Welcome to the 2012 Book Lovers' Advent Calendar. In 2012, I roamed bookstores, libraries, and catalogs to bring you the latest fabulous Christmas-y stories for youngsters and oldsters. Although many of the books on this list were new to me, I also included several old favorites.
I have provided links for each of the titles on the list; except where noted the link will take you to the Amazon page for that book. Please know that I do not make any money or get in good with Jeff Bezos if you buy a book using any of these links -- I just figure it is an easy way to connect you to an easy way to get the book!
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DECEMBER 1
A Bad Kitty Christmas made me laugh out loud, right there in the aisle at Target. "T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the city / not a creature was stirring, except for Bad Kitty." So stinkin' cute! Bad Kitty learns that things are not what Christmas is about -- and a family gains a friend in the bargain.
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DECEMBER 2
Christmas Day in the Morning is a wonderful old Christmas story, written and originally published in 1955; it has been newly re-published with lovely illustrations. Pearl S. Buck (whom most of us met through her classic novel, The Good Earth) offers a simply and beautifully written story about Rob, a fifteen-year-old farm boy, who overhears his father saying how much he hates to have to wake his sleeping son to help with the many daily chores on the farm. Rob decides that his Christmas gift to his dad will be to complete his biggest tasks for him, on Christmas morning. The descriptions of the farm, and the simple and haunting language of the story are wonderful. This story makes me happy because it is a kind of call back to similar sections of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy -- another favorite at my house.
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DECEMBER 3
Christmastime, by Alison Jay, is a charming picture book that uses several specific emblems of Christmas to draw us into the story, as we encounter heart-warming scenes from the North Pole. This book's intricate illustrations will intrigue even pre-readers, and each page includes secret clues and references to our favorite carols. A fabulous find!
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DECEMBER 4
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This little rhyming book, Who Is Coming to Our House?, is a sweetly illustrated story of the animals' preparations for the guest who will soon arrive. Mary and Joseph are on their way, and will soon need a place to sleep. All the animals hurry to tidy their home for their special guests.
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DECEMBER 5
Behind today's Advent calendar door we find a cute little wordless book, Red Sled. The youngest readers can follow along as all sorts of woodlands creatures take a small child's sled for a nighttime adventure. The watercolor illustrations are great -- and I love the expressions on the animals' faces!
Around here in December, you know we are saying, "Come on, Big Snow!" So this is a book that makes us happy.
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DECEMBER 6
On the Feast of St. Nicholas, what could be a better book to read with your family than J.R.R. Tolkien's Letters From Father Christmas? Tolkien (yes -- that Tolkien) delivered these letters to his children on behalf of Father Christmas, every year from 1920 through 1943.
The hand-written letters came with North Pole stamps, and illustrations to accompany Father Christmas's descriptions of life at the North Pole. In his letters, Father Christmas mentions other inhabitants of the North Pole, like the North Polar Bear (in 1926, Father Christmas complains that the Bear has eaten "quite a lot of my Christmas chocolates"), as well as helper elves and wicked goblins. The intricate detail of the illustrations is just lovely, and the commentaries on the happenings of the world have a bittersweet flavor that is quite moving: in 1939, for example, Father Christmas notes, "things are very difficult this year owing to this horrible war. Many of my messengers have never come back."
This book makes me sigh with happiness, no lie. What a treasure these letters must have been to Tolkien's children!
HERE is a link to a slideshow of several of the illustrations. Enjoy!
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DECEMBER 7
I loved this story! In Christmas Farm, Wilma decides to grow a new kind of garden, and with the help of her five-year-old neighbor, Parker, begins a Christmas tree farm. We read along as, using string, shovels, and sixty-two dozen balsam seedlings, the two friends plant the beginnings of their farm. As the trees grow over the next five years, so does Parker. When both the trees and the boy are ten years old, it is finally time! The trees are ready to be sold to families who want fresh and beautiful Christmas evergreens. The illustrations are so detailed and serenely pretty -- any young one will have such fun exploring the pages as the story is read aloud, or poring over them alone to find new surprises on every page.
A great find -- I wish I had known about it when my urchins were younger!
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DECEMBER 8
Well, so this book has always been in my family's basket of Christmas stories, even though to some its connection to the Advent and Christmas season might seem a little tenuous. But bear with me! The story of The Painter's Cat concerns Micio, the spoiled kitty who belongs to an Italian painter. Micio is a little miffed when his owner ignores him in order to concentrate on a painting. Micio decides to head out on his own, but soon realizes that he misses the life of an artist's cat. When he returns home, he discovers that he has been given a prominent place in his owner's painting -- his owner must have missed him, too!
