Jolly Holiday Books

Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner; illustrated by Mark Buehner

K-2nd Grade

nookkids

Children have all sorts of things they love to do at Christmas time like give gifts, open presents, feast on delicious food, be with family and friends they love, make snow angels and build snowmen. But what do snowmen like to do? "Snowmen at Christmas" is filled with frigid fun that children will enjoy reading. There are also hidden pictures to look for on each page. It is a good thing the Buehners, a married couple from Salt Lake City, shared their insightful imaginations in this book or all of us would think snowmen just stand still in our yards until the sun comes out or they get knocked over by playful children.

The Holly Joliday, Judy Moody and Stink by Megan McDonald

3rd-4th Grade

Judy wants so many things for Christmas she writes her list on a roll of toilet paper! Stink, her little brother, wants only one thing...SNOW! It hasn't snowed for over 100 years in their town in

Virginia but Stink still wants snow and seems obsessed with the "stuff." (Many of us may feel the same way as Stink during this very dry December). Judy and Stink enjoy the last day of school before Winter Recess. They perform in a school program in the evening and all sorts of out of the ordinary things occur such as the 12 Days of Christmas presented Hawaiian style and a talking parrot who steals the show and an unexpected surprise during the 2nd graders performance of "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

5th-6th Grade

Though many children are familiar with A Christmas Carol either by a book, movie or play it is always wonderful to share this story with older children at Christmas time. I chose sections from

the book to help the students get to know Ebenezer Scrooge's bristly, uncaring personality and then the experience with Jacob Marley's ghost (many students in 5th and 6th grade love reading ghost stories and this is one most parents would be fine with) and to conclude I showed the students the three ghosts that will hopefully change Scrooge's ways from last year's version of Disney's "A Christmas Carol" starring Jim Carrey. The video was just over one minute and added a modern twist to a classic tale.