Sunday, November 23, 2008

Christmas & Hanukkah: Book Lists & Book Reviews


I’ve started buying books for the holidays. In fact, I’ve already given some Christmas picture books I bought to a special young lady I know who just turned six years old. I’m planning to order some poetry books by Sherman Alexie for myself and a Fannie Farmer Cookbook for my daughter—because she keeps borrowing mine. Last week, I picked up two other cookbooks for my daughter and a copy of James Bamford’s The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America, which I hope to read in December or January.


(BTW, The young lady loved The Toot & Puddle book I'll Be Home for Christmas.)
In addition to my Buy Books for the Holidays: Book Lists post, which includes links to lots of recommended and notable book lists, here are links to some lists and reviews of Christmas and Hanukkah books you may want to get as holiday gifts for children.


HOLIDAY BOOKS FOR READING & GIFT GIVING

Recommended Reading from NYPL

From Kidsreads.com

My Reviews at Blue Rose Girls


Christmas Stories in Verse (Reviews of Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree; Santa’s Stuck; and Merry Christmas, Merry Crow)

Winter Lights & Christmas Trees (Reviews of Winter Lights: A Season in Poems & Quilts and A City Christmas Tree)

Review of The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes



My Reviews at Wild Rose Reader

Picture Book Review: Christmas Magic



at

11 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 24, 2008 at 8:36 AM

    Yay, holiday books. I buy one for each of the grandgirls each year. Love Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elaine MagliaroNovember 24, 2008 at 8:55 AM

    Jone,

    Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is one of my favorites, too. I bought four copies for my school library. Kids love the book!

    BTW, I heard the author of the book, Eric Kimmel, speak recently at the Keene State College Children's Literature in New Hampshire. He was great! His presentation was filled with funny stories and lots of humor.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Terry DohertyNovember 24, 2008 at 9:37 AM

    This will definitely get me in the holiday spirit! What a festive way to start Monday. Thanks, Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elaine MagliaroNovember 24, 2008 at 10:03 AM

    Terry,

    I could never have enough holiday books in my school library at this time of year. I thought I'd post the lists and reviews before Thanksgiving with the hope of helping people who might be looking for titles of some good Christmas and Hanukkah books to read to kids or to give as gifts this December.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Heidi RabinowitzNovember 24, 2008 at 1:13 PM

    Wow, this is a really comprehensive list! I wanted to mention that Eric Kimmel has created downloadable audiobooks for 3 of his Hanukkah stories. You can buy them on his website (like 99 cents each): Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, The Chanukah Guest, and The Magic Dreidels. It's www.ericakimmel.com, I believe.

    btw, early in December I'll be posting the Chanukah episode of The Book of Life podcast, which will include an interview with Sylvia Rouss - don't forget that Sammy Spider's first adventure was a Hanukkah story! 8 legs, 8 nights!

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownNovember 24, 2008 at 10:16 PM

    Check out these new Hanukkah books:

    Hanukkah Haiku by Harriet Ziefert - the illustrations are gorgeous!

    Harvest of Light by Allison Ofanansky - an interesting look at how a family in Israel harvests olives and uses the oil to light their menorah; with full-color photographs.

    Penina Levine Is a Potato Pancake by Rebecca O'Connell - a sequel to Penina Levine is a Hard-Boiled Egg, this is a fun, easy to read middle-grade chapter book.

    -- Rachel Kamin, Director of the Cultural & Learning Center at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, IL and Past Chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee of the Association of Jewish Libraries

    ReplyDelete
  7. Vivian MahoneyNovember 25, 2008 at 11:49 AM

    Great lists! Perfect for gift giving....

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jules at 7-ImpNovember 26, 2008 at 8:58 PM

    Thanks for this! I will use this at my next library trip.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Elaine MagliaroNovember 29, 2008 at 12:00 PM

    Heidi and Rachel,

    Thanks for the information. I was so busy with preparations for Thanksgiving, I haven't had time to respond to comments here. I do have HANUKKAH HAIKU and hope to write a review of it for Wild Rose Reader. And, yes, the illustrations are gorgeous!


    Vivian and Jules,

    Thanks for stopping by. I hope the book lists provide people with some good recommendations for holiday book buying.

    A belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

    ReplyDelete
  10. CharlotteDecember 3, 2008 at 9:49 AM

    By passing all the lovely children's books in favour of food--I quite like Fannie, but it's my mother's old, classic, hardcover Joy of Cooking that I covet!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Elaine MagliaroDecember 3, 2008 at 10:30 AM

    Charlotte,

    My daughter borrowed my copy of THE JOY OF COOKING, too--but she asked me if the Fannie Farmer book was still in print. She had found a number of great recipes in it. I have the 12th edition. What's available now is the 13th edition. I hope it includes those recipes she likes.

    ReplyDelete