Our cat-loving family was tickled by this kitty's-eye view of the creation of a real Renaissance painting: Micio takes center stage in Lorenzo Lotto's The Annunciation. And that's where the Advent part comes in; this painting depicts the moment when Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel, who tells her what God asks of her.
Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favor. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end. (Luke 1: 30-33)
See! That's pretty Christmas-y!
Our copy of this gorgeously illustrated storybook came from the sunny girl's godmother. We have loved it ever since -- and every time we read it, we think of our dear Lou. So that makes it double fabulous! [NOTE: The link will take you to ABEBooks.com -- a fabulous site for used books.]
DECEMBER 9
DECEMBER 10
Today behind the door of our Advent calendar we find a short story by Damon Runyon -- "Dancing Dan's Christmas." It is included in Guys and Dolls: The Short Stories of Damon Runyon -- which is, tragically, out of print. A link to the text of the story can be found here. Anyone who has loved Runyon's tales of Sky Masterson and Miss Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit and Nicely-Nicely Jones, will get a kick out of this gasser of a story.
We meet Dancing Dan and his pals as they toast the season on Christmas Eve with quite a few "hot Tom and Jerrys" -- which sounds like a mistake, since a Tom and Jerry is a festive kind of egg-noggy concoction that has both rum and brandy, along with various spices. I found a recipe here for the brave among you (I would include The Mother but I suspect she already knows how to make a mean Tom and Jerry).
Capers and shenanigans ensue, as they always do in a Runyon story, and the surprise ending is quite happy-making. This would be a great read-aloud story, especially if you have someone in your family who can put on a fun Sopranos-esque gangter/hoodlum accent.
NOTE: I don't know that small children will find this story as hilarious as teenagers and adults will. But hey -- if you have a five-year-old who aspires to be a professional gambler, read this to her so she can be inspired.
DECEMBER 11
As Hanukkah progresses, I have found a fabulous collection of stories, written by Nobel Prize laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer. There are eight sweet stories collected in The Power of Light -- one for each night of Hanukkah. This is a great read-aloud collection!
DECEMBER 12
Well, I mean -- what kind of Advent book selection did you expect on the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year?
You know, of course, that the twelve days of Christmas are actually the days from December 25 to January 6, when the western church celebrates Epiphany or Three Kings Day.
But on December 12, 2012, all those freaking twelves had been calling to me all day.
DECEMBER 13
December 13 is St. Lucy's Day, or the Feast of St. Lucia, if you want to get all formal about it. A very cool tradition of St. Lucy's Day (most often observed in Scandinavian countries, or in families with a northern European heritage, or in families that have a daughter named Lucy!) is that the oldest daughter of the family brings a breakfast of coffee and St. Lucia buns to her parents; she traditionally dresses in a white gown and wears a wreath of candles on her head. This would end in disaster in my house . . . . The tradition allows the other daughters to help their older sister, but they carry a single candle. Here's a link to a recipe for the buns, which are quite tasty!
tangent: The buns have a figure eight shape, with raisins or currants placed in the centers of the circles; they're supposed to look just the littlest bit like two eyes. This, of course, is to commemorate the legend that St. Lucia had her eyeballs plucked out (or maybe plucked them out herself?) because she wanted to keep her virginity and so refused to marry a wicked pagan suitor. Love the creepy Christian martyr traditions . . . . Fa la la la la, la la la la!
[The Advent calendar entry for this day was written by the fifteen-year-old sunny girl.]
I'm breaking the rules and choosing a repeat book because tonight it's my night and I want to I really feel like this story really embodies the Christmas spirit. A New Coat for Anna is about a young girl named Anna who needs a new coat for the winter, because she has outgrown her old one.
This proves to be more of a challenge than one would expect. See, Anna and her mother live in post-WWII Europe, and (like all of their neighbors) have no money to spare. So, over the course of a year, you follow the process of her mother bartering away all their valuable possessions and this village coming together to do this thing for a young girl.
What I love most about this book is that there are two different perspectives to read it from, and both end in the same heartwarming conclusion. As a young child it's just a really cool story about this girl and her mom doing a bunch of really cool things to get a coat. When you read it as a more mature person, it's kind of heartbreaking. Her mother is forced to barter off all their lovely heirlooms for this one basic thing she should, in any other circumstance, be able to get without a moment's hesitation. And the townspeople are forced to take her things, because it's very clear none of these people have any money after the war. Either way you read it, you end up with the same story -- a village coming together and overcoming hardship to make a little girl's life a little bit easier. And that's what I really love about this story. And that's what I really want all of you to take away this Advent season!
