Holiday Picks: Santa From Cincinnati

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Written by Judi Barrett.  Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.  New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012.

This fun book tells the story of Baby Boy Claus born on December 25 in Cincinnati.  His parents named him Santa.  He was an only child, and grew up loving toys.  His father made all his toys in their basement workshop, and when Santa was older, he helped his father make toys (after his homework was done, of course).  Kids in the neighborhood put in requests for toys, and Santa and his father would make them.  One day, Santa realized he had more toys than he could ever play with, so on Christmas Eve he delivered a toy to each child in Cincinnati.  It was such a success, that when Santa got older, he decided to make it a full-time job.  He got married, found a nice workshop way up North, and hired some helpers to make toys.  Sound familiar?

This inventive tale is a clever take on the story of Santa Claus.  The illustrations have a nostalgic feel to them, full of soft edges.  Kids will love pouring over the details in the pictures.  They will also enjoy hearing the story of the boy who loved toys so much he decided to make a job giving them away to children.  Do you have a favorite Santa story?

Holiday Picks: Raffi's Christmas Album

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Raffi.  Rounder Records, 1983.  CD.

When it comes to children's music, artist Raffi is one of my go-tos, especially when looking for music for children's programs.  ("Shake My Sillies Out" is a storytime favorite.)  I just love his voice.  His Christmas album is delightful, and a perfect choice to share with your children.  Sick of the radio and it's repetitive holiday rotation?  Try some music CDs from the library, like this one.  Full of classic Christmas tunes like "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," it also includes less frequently played songs such as "Must Be Santa" (I love the repetition of this song, and how it builds with each verse) and "Petit Papa Noel."  I guarantee you'll be singing along to Raffi!  What is your favorite Christmas song?

Holiday Picks: Prep & Landing

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Dir. Kevin Deters.  Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, 2011.  DVD.

Another favorite holiday cartoon of mine, this was originally broadcast on ABC in 2009, which is where I first saw it.  I immediately fell in love with the concept, the characters, and the repeatable catchphrases.  Prep & Landing is the name of an elite unit of high-tech elves, who make sure homes around the world are "prepped" for Santa's "landing" on Christmas Eve.  Wayne has been doing this job for 227 years, and is a little tired of it.  Upset after not receiving a promotion to Director of the Naughty List intelligence team, he is partnered with rookie elf Lanny in order to train him.  Lanny is young, optimistic, and thinks everything is "sooo tinsel!"  During their mission, Wayne decides to slack off a bit, and in doing so, he and Lanny encounter challenges that test their skills, while also potentially ruining Christmas for children.  But, with a little teamwork, can they help "The Big Guy" bring Christmas to kids everywhere?

I guarantee you will love this cartoon!  Full of fun characters and a great plot, this will be a holiday favorite for your family.  In 2011, ABC aired a second Christmas TV special, Prep & Landing: Naughty Vs. Nice, which is another winner!  I'm sure they will be re-aired this holiday season on television.  If you haven't seen them, "oh, frostbite!"  Check them out!  What are some of your favorite holiday television specials?

Holiday Picks: The Count's Hanukkah Countdown

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Written by Tilda Balsley and Ellen Fischer.  Illustrated by Tom Leigh.  Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Publishing, 2012.

Tonight marks the fourth night of Hanukkah, so here is another book to share with your children.  Who doesn't love Sesame Street and the Muppets?  In this book, the Count is the main character.  He loves to count numbers, and is very excited about the eight nights of Hanukkah, because eight is the perfect number.  The Count and Grover are invited to celebrate Hanukkah with Brosh and Avigail, and Brosh's aunt, uncle, and cousins.  He learns about the menorah and candles, the story of Hanukkah, eats latkes and jelly doughnuts, plays the dreidel game, and counts chocolate gelt.  Latkes, jelly doughnuts, chocolate...is it just me, or is anyone else hungry?

This book features characters from Shalom Sesame, which gives children and families an introduction to Jewish life and Israel.  Our library owns the DVD series, so be sure to check those out!  Children are encouraged to count along with the Count as the numbers are boldly displayed on the pages.  The illustrations are brights and colorful, accurately representing the Muppets.  What is your favorite Muppet character?

Holiday Picks: Eight Winter Nights

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Written by Laura Krauss Melmed.  Illustrated by Elisabeth Schlossberg.  San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2010.

Tonight is the third night of Hanukkah.  Here's another picture book you can share with your family.  This book joyfully depicts a family celebrating the eight nights of Hanukkah.  They light the candles, sing songs and dance, play the dreidel game, visit with family, and eat lots of latkes!  The illustrations are done in warm colors, full of soft edges and features, which adds to the coziness of this family story.  The book is written in rhyming verses, which makes it great for sharing with younger children who love to listen to a good story!  It can also serve as a counting book, as each night of Hanukkah is described.  What are some of your family's Hanukkah traditions?

Holiday Picks: Jeremy's Dreidel

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Written by Ellie Gellman.  Illustrated by Maria Mola.  Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Publishing, 2012.

At a dreidel-making workshop at the local Jewish Community Center, Jeremy decides to make a dreidel as a surprise for someone.  As the other children are busily choosing recycled materials to make theirs, Jeremy chooses clay.  He rolls and molds it into the shape he wants.  The other children become curious after Jeremy molds tiny dots onto one side of his dreidel.  He tells them the dots are Braille, a way of reading for blind people, and that his surprise dreidel is for his dad, who is blind.

This is a great book to share with your kids during Hanukkah for several reasons.  First, the book discusses the history of the dreidel, how it is played with on Hanukkah, and the religious and historical significance of Hanukkah.  Second, it gives you craft ideas for how to make dreidels out of recycled materials.  It also includes instructions for the dreidel game and a fun project.  Who doesn't love crafts?  Lastly, it provides an accessible portrayal of blindness in a contemporary setting that kids can understand, from a kid's point of view.  I think it handles certain challenges well.  For instance, Jeremy gets impatient with all his friends' questions and assumptions about blindness.  He also gets upset when his art teacher wants to put his dreidel in a glass display case (she changes her mind once she sees how upset he is), because he wants his dad to be able to play with and touch the dreidel.  Overall, a positive book to share with children during Hanukkah.  Will you be playing the dreidel game? 

Holiday Picks: How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?

With snow in the forecast, temperatures dropping, and people digging out their mittens and hats, it's officially December!  Enjoy a holiday pick each day before Christmas.

Written by Jane Yolen.  Illustrated by Mark Teague.  New York: The Blue Sky Press, 2012.

Tonight marks the first night of Chanukah.  I'm looking forward to eating latkes.  Fried potato pancakes.  Need I say more?  I'm not Jewish, but I do have Irish heritage, and have never met a potato I didn't love.  But, I digress.  Here's a fun picture book to share with your kids.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Jane Yolen and Mark Teague published two holiday books this year in their highly popular dinosaur series.  This one is about Chanukah.

Does a dinosaur misbehave on Chanukah nights when the holiday lights are being lit?  Does he fidget through the prayer?  Sneak a peek at presents hidden under the bed?  Gather up all the gelt, and squeeze the chocolate coins until they melt?  No, dinosaurs don't.  He takes turn playing with the dreidel, eats all his latkes, and helps clean up, like a good dinosaur.  Kids will love looking at all the pictures of the different types of dinosaurs and giggling at their naughty behaviors.  Hopefully, they won't act those out!  Happy Chanukah to all my Jewish friends!  How will you celebrate this year?