"Read this one, please," Katie Beth's chubby hands held the book up to me. I adjusted Julianna who had finished nursing and was asleep on my lap. I opened the lovely Christmas picture book and began to read aloud. Katie Beth and I smiled at each other and the baby slept peacefully.
Fast forward 20 years. My baby is a grown up lady. Katie Beth and my third baby, Jenny Rose, are cuddled up on the couch reading Anne of Green Gables aloud. They have both read the book several times, but there is something wonderful about reading a good book together aloud.
This summer I went to visit my aunt with two of my daughters. The four of us enjoyed an Agatha Christie short story together. We took turns reading aloud. My aunt wrote me a note the next week about how much she had enjoyed that sweet time reading aloud together.
What is it about reading aloud that is so wonderful? Is it the story? Is it the sound of someone you love reading aloud? Or is it the sense of togetherness? There are several Christmas picture books out there. Which are the best for reading aloud?
Fast forward 20 years. My baby is a grown up lady. Katie Beth and my third baby, Jenny Rose, are cuddled up on the couch reading Anne of Green Gables aloud. They have both read the book several times, but there is something wonderful about reading a good book together aloud.
This summer I went to visit my aunt with two of my daughters. The four of us enjoyed an Agatha Christie short story together. We took turns reading aloud. My aunt wrote me a note the next week about how much she had enjoyed that sweet time reading aloud together.
What is it about reading aloud that is so wonderful? Is it the story? Is it the sound of someone you love reading aloud? Or is it the sense of togetherness? There are several Christmas picture books out there. Which are the best for reading aloud?
Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin is a Christmas story set in Cranberry Port, New England where the winter is filled with snow, ice skating, and treats made with cranberries (like the cranberry cookie recipe on the back cover of the book!).
Meet Grandma and Maggie who help eccentric Mr. Whiskers prepare for a visit from his sister and fight to keep his property. A sweet Christmas tale and a great recipe! My children loved this book and there are great examples of kindness and friendship inside. Quaint pictures add to the delight of the book. I love the drawings of Mr. Whiskers!
Meet Grandma and Maggie who help eccentric Mr. Whiskers prepare for a visit from his sister and fight to keep his property. A sweet Christmas tale and a great recipe! My children loved this book and there are great examples of kindness and friendship inside. Quaint pictures add to the delight of the book. I love the drawings of Mr. Whiskers!
One Wintry Night by Ruth Graham Bell shares the message of the Gospel. Lovely illustrations bring the story alive. Well, it is really two stories intertwined. We meet a mountain boy named Zeb who gets lost during a snowstorm. The kind lady, who takes him in and cares for him, tells him the story of Christmas, beginning with Creation. For two whole days while Zeb waits for the blizzard to end, he is immersed in the beautiful story of salvation. What a lovely book! This is a long one, though, and will require a long time to read it or two days of reading aloud.
Can't Wait Til Christmas! by Mike Huckabee is a brand new book by my favorite pastor-turned-politician, Mike Huckabee. When Mike was a boy, he would sneak a peek at all of his Christmas presents and wrap them back up. One year Mike didn't clean a muddy football before rewrapping it. This led to an important life lesson. This is a sweet story. These illustrations are adorable. I recommend this book for reading aloud. It is more geared to boys than most Christmas picture books!
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado. Is there a better story teller than Max Lucado? I'm just not sure if there is. Once again, Max tells a story that takes us in and delivers a clear Christian message. Joshua is a crippled lamb, left out by the other animals in the stable. But something significant will happen in the stable and Joshua's lameness will allow him to experience something amazing. This story is wonderful to listen to and the artwork is breathtaking. I would like to frame the illustrations and put them on my walls. Another excellent choice for December reading aloud!
The Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell Hunt is one of my very favorite stories in the whole world. This folktale is about 3 trees that have high hopes and ambitions. Things don't exactly turn out the way each tree hopes, but God ends up using them in ways they could never have imagined possible. This story will make you cry every time you read it aloud. Mrs. Hunt does an amazing job in retelling this old folk tale. The illustrations in this book are beautiful, but not my favorite because the colors are darker than most picture books. This doesn't mean that you and your children won't loike the illustrations.
The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg is an inspirational story of everyone's favorite Christmas candy, the candy cane. When a stranger moves into town and works on his new store building, Lucy and her friends hope that he will be a candy store owner. Find out who the stranger is and discover the meaning of the candy cane, shaped like a J (for Jesus!) and a shepherd's crook (for The Good Shepherd!). Learn more about the candy cane in this delightful story. This book is my very favorite for the illustrations. They are absolutely beautiful: whimiscal, wintry, and wonderful! Yes, I highly recommend this book too!
The Christmas Day Kitten by James Herriot is an old story, written by a British veterinarian. He tells the story of being called out to Mrs. Pickering's, not to care for her Basset hounds, as was the norm, but to help a sick cat deliver her little kitten. This is a wholesome tale that will take you to a simpler time and way of life. I love Heriot's animal stories! The illustrations match the tale so well. They are simple, yet lovely and full of love. There is not a Gospel message or clear telling of the Christmas story, but it is a delightful story just the same.
Well, that’s a sampling of what is available.
Well, that’s a sampling of what is available.
If you are interested in Christmas picture books and making Christmas cookies, check out my Christmas unit study, Celebrate Christmas with Cookies Unit Study.
This unit study turns December into a time of delight and celebration while you learn with your children. Each day you read a Christmas well-written, beautifully illustrated picture book and make a batch of cookies to give as gifts. Daily activities correspond to picture books.
Celebrate Christmas with Cookies Unit Study is available at Amazon. The E-book is available at PayHip.
Happy Reading Aloud this Christmas!
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)
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