DECEMBER 16
[This blog post was originally written right after the horrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School -- a time when it was hard for many of us to see the Light.]
And as we prepare for Christmas, we are really preparing for the Incarnation -- the coming of the Light of Christ into a dark and weary world. So today I chose this beautiful book to share with you during our Advent -- our time of preparation. The First Christmas uses the Nativity stories from the Gospels according to St. Luke and St. Matthew as its text, drawing from the gorgeous language of the King James translation. The artwork really helps you focus on the interplay of light and dark, with intricate silhouette designs and silvery inks. It's a lovely book to read as we ready ourselves for the birth of the Light of the World.
DECEMBER 17
Our Advent calendar reveals this fun book behind today's door. Inside are actual letters that can be opened and read, as the Jolly Postman tells about all the different storybook characters who have written letters to Santa. Kids will also enjoy the games and puzzles that are part of the story.
DECEMBER 18
Today the calendar door opened to show us The Nativity, with illustrations by Ruth Sanderson. The text comes from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, but the lush pictures are so gorgeous! This is a great way to share the true Christmas story!
DECEMBER 19
A day when we were wishing for snow around here, with very little hope of getting any, was a perfect day for Snowmen at Christmas. This cute book shows us what snowmen do at night during the Christmas season -- while we are all asleep. This is a holiday-themed sequel to Snowmen at Night, which may be a fun choice for families that do not celebrate Christmas, but who still wonder -- what do snowmen do at night??
DECEMBER 20
Ten on the Sled is a terrific winter-themed counting book. The illustrations are so funny as they show us exactly why it is not a good idea to put ten friends on one sled!
DECEMBER 21
The Advent calendar door today and I was delighted to find A Bit of Applause for Mrs. Claus, because I've always thought she doesn't get enough credit. To tell the truth, I kind of identify with Santa's wife, who keeps things running smoothly at the North Pole while Santa gets all the glory.
DECEMBER 22
Here is another of Tomie de Paola's wonderful Christmas stories. He has written and illustrated so many that it would be hard to choose a favorite, but The Birds of Bethlehem is absolutely one to treasure. In this tale, the birds of the little town gather for breakfast and discuss all of the unusual happenings: so many visitors! And a star shining brightly in the night sky; and angels singing to the shepherds. What can it all mean? This is a great read-aloud book!
DECEMBER 23
Here is a fabulous new book that I suspect will become a classic. It's beautiful, and full of love and mystery and Santa! The Lost Christmas Gift presents itself as a package that the adult narrator receives after it has been missing for years. The storytelling is multi-layered, as we read the letters that the narrator should have received from his dad when he was a boy, along with his father's drawings depicting their adventure. We also read the adult narrator's musings about his memories of that adventure. It's wonderful!
DECEMBER 24
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DECEMBER 9
This book is a lushly illustrated poem version of a very old Christmas carol. The Animals' Christmas Carol is based on the medieval song, "The Friendly Beasts" --
Each of the stable animals reports a gift presented to the beloved Christ Child. In her poem based on the carol, the author expands the traditional list of animals to include a lion and a peacock, among others:Jesus, our brother, kind and good,Was humbly born in a stable rude --And the friendly beasts around him stood,Jesus, our brother, kind and good.
"I," said the dog, all black and white,And the illustrations! Heart-wrenchingly beautiful!
"I brought the sheep down from the hill tonight,
So the shepherds might follow your shining light,
I," said the dog, all black and white.
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DECEMBER 10
Today behind the door of our Advent calendar we find a short story by Damon Runyon -- "Dancing Dan's Christmas." It is included in Guys and Dolls: The Short Stories of Damon Runyon -- which is, tragically, out of print. A link to the text of the story can be found here. Anyone who has loved Runyon's tales of Sky Masterson and Miss Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit and Nicely-Nicely Jones, will get a kick out of this gasser of a story.
We meet Dancing Dan and his pals as they toast the season on Christmas Eve with quite a few "hot Tom and Jerrys" -- which sounds like a mistake, since a Tom and Jerry is a festive kind of egg-noggy concoction that has both rum and brandy, along with various spices. I found a recipe here for the brave among you (I would include The Mother but I suspect she already knows how to make a mean Tom and Jerry).
