The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Would you like a fresh look at that very first Christmas?  If so, I recommend looking at Barbara Robinson's The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and rediscovering Christmas through the eyes of the Herdmans.

The Herdmans?!!! you ask.  Aren't they the kids who dodge a banging garage door for fun?  Aren't they the kids who burned down Fred Shoemaker's shed?  Aren't they the kids who smoked cigars in the church ladies bathroom?  Yep, those are the ones.

What could we possibly learn from them? you may ask.  Well, the Herdmans help us revisit Mary and Joseph's journey to a bustling, unfamiliar Bethlehem, and their arrival just in time for Jesus' birth.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever isn't just a book for the kids; it's is a book for parents too.  It pushes us to reconsider why we're doing all we're doing this holiday season.  Is it TRADITION! Tradition! (Thank you, Reb Tevye!), etc.?  Or are we intentionally setting out to bless someone other than ourself?

Take time out to read Barbara Robinson's 80 page book with your family this season.  Somewhere among the sidesplitting humor rests the true spirit of the Christmas season.

Sleep Like A Tiger

Need a lullaby story for your little one?  Look no further! Check out Caldecott Honor book Sleep Like A Tiger by Mary Logue and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski (c. 2012).  In fact, this book is so sure to lull your little one (or you) into slumber that you either find yourself buying it or paying overdue fees at the library.

Night, night, and sweet dreams . . .


Here are some of my favorite pages:

It Couldn't Be Worse!

So are y'all starting to get on each other's nerves yet?  Your family, that is.  :)  Maybe in all this rain, you're driving each other up the wall?  It's that time of summer when some parents and/or siblings start looking forward to school starting.

Here's a book full of laughs that just might change your perspective. Check out It Couldn't Be Worse! by Vlasta van Kampen (c. 2003). And for a sneak peek, continue reading the first page:

The tiny house had just one room.
       A poor farmer, his wife, their six children, and the grandparents lived there.
      They quarreled and fought and got in each other's way.  . . .

books with homonyms

hom·onym noun \ˈhä-mə-ˌnim, ˈhō-\ [hom-uh-nim]: 

1.

Phonetics .  a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not, as heir and air;  a homophone (  def 1 ) .

2.

a word that is both a homophone and a homograph, that is, exactly the same as another in sound and spelling but different inmeaning, as chase  “to pursue” and chase  “to ornament metal.”

3.

(loosely) a word of the same written form as another but of different meaning and usually origin, whether pronounced thesame way or not, as bear  “to carry; support” and bear  “animal” or lead  “to conduct” and lead  “metal;” a homograph.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homonym

The folks around here are going through a phase of books with homonyms.  They absolutely L-O-V-E them!  They're going bonkers over Amelia Bedelia and Fred Gwynne books, so I had to pass along the love.  Seriously, they think these books are hilarious!!!  So if you would like to give it a whirl, here are some of our favorites:

Books written and illustrated by Fred Gwynne (Yep, for those of us -parents- who remember The Munsters TV show, these are by "Herman Munster."  FUNNY!):
The King Who Rained  (c. 1970)
A Chocolate Moose for Dinner (c. 1976)
A Little Pigeon Toad
The Sixteen Hand Horse

Books written by Herman Parish and illustrated by Lynne Avril:

picture books:
Amelia Bedelia's First Library Card (c. 2013)
Amelia Bedelia's First Vote (c. 2012)
Amelia Bedelia's First Field Trip (c. 2011)
Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie (c. 2010)
Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School (c. 2009)
Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine's (c. 2009)

I Can Read! books Level 1:
Amelia Bedelia Makes a Friend (c. 2011)
Amelia Bedelia Sleeps Over (c. 2012)
Amelia Bedelia Hits the Trail (c. 2013)

chapter books:
Amelia Bedelia Means Business (c. 2013)
Amelia Bedelia Unleashed (c. 2013)
Amelia Bedelia Road Trip (c. 2013)

