Queen of Christmas

Mary Engelbreit's distinctive illustrations perfectly align with this heartwarming story about a little girl and her " list".

The list is so long... and everything Ann Estelle does reminds her to put more and more items on her list. Hmmm.. does she sound like anyone you know?

Well, needless to say, Ann Estelle does not get everything on her list but at then end of the day she happily tells her parents "It was Christmas exactly the way I wanted".

Baking cookies with her mother, sledding with her father, skating with her grandmother...these are the things that made it perfect. "It's not just the presents that matter," she tells her dad. "Don't you know that? "

Redheaded Robbie's Christmas Story

I am a huge huge fan of this book. Of course it does not hurt that I have my own redheaded Robbie and have his Grade 2 school picture pinned to my bulletin board.

In "Redheaded Robbie's Christmas Story" by Bill Luttrell, Robbie is the lucky Grade 2 student who gets to tell a story at the Christmas Assembly. There is only one problem.. Robbie gets all his words mixed up when he has to speak in a crowd. I know how that feels!

Robbie needs the best story to tell so he goes to his friends for help. Well they certainly give him ideas.. like getting as many presents as you can, throwing cool parties and paying back your little sister...but Robbie knows that that is not what Christmas is about.

The big night has come and when Robbie gets tongue-tied up on the stage his friends come to his rescue and tell what they have learned from a little redheaded angel about sharing, being kind and forgiveness.

Flurry Flickmas to all!

The Christmas Magic

Every once in a while a book comes along that is magical. "The Christmas Magic" by Lauren Thompson is such a book. I came across this gem last year and could hardly wait to share it again this Christmas.

Listen to this...... "Far, far north, where the reindeer are, there is a snug little house with a bright red door. And in that house lives Santa Claus." And the pictures....more magic.... you are indeed looking down on a little house that has a bright red door standing alone on a vast snowy plain.

But my favourite lines are " Santa runs his fingertip down the crinkling pages. One by one, he reads each child's name aloud and smiles.
For Santa loves them all, and he knows what each child at heart wants most.
Then he chooses a certain toy and tucks it into his creased leather sack.
And always the magic draws closer."

I think the words say it all. Enjoy.