Capers and shenanigans ensue, as they always do in a Runyon story, and the surprise ending is quite happy-making. This would be a great read-aloud story, especially if you have someone in your family who can put on a fun Sopranos-esque gangter/hoodlum accent.
NOTE: I don't know that small children will find this story as hilarious as teenagers and adults will. But hey -- if you have a five-year-old who aspires to be a professional gambler, read this to her so she can be inspired.
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 11
As Hanukkah progresses, I have found a fabulous collection of stories, written by Nobel Prize laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer. There are eight sweet stories collected in The Power of Light -- one for each night of Hanukkah. This is a great read-aloud collection!
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 12
Well, I mean -- what kind of Advent book selection did you expect on the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year?
You know, of course, that the twelve days of Christmas are actually the days from December 25 to January 6, when the western church celebrates Epiphany or Three Kings Day.
But on December 12, 2012, all those freaking twelves had been calling to me all day.
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DECEMBER 13
December 13 is St. Lucy's Day, or the Feast of St. Lucia, if you want to get all formal about it. A very cool tradition of St. Lucy's Day (most often observed in Scandinavian countries, or in families with a northern European heritage, or in families that have a daughter named Lucy!) is that the oldest daughter of the family brings a breakfast of coffee and St. Lucia buns to her parents; she traditionally dresses in a white gown and wears a wreath of candles on her head. This would end in disaster in my house . . . . The tradition allows the other daughters to help their older sister, but they carry a single candle. Here's a link to a recipe for the buns, which are quite tasty!
tangent: The buns have a figure eight shape, with raisins or currants placed in the centers of the circles; they're supposed to look just the littlest bit like two eyes. This, of course, is to commemorate the legend that St. Lucia had her eyeballs plucked out (or maybe plucked them out herself?) because she wanted to keep her virginity and so refused to marry a wicked pagan suitor. Love the creepy Christian martyr traditions . . . . Fa la la la la, la la la la!
So behind today's Advent calendar door, we find a book about St. Lucia herself. The fun thing about this book is that it follows the story of a modern family that keeps the St. Lucy's Day customs, and at the same time it tells the story of the saint's life. A two-fer!
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DECEMBER 14
Today, the Advent calendar shows us a book that my family has loved forever. The Cranberry books tell about the small town adventures of a group of friends who live in Cranberryport, Maine. In Cranberry Christmas, the friends are worried that they will not be able to ice skate on Christmas Day -- one of their favorite traditions. Thank goodness, Mr. Whiskers finds an unexpected way! All of the Cranberryport books have a seasonal or holiday theme -- Cranberry Summer, Cranberry Thanksgiving, Cranberry Birthday . . . . They're all great! The Devlins also wrote one of my childhood favorites, Old Black Witch, set around -- you guessed it -- Halloween.
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DECEMBER 15
[The Advent calendar entry for this day was written by the fifteen-year-old sunny girl.]
I'm breaking the rules and choosing a repeat book because
This proves to be more of a challenge than one would expect. See, Anna and her mother live in post-WWII Europe, and (like all of their neighbors) have no money to spare. So, over the course of a year, you follow the process of her mother bartering away all their valuable possessions and this village coming together to do this thing for a young girl.
What I love most about this book is that there are two different perspectives to read it from, and both end in the same heartwarming conclusion. As a young child it's just a really cool story about this girl and her mom doing a bunch of really cool things to get a coat. When you read it as a more mature person, it's kind of heartbreaking. Her mother is forced to barter off all their lovely heirlooms for this one basic thing she should, in any other circumstance, be able to get without a moment's hesitation. And the townspeople are forced to take her things, because it's very clear none of these people have any money after the war. Either way you read it, you end up with the same story -- a village coming together and overcoming hardship to make a little girl's life a little bit easier. And that's what I really love about this story. And that's what I really want all of you to take away this Advent season!
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 16
[This blog post was originally written right after the horrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School -- a time when it was hard for many of us to see the Light.]
And as we prepare for Christmas, we are really preparing for the Incarnation -- the coming of the Light of Christ into a dark and weary world. So today I chose this beautiful book to share with you during our Advent -- our time of preparation. The First Christmas uses the Nativity stories from the Gospels according to St. Luke and St. Matthew as its text, drawing from the gorgeous language of the King James translation. The artwork really helps you focus on the interplay of light and dark, with intricate silhouette designs and silvery inks. It's a lovely book to read as we ready ourselves for the birth of the Light of the World.
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 17
Our Advent calendar reