get on the David Letterman show. Tony writes some top 10 lists and sends them into David Lettermans show hoping that David will read them and invite Tony onto the show. Here is an example of one of the Top 10 Lists:

The Top 10 ways to ruin the 1st day of 5th grade:

10. Wear your pajamas to school instead of your favorite jeans and T-shirt.

9. Tell the rest of the class what a dork your teacher is when he is standing behind you.

8. Notice that your fly is down... After you have been in class for 3 hours!

7. Rush into the restroom, drop your pants, sit, and realize your in the wrong restroom.

6. Sneeze, and accidentally blow boogers all over your teachers desk.

5. Fall asleep in class and dream you are using the toilet.

4. Enjoy playing building blocks on the 1st day of school, only to wonder why you are a giant compared to the rest of the kids in the class.

3. Drop your lunch bag into an unflushed toilet.

2. Eat beans the night before the first day of school.

1. Get your foot stuck in the toilet in the boys restroom and then have to get rescued by the 911 guys.

That is a sample of what you will find in the book. David Letterman is surprised by how funny the lists are and invites Tony on the show. I wont tell you anymore cause I will give it all away, but you will enjoy the book if you read it!

If you're going down this Trail or even part of it, you'll want to read this little gem and take it with you for interesting info, tidbits and route directions. Two other wonderful Trail books are: Walking the Trail, One Man's Jounrey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears, in which the author WALKS the 900 mile route of the Trail of Tears (by Jerry Ellis) and On the Trail of the Pony Express (by Jerry Ellis.) Walking the Trail was nominated for a Pulitzer.

Now in an expanded and updated bicentennial edition, Traveling The Lewis And Clark Trail by travel author Julie Fanselow is an invaluable and "user friendly" resource that modern-day enthusiasts can use to retrace the route of the two famous early American explorers commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after acquiring the Louisiana Purchase from the French. Filled with from cover to cover with authoritative information concerning activities, attractions, recommended itineraries, maps, black-and-white photographs, and more, Traveling The Lewis And Clark Trail is a comprehensive and enthusiastically recommended guide for any vacationer seeking to retrace footsteps of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their companions.

Traveling The Lewis And Clark Trail served as our family "bible" for retracing the Lewis and Clark trail (July 2004). While we had several guidebooks, we constantly asked "What does Julie say ... ?" Her recommended itinerary was very useful and served as the starting point for our planning. Overall, we found it very clear and accurate. While the book does not focus on "roughing it," we were especially pleased with the coverage of camping and hiking options along the trail.

We enjoyed having Julie along. (She was voted honorary member of the family.)

With Julie and a copy of Lewis and Clark's journals, you'll be ready for your own Journey of Discovery.

As others have noted, a well researched and well organized guide. There's now a competing publication endorsed by Stephen Ambrose, whose book "Undaunted Courage" sparked renewed national interest in Lewis and Clark. After browsing that one, published by Montana Magazine in a magazine format, I can report that 1) it has advertising, and 2) it omits details found in Julie Fanselow's book. Stick with Julie.

I do hope she has an updated edition in the works for the upcoming Lewis and Clark bicentennial. A few points of information need to be added or changed to keep pace with developments. For instance: starting in 2003, access to the Lolo Motorway, the L&C route from Montana to Idaho, will be by permit only.

This is an excellent book if you are planning to drive the trail. It lays out a daily schedule with places of interest, miles to next stop, and how long it should take you. I was very happy with the purchase.

This is another book I purchased to use with my elementary students. What an absolutely delightful story! Any book that so wonderfully illustrates respect of many different beliefs gets high marks from me.....and this book does just that. Through this delightful story the reader learns of Christmas and Hanukkah traditions AND that they can compliment each other very nicely. I also think the story is a great example of service and being a great neighbor.