And the original Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish:
Amelia Bedelia
Come Back, Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia and the Surprise Shower
Thank You, Amelia Bedelia
Play Ball Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia TREASURY
Amelia Bedelia and the Baby
Amelia Bedelia Helps Out
Good Driving Amelia Bedelia
Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia
Calling Doctor, Amelia Bedelia
BRAVO, Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia's Family Album
Amelia Bedelia, Rocket Scientist
Go West, Amelia Bedelia!
Merry Christmas Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor

Charming Opal

If you've been following ReadMeAStory from the beginning, you know that around here we love Holly Hobbie's Toot & Puddle characters!  If you want to check out a Toot & Puddle summertime adventure, check out Charming Opal (c. 2003).

Cousin Opal comes to visit Woodcock Pocket and enjoy all the pleasures of summertime in the country.  But in the meantime, she looses her tooth.  And I do mean that she looses it.  Find out if the cousins find it in time for the Tooth Fairy's evening visit.

The Penderwicks

This is the book I would have loved to have read and re-read when I was a girl!!!

That being said, I'm just not sure what age to begin your child on this one.  The publisher's recommendation is age 9, and I think I'll go along with that.  I started to read it aloud to my brood . . . and they didn't want me to put it down.  Meanwhile, I was reading ahead every chance I could get.

If you have a tween who is looking for a good read, I really liked this one (the brood did too!).  It's a page turner of an adventure read.  Nice and clean.  Each character has his/her own special talent: from concert level pianist to mathematician, from botanist to storyteller, from nurturer to problem solver to athlete, so subtly this book encourages individuality with a positive vocabulary.

Yet at the same time, the adults can appear rather foolish --> from the absentminded-professor widowed father and a fairytale-like-wicked-stepmotherish snooty mother.  And as an adventure story, there is some secrecy and sneaking.  Some critics also contest that it's an idyllic, nostalgic, blast-from-the-past that's attempting to display a modern, American childhood. Those are most of the criticisms you'll run into.

So what do I think?  Personally, I think it's a more modern approach to an adventure story for those of us who love the Boxcar Children.  If you'd like to teach your reader to think critically, this could be a good, clean, adventure story to promote dialogue.  Have your own family book club around it.  Discuss these various assessments, and encourage your child to verbalize his/her own analysis. (Either way, you may want to do your own research rather than taking my word for it.)

So what's is the award-winning book The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall (c. 2007) all about?  Here's what the publishers have to say:

This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.

Here are more Penderwick sequels:

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man

Duhnn-dat-duhnnnnnn!
Dunt-duh-da-duhnnnn!

Boys and girls!  Today we're introducing a new super hero.
Hold onto your hats.  He's not for the faint at heart.  He's Awesome Man.
Friend to those with big imaginations.  Arch enemies to those who hurt others.  He's Awesome Man.

Readers, have your mom or dad run to the library to pick up The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man (c. 2011) written by Michael Chabon and illustrated by Jake Parker.  You absolutely don't want to miss out on discovering just how Awesome Man shoots his positronic rays and rids the world of evil villans.

Parents: This is a recommendation that dads will thoroughly enjoy reading to their youngsters. And moms, you'll love the mini moral that's so artfully hidden in the super hero lingo.

Farmer Boy

I’ve been reading Farmer Boy to the kids.  It begins in winter, which is fitting to begin reading it together in January.  Personally, Farmer Boy and Little House in the Big Woods are my favorite of all of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series.  I’ll explain why shortly.

While I’ve been reading Farmer Boy aloud, I’ve gone back and read By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four Years to myself.  Folks, there’s a whole different perspective re-reading these stories as an adult!

The kids play this little game that they “invented” as we read books and stories: midway through the story or at the story’s end, they say, “I wanna be _________.”  And now, they quickly “call” whom they want to be before the other one “calls it.”  Funny isn’t it. Isn’t that how we all read books and stories, though?!  We read self-reflectively.  Occasionally, I get a “Momma, I do NOT want to be __________.”  So subversively, we’re interpreting positive and negative character traits through the characters we read.

