Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The Night Before Christmas — Clement Clark Moore, pop-up illustrations by Robert Sabuda

We all know the story of the night before Christmas, so it’s not like I need to recommend this classic to anyone, but this version of the story is amazing because of its pop-up illustrations. They are not your average pop-ups; these are intricate and beautifully crafted. Each pop-up is hand-assembled, and it couldn’t have been easy. If you have the chance to check out this book, you should. I would not recommend it for the little ones though… they can’t resist grabbing for the pop-ups and you definitely don’t want these to be torn or mangled. Save this edition for the kids who are a little older.

Are You Grumpy, Santa? — Gregg and Evan Spiridellis

Ever have one of those days when you stub your toe first thing in the morning, run out of hot water in the shower, have to wear something itchy because the laundry’s not done, and then people are just annoying you? Well, Santa’s having one of those days. Unfortunately, it had to be on Christmas day! Santa’s grumpy as he gets ready to bring presents to the children of the world and then he runs into all kinds of problems around the world as he’s delivering them. He’s about ready to just lose it altogether, but then he gets to one house where he finds a plate of cookies and a thank you letter from a thoughtful child. And just like that, Santa’s grumpy mood disappears! An extremely fun story that rhymes nicely.

Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight? - -Jerry Pallotta, David Biedrzycki

Just how did reindeer get the job of pulling Santa’s sleigh? Follow along as Santa auditions the various animals that are up for the job and find out why the reindeer were the best for the job.

Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s Christmas — Joy Cowley, illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller

It’s Christmas, and Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s pulled out the big tin tub for the cow, pig and duck on her farm to have their Christmas baths. Only problem is… it’s too cold, and the cow, pig and duck don’t want to take a bath! Mrs. Wishy-Washy tells them to stop being troublesome and when she gets back from running her errands, they’d better have all taken their baths! The cow, pig and duck are worried about freezing when one of them has the idea to take a bath… in Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s pink bathtub inside her pink bathroom in her very own house! The animals get inside and take bubbly baths with Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s pink bubblebath and dry off with her pink, fluffy towels and then… Mrs. Wishy-Washy comes home. The house is a mess and the bathroom is all wet, but cow, pig and duck are clean and warm. And Mrs. Wishy-Washy is filled with that forgiving spirit and decides that she’ll let them off the hook this time because it’s Christmas. Another fun, rhyming story.