My teacher does an "author study" program and our first featured author was Patricia Polacco. My teacher read some of her books to my class and during reading I would read them to myself. I read this book and it was one of my favorites. We bought it and I love it. I recommend this book for anyone who loves to read! The author writes about the time when she was a young child and a lot of her neighbors got scarlet fever. The girl and her family is Jewish, and since they are not sick, the girl, her older brother, her mom, her babushka, and her grandpa go out and chop down trees and decorate them with colorful animal figures. I won't tell you the surprise ending, but this book is awesome! I recommend this book highly.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to overhear our school librarian recommend this book to another parent at the school book fair. There was only one copy left so I took it.

Now, each December I get out our family's box of holiday books and this is the first one we read. My youngest child handed me a tissue before I started reading it last December! She knows how this book touches my heart and warms my soul.

I have given this book to family and friends ... young and old. Great book to spread the message of what is really important -- at the holidays especially.

Trees of the Dancing Goats is a beautiful, poignant story and one of my all time favorites. Grown-ups love it as much as the kids. If you don't have this one on your bookshelf, you should get it! If you've been good, maybe Santa Claus will drop a copy in your stocking this year!

Drawing upon her own family's experience, Patricia Polacco shares a story of true holiday giving. Her Russian grandparents teach the meaning of friendship and miracles as they relate the story of Hanukkah and as they reach out to their Christian neighbors who are suffering from a deadly epidemic of scarlet fever. They adapt the symbols of their Jewish celebration to bring Christmas to those who are too ill to create their own festivities. Polacco's colorful illustrations capture the warmth and spirit of the characters and do much to enhance this wonderful story.

Sandy Mackinnon says it himself - 'I exaggerate, for effect'. I loved the description of the journey from small streams in the north to the tidal rivers of the south and the crossing over to France. It all rings true to my own much more limited experience of rivers and canals in small rowing boats and canoes. But this man is much more capable than you might think from a superficial reading of the book - I know this because I'm on my third reading and have no intention of leaving it there.

The only other book I've loved this much is Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers, in some ways the complete opposite of this book where the main character convincingly describes the skill and expertise of Davies, the owner of the small yacht Dulcibella. A J Mackinnon as a single-hander must write of his own journey himself, so to preserve modesty and to entertain the reader he presents himself as a bumbling amateur with little idea of how to row, sail or maintain his eleven foot boat, but he still gets to the Black Sea by way of rivers and canals that would challenge any experienced sailor. His self-deprecation mightn't fool me but I'm left feeling even more impressed by the journey he describes so well.

I'm not a sailor nor intend to be after reading this wonderful adventure book but, I love adventure stories especially true ones where someone goes off on their own and let's nature do what she will.

This book had me laughing out loud as I think our boy here bit off more then he could chew at the start . seemed like a good idea at the time I suppose : ) altho he did manage to become learned about the nautical jargon thru trial and error . buy it, borrow it ...have a laugh .

A friend shared this book with me, hoping I'd enjoy it as much as he did. And I did. Being familiar with the country and the people - but not the rivers, I loved every mile of Jack De Crow's journey, laughing at almost every page at the impossible conditions that Mackinnon found himself in. As I knew they would, Mackinnon and Jack De Crow rose above it all.

I grew to love that little boat. In turn I shared with friends and family.

If you like sailing small craft and mini-crusiers and camping out, you will love this book. Most entertaining, humorous and well written.....good work Jim McKinnon !

Sandy Mackinnon sets out from Shropshire in a tiny sailboat and sails and rows himself and his small boat across England, across the Channel, and across the canals and rivers of Europe to the Black Sea.

This is a fascinating journey and Mackinnon is a brilliant and charming storyteller. Although his voyage involves many privations and even humiliations, he is always optimistic, happy, and carefree--well, almost always. Mackinnon's joy and love of adventure, people, and the outdoors is highly infectious. No one will come away from reading this book with anything less than a lighter heart and a brighter outlook on life and its tribulations. Jack de Crow is witty, entertaining, and edifying. It is one of the best sailing adventure books that I have ever read and I have read very many. I highly recommend this book to every reader whether or not you are a sailor or boater. You don't need to know anything about boats or sailing to fully enjoy this wonderful book.