So where am I going with this?  Well, Farmer Boy has always been my favorite because, instinctively, I would have much rather lived with the Wilder family on a New England farm than with the Ingalls family out in the middle of nowhere Kansas or nowhere South Dakota.  And after getting through The Long Winter (which could also be called the long, cold story), I’m wondering if I would rather be a lady’s maid on Downton Abbey, working those long, grueling hours, than be Laura Ingalls Wilder.  At least the lady’s maid could live in the warm “big house” without starving!

Don’t misunderstand me, though.  As a little girl, I absolutely LOVED reading all of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s tales!  And now as an adult, I've delighted in re-reading them.  There is a new fascination and appreciation gained in re-reading her stories.  One thing that stands out is the remarkable way she remembers and retells a story for children.  And in retelling her husband’s story in Farmer Boy (and his “side” in The Long Winter, etc.), it became clear to me that we don’t share the oral stories of our own lives with our children enough.  I also questioned if we’re creating story-telling moments in our daily lives.  Let’s face it, we can’t create a book about: “Well, all I did today was play Pac-Man on Atari, and then when I was bored of that, I watched hours of MTV, and then I went to soccer practice, came home, ate, and went to bed.”  For as difficult and mundane as the Wilder’s lives were, they have incredible stories to share!

So my challenge to you, readers, is this: if you’re a young reader, pick up one of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books (there are 9-11 to choose from) and read it.  If you’re an adult, pick up one of Wilder’s books and re-read it.  And please come back to http://readmeastorynow.blogspot.com/ and share with our readers about your experience reading these tales of life from a bygone era.

Snow

So are you ready for some more of P. D. Eastman's I CAN READ book titles?

In Snow (c. 1962), P. D. Eastman teamed up with Roy McKie in writing and illustrating a perfect beginner I CAN READ book for the winter season.  Thankfully, this is one of those titles that has experienced copyright renewal, so I recently found our copy at Marshalls for just a fraction of the price.

And as you know, our kids much prefer P.D. Eastman to Dr. Seuss, and I still haven't figured out why.  I don't know if it's the illustrations or if they can better picture themselves in the story or if the plot is more predictable for an early reader, but Eastman's books are the ones they keep returning to again and again.

Let me share with you a few of our favorite illustrations from Snow:

Charles Dickens rescues Christmas with A Christmas Carol

During this week in 1843, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being A Ghost Story of Christmas. Let me tell you a little known fact (although, quite well known to the literary world): we can thank Charles Dickens for saving our modern day celebration of Christmas!  Yep, Charles Dickens, the Victorian author, saved the celebration of Christmas when he published the instantly popular A Christmas Carol!

An authorial context: Dickens authentically represented a broad range of British population through his true depictions of life among various socio-economic backgrounds. Essentially, through his writing, he became a voice for the abused, ill-treated lower classes and raised awareness to better working conditions, living conditions, child labor reform, etc.  His vivid characters unforgettably imprint themselves to memory and everyday conversation, point-in-case: "Scrooge" has become a vocabulary word, a noun meaning miser or the like.  Consequently, Dickens' characters and authenticity endeared him to the vast reading public and made him equivalent to a modern day rock-star.  Seriously, he is recognized as one of the very first "celebrities" in history.

Christmas needed rescuing? Due to Oliver Cromwell's influence in the mid 1600s (a.k.a. the English Civil War), the British slowly neglected the Medieval traditions of caroling and feasting during the Christmas season until Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband, mid 1800s) gallantly reintroduced the Germanic traditions of caroling and cards and, most significantly, introduced the Christmas tree.

What was Dickens's part in this rescue?  Well, even though Prince Albert did his part to reintroduce English and Germanic Christmas traditions, he worked against the routines and national mindset established by the Industrial Revolution. You see, British businessmen, manufacturing employers, and mill owners had grown quite stingy -- think Scrooge -- by treating Christmas as just another 10-12 hour workday.  So the impoverished, working class toiled through Christmas Day without any additional compensation.