I have one important and heavy dissatisfaction with the book that I must air. I almost broke ranks and would have been the first reviewer to give it fewer than five stars. Mackinnon from start to finish depends on the kindness of strangers to get him through tough spots. His journey, and even his life, is saved several times by other boaters or people along the shore who give him shelter, a tow, make repairs for him, etc. etc. He simply would not have gotten more than a few miles on his own. Of course, this is part, and a central part, of the whole story and journey--trusting to your luck and to the unanticipated and unpaid assistance of strangers. Mackinnon is basically a good natured and kind hearted screw-up. He really doesn't know what he is doing or how to do it, but goes on anyway. Well this makes for a good story as Mackinnon recognizes--no screw-ups, no stories.

But I favor a tradition that values self-reliance at least in things nautical. A watery voyage requires proper craft, charts, equipment in good order, and the ability to navigate and conduct the voyage on one's own. The only excuse for seeking or accepting help from others is dire and unavoidable life-threatening emergency. Mackinnon violates these basic principles of boating, often to his peril, sometimes to the peril of others. I cannot respect this. I believe that Mackinnon should not have made this voyage, that he was morally irresponsible, and that despite the wonderful book that resulted, the overall effect may be detrimental.

One other minor problem with the book is that readers should be aware that there are many many references to English children's literature and other works that are obscure and will not be familiar, and there are no notes or explanations. This comes off as a bit pretentious and puzzling and somewhat diminished my enjoyment of Jack de Crow.

Sometimes Mackinnon can be insensitive. He glows over the beauty and wealth of Vienna--Europe's greatest city (his description). Mackinnon describes with excessive enthusiasm Vienna's glorious history, but never mentions the most important event in Vienna's history--the anything but glorious Kristallnacht. I quote from Wikipedia: "Events in Austria were no less horrendous. Of the entire Kristallnacht only the pogrom in Vienna was completely successful. Most of Vienna's 94 synagogues and prayer-houses were partially or totally destroyed. People were subjected to all manner of humiliations, including being forced to scrub the pavements whilst being tormented by their fellow Austrians, some of whom had been their friends and neighbours." I find it hard to share his insensitive enthusiasm for Vienna.

But in the end I suppose that Mackinnon is some sort of genius, a genuine free spirit, and true eccentric and cannot be held to the same standards as the rest of us.

A Very Dairy Christmas is the story of teenaged Callie and her friends and their struggles growing up. On the surface that may sound like a very ordinary story line, but I can assure you that Callie's experiences are anything but ordinary. Callie and her posse live in a world of wealth and privilege. They attend a prestigious boarding school and enjoy all of the tangible benefits that financial security can offer. Even though she appears to have it all, self-assured Callie lacks the things that every young girl needs most--love, attention and the guidance of a caring parent. As a reknowned fashion photographer, Callie's mother travels the world and is often absent when her daughter needs her most. As a result, Callie has become demanding and self-absorbed and dominates her relationship with her friends.

A Very Dairy Christmas is truly the story of Callie's redemption. When her mother insists that she spend her Christmas vacation on her grandparents' dairy farm in Wisconsin, Callie is furious and does all that she can to make everyone around her as miserable as she is. However, through a series of funny and heart-tugging events, Callie comes to realize that giving to others can be very rewarding. When she turns her considerable intellect and resourcefulness to the good of others, her midwestern family and friends come to see a very different side of Callie.

As a former high school teacher, I found Callie to be a delightful character. Her evolution into a caring and compassionate person serves as an object lesson for young readers. I liked A Very Dairy Christmas so much that I included it in my educational resource A Novel Approach to Family and Consumer Science. Written to encourage reading across the currliculum, Callie's exploits developed into great classroom learning activities.

I highly recommended A Very Dairy Christmas! And though it's a great holiday read, don't wait for Christmas. Check it out today!

Although this was released in November of 2005, the story in A Very Dairy Christmas is timeless. It deserves to be revisited every holiday to remind us of the possibilities for all of us - the possibility to change, the possibility to help. It is especially relevant during the holiday season to give us a nudge in the direction of giving something of ourselves, not just our pocketbooks.

As for pocketbooks, Callie has a large, designer one filled with credit cards. The daughter of a famous fashion photographer she is queen of her teen group, all girls at the very exclusive private school Ridgecrest Prep. She has it all, all except a close family. Her mother is usually off on fashion shoots and rarely has time for Callie. Her mother, Zoey, does not feel good about it but it is a situation she can not change. So they are both looking forward to the Christmas holidays and a promised ski trip together to Aspen. But at the last minute these plans change and Callie is forced to spend her vacation at her grandparents' dairy farm in Deer Creek, Wisconsin.

Callie's grandparents are very happy to finally have Callie back in their lives. As a child she spent many holidays there but after her father, their son, died Zoey cut off all contact. But Elsa and Johann are shocked by the attitude and behavior of the girl Callie has become. Since their feelings are not tempered by family love, their friends and farm workers are even more disgusted by Callie. They go out of their way to make life difficult for the rude, arrogant girl. It takes a reunion with her childhood friend Amanda, who is suffering from leukemia, for Callie to realize what a brat she had become. The fact that Amanda has a very attractive brother is an asset too. With help from her ever loving and patient grandmother, Callie works to mend friendships and find a mission in life. For her it is the discovery of the children's cancer ward at the local hospital. The story of how she meets their needs is the warm, touching story line in this feel good book.

This book is marketed as a teen book because of its teenage main character but it can certainly appeal to adults also. It is a also a fun book to read, filled with many comic moments that amuse and entertain. The author is able to take a serious subject and make it accessible to all readers.

Sylvia Hysen has used this book to promote Locks of Love, the nonprofit that collects long pieces of hair to make into wigs for children who would like them due to hair loss caused by a variety of diseases. She emphasizes not only the need for donors but also to get the word spread that this is available.

The author is planning a sequal "A Very Dairy Summer" where we hope to be reunited with Callie and her new found family.

This is the story of Callie Michaels and her pals the ABC debutantes. It is a story of contrasting social acceptance and generational differences. It is a story of a teenager's desperate attempt at winning a parent's affection and attention. After years of separation from her estranged German grandparents, Callie is coerced to spend Christmas vacation with them on their Wisconsin dairy farm.

From the moment of her arrival Callie creates an atmosphere of conflict, resentment and attitude. Isolated and alone Callie is confronted with a sense of guilt as her grandfather recovers from a near death accident caused in part by her selfishness.

Reconnecting with a childhood friend, who is suffering from leukemia, Callie assesses her priorities as she tries to make amends with her grandparents. After visiting the children's oncology ward with her friend, "She thought about her life at Ridgecrest and compared it to Amanda's. All the things she and her friends considered important seemed so petty compared to having leukemia. And yet it didn't stop Amanda from helping others. Callie had never witnessed such altruism."

Sylvia Hysen is brilliant writer. She has incorporated, into the plot of this story, a touching message. Hysen introduced the work of "Locks of Love". This is an organization that provides children undergoing chemo-therapy treatments hair pieces, made from real hair. This hair is donated by concerned individuals. Callie sacrificed her long tresses to provide Amanda with a new sense of normalcy, dignity, and self confidence.

Callie's mother, Zoey, joined the family for Christmas day at the dairy farm. As healing gave birth to reconciliation Callie's mother saw a new maturity in her daughter. "Looking at her without the bias of a mother, she saw a beautiful, compassionate young woman."

Hysen kept a balance of conflict, compassion, and romance throughout the story. I hated to have it come to an end and am looking forward to the sequel. "A Very Dairy Summer" is due to come out soon. This novel is written for a young adult audience, however; the author's sensitivity to parent-teen relationships makes it a good read for parents of teens as well.

Top notch!