So, in late 1843, Dickens published A Christmas Carol, creating some of the most memorable characters in literature.  And in contrasting a stingy Scrooge with a poor suffering Tiny Tim Crachit and jolly Christmas celebrators Nephew Fred and Fizziwig against the backdrop of ghosts past-present-and-future, Dickens lured the public into a benevolent celebration of Christmas.  Consider: wouldn't you rather be identified with Fizziwig than with Scrooge?!!

The rest is, as they say, history: Christmas once again became a season of giving and charitable behavior on both sides of the Atlantic.  Dickens, through his story, helped reestablish our present day mind-set of Christmas as a season of renewal in goodwill, "peace on earth to all men," and familial bonds.

"And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!" (Dickens 158).

The featured edition: In discovering P. J. Lynch's illustrated version of A Christmas Carol (c. 2006), I have found the quintessential copy of Dickens' enduring tale.  What amazes me is how well Lynch captures Dickens' characters!  This is an illustrator who not only knows his author's works, but must have researched those illustrators who worked so closely with Dickens -- think ocd authorial input on each illustration.  I'd like to think that if Dickens were alive today, he wouldn't be more pleased with Lynch's representation of his classic Christmas tale. Take time this holiday season to read Dickens A Christmas Carol, and if you get the opportunity, read P. J. Lynch's beautifully illustrated edition.  I guarantee you, if the story doesn't haunt you, the illustrations will.

Disclaimer: it's very difficult for me to give credit where credit is due because I'm working from memory on this post.  I'm writing from decades of reading and admiring Charles Dickens and his many works.  I'm also writing from memory of various college lectures, in particular from a Dickens Seminar course.

Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah

Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah by Michael J. Rosen and illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan a boy explains the history of Hanukkah while narrating his experiences over the eight day holiday with his family and friends.

The Quiet Place

The eldest checked out a new book, which was entitled The Quiet Place (c. 2012) by Sarah Stewart with pictures by David Small.  What ended up surprising me most was discovering I couldn't get through it without choking up!
              "Momma, why are you crying?"
              "Because . . . this story . . . is just . . . so . . . moving!"

What are the publishers saying about it?
When Isabel and her family move to the United States, Isabel misses all the things she left behind in Mexico, especially her Aunt Lupita and the sound of people speaking Spanish.  But she also experiences some wonderful new things -- her first snowstorm and a teacher who always greets her with a big smile.  Even better, Papa and her brother, Chavo, help her turn a large box into her own quiet place, where she keeps her books and toys and writes letters to Aunt Lupita.  As she decorates and adds more and more boxes to her quiet place, it is here that Isabel feels most at home in her new country while she learns to adapt to the changes in her life.

Set in the 1950s and told through Isabel's letters to her aunt, this story of immigration and assimilation will win the hearts of readers.  The husband-and-wife team of Sarah Stewart and Caldecott Medalist David Small has once again created an utterly charming and unforgettable young heroine.

And once we finished the book, the child said:
               "That was a really cool story, Mom!"

November

Find "November" in A Child's Calendar, a collection of twelve of John Updike's poems that describes a child's journey through the seasons from January through December  (c. 1965).  Caldecott award winning artist Trina Schart Hyman illustrated the collection (c. 1999).

Over the River and Through the Wood

Y'all know how Brinton Turkle's illustrated version of Over the River and Through the Wood (c. 1974) has been my all-time favorite interpretation of Lydia Maria Child's famous poem turned song.

Well, now there's a fierce competitor!  Take a look at Matt Tavares' illustrated version entitled: Over the River and Through the Wood: The New England Boy's Song About Thanksgiving Day (c. 2011).

One word: BEAUTIFUL!  Tavares cleverly weaves a story using the warm and humorous notes of a good storyteller . . . all through the media of pencil and paint brush.  In fact, I would love to frame the opening title-page spread.

So just in time for Thanksgiving . . . check it out!