You can't help but fall in love with the characters from A Very Dairy
> Christmas by Sylvia Hysen. It is heart warming to watch Callie Michael's
> dynamic character develop from a spoiled little rich girl to a generous
> caring teen. Callie leaves all her indulged comforts in the Big Apple
> to spend Christmas on a dairy farm in Wisconsin with grandparents she
> barely remembers. While she thinks she is heads above all the people she
> meets in Wisconsin the locals can't wait to see her leave. I appreciated
> the mishaps the farm hands played on Callie, she deserved them all and
> more. Despite how poorly she treats her grandparents and their friends,
> her grandparents stick by the girl they loved as a little girl and they
> give her time and opportunity to grow and come to her senses on her own.
> Just when you are ready to throw Callie out with dirty dishwater, she
> does a 180 degree turnaround and realizes that people from varied walks of
> life should be valued and respected. This story also has a just the
> right amount of romance. Casey is a handsome young boy that is connected
> to the grandfather's dairy farm. He definitely is a match for Callie and
> eventually she has to convince him to give her a chance. You can't help
> but fall in love with him.
> I think girls ages 12 - 15 would enjoy this book. I also enjoyed it and
> would recommend it to others.
>
> Lillian Armijo
> Reading Specialist
> Ranch View Middle School

Reviewed by Tammy Petty Conrad for Reader Views (3/06)

Teenager Callie lives a luxurious life bouncing between New York City and her prestigious prep school, but she's forced to spend her Christmas holiday with grandparents in Wisconsin whom she barely knows. She arrives with a chip on her shoulder having been disappointed by her over-achieving, guilt-ridden mother, Zoey, and makes sure that everyone is as miserable as she is.

But as in all entertaining books, twists and turns deliver a very different teen by the end as she learns valuable life lessons about the importance of family and friends. We also meet a variety of entertaining characters, from the farm hands that reminded me of those on the Wizard of Oz to Callie's outrageous friends. And we know exactly what kind of girl Callie is when the staff at Tiffany's knows her by her first name!

Admittedly, I didn't expect to enjoy this novel for several reasons. First I only read Christmas books in December. Second, designer and brand names are dropped right and left which makes it either more realistic or more like one big advertisement, depending on your perspective. And I'll confess I am many years removed from wearing a teenager's shoes. But I told myself each night just one more chapter, and then found I had read ten more before I put the book down. Ample dialogue and short chapters kept the story moving as it delved deeper and deeper into Callie's family history and that of a potential love interest and his family.

Sylvia Hysen is a screenwriter and this contemporary family comedy is an adaptation of her own award-winning screenplay. I can easily see how it would translate to film. Plenty of details make it a visual read. As a writer, I enjoyed learning how she took a personal interest in the Locks of Love organization, which uses donated ponytails to make hairpieces for ill children, and incorporated it into the story.

While we can't all relate to prep schools or dairy farms, most of us can understand family conflict and the importance of resolving it. It is always compelling to read abut a female character with brains, spunk and heart. A Very Dairy Christmas amuses and warms our hearts. And it's not just for the holidays either!

This is the first Karen Katz book my daughter has seen...it was given to her by her Aunt for Halloween this year. And although she is only 8 1/2 months old, she absolutely loves this book because of the flaps that open and close. It's the only "toy" I take to church with us and it keeps her amused the entire time. (Although, she does like to screach when she gets excited, so sometimes it's a little embarassing).

Just to add to the chorus of praises, if you have a toddler you really should buy this book. Our 14-month old loved it from the moment she opened the cover, and she has continued to come back to it as a favorite in the weeks since. The flaps are big and sturdy so she can get ahold of them herself, and she loves the different pictures and textures. From my perspective, the illustrations are charming and really capture the excitement of halloween for a small child, so I like looking through it too. Brava to Karen Katz for a wonderful book!

She doesn't get everything there is to enjoy about this book yet, but I've read this with my 7 week old daughter twice and both times she smiled through the whole thing. Must be all the sparkles and glitter!

We were quite surprised when we got this book - how beautiful and interesting the illustrations are! There are lots of tactical additions - black glitter on the baby's cat costume, etc. Very cute!

This was a big hit with my 21-month-old son! He has a number of other Karen Katz books, and always enjoys looking behind the panels. This particular book also has textures (like the fuzzy cat costume) that help to keep my son interested and engaged. A very fun book that we read every night for a week or so after we bought it. Now it's an occasional request, but he still really enjoys it. A fun Halloween book!