Also, (or if you can't make it to the library in time) discover the illustration process through the actions of artist Matt Tavares':

Fanny by Holly Hobbie

We've fallen in love with Fanny around here!  First off, start by checking out Fanny written and illustrated by the Holly Hobbie (c. 2008).  Fanny is the charming child-heroine of a story about a girl whose mother will not let her have the latest "Connie" doll that all her friends have.  How does Fanny handle that disappointment?  You must read the book to discover the clever, creative story that follows.

Then after you read and re-read Fanny five million times, check out Fanny & Annabelle (c. 2009).  This time Fanny finds herself in an ethical dilemma.  Once again, you must read the book to discover the clever, creative story that follows.

I can't rave enough about these books!  But all that I will say is that I'll be purchasing both of them (I know, that's saying a lot!).  However, my girls already think the books are theirs since we check them out of our library so frequently.  It's time to let others share the joy!

And for my boy reading friends, try out the Toot & Puddle series also by Holly Hobbie.  The kids around here LOVE them!  Their parents really enjoy them too! ;)

The Boxcar Children

Gertrude Chandler Warner (c. 1942, 2009) begins her classic story The Boxcar Children with:

One warm night four children stood in front of a bakery.  No one knew them.  No one knew where they had come from.


The baker's wife saw them first, as they stood looking in at the window of her store.  The little boy was looking at the cakes, the big boy was looking at the loaves of bread, and the two girls were looking at the cookies.  . . .

Warner's story captures the plight and adventures of four orphans as they run away and live on their own in an abandoned boxcar hidden the the shelter of the woods.  It's the ultimate summer adventure!

L. Kate Deal's timeless silhouettes compliment Warner's timeless story that has been beloved by many generations.  It's another Read Me a Story family favorite on our MUST READ list.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

Do you know what I remember most about The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (c. 1965)?  What I remember most is my prim, fourth grade teacher reading a chapter to us each afternoon.  What do I mean by prim?  Think navy orthopedic shoes and a wad of kleenex tucked into a sleeve, belt, pocket, or whatever most convenient spot for retrieval.  I never saw her smile except when she read to us.  Here we were a bunch of fourth graders stinking to-high-heaven of recess.  But she had our undivided attention for that whole chapter.  And what was most surprising to me was how reading this story completely transformed her from the prim, stodgy school-marm into a warm person with emotion and feeling.  I was transfixed with that afternoon alteration.

So, I decided to check out The Mouse and the Motorcycle to read to my little brood.  It's shocking how I don't remember one thing about the story line!  However, it's an entertaining one!  In a tale stock full of mischief and adventure, discover the blossoming friendship between a mouse and a boy.

And tell me readers: was this a drive down memory-lane? or is it a new-to-me read for you?

Fancy Nancy

Here's a series of books that shows how an author paired with the right artist makes the book. Enter Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser which debuted in picture book edition in 2005, with I Can Read books following in 2008 beginning with Fancy Nancy and the Boy from Paris.

What do we love about Fancy Nancy books here at Read Me A Story?  Everything!!!


*   Fancy Nancy teaches vocabulary while introducing various extensions of the sciences, arts, and natural world.


*   Fancy Nancy loves anything and everything fancy (think frilly, prissy, etc.).  She dresses up her vocabulary too, with "big words" and French words.


*   The basic Fancy Nancy storyline goes something like: meaning well, Nancy Clancy ends up getting herself in a pickle of a predicament where an adult comes in to help her solve the problem and figure out a resolution.


* The messages in Fancy Nancy books promote good values of honesty, trust, friendship, etc.


*   Personal testimony: the gals at my house simply ADORE Fancy Nancy!!!


*   Professional testimony: O'Connor and Preiss Glasser's books have remained one of my #1 book recommendations since their debute in 2005.  These are our favorite books to gift and recommend to girls everywhere!

So there you have it folks!  I apologize that I'm just now getting to our beloved Fancy Nancy here in 2012.  If you're not a fan, then what are you waiting for?!  ;)

If you don't take my word for it, read this excellent recommendation: http://www.smartmompicks.com/a-well-spoken-and-well-adjusted-child-with-fancy-nancy-books/

While I don't have room to post all the Fancy Nancy book covers, I'll post our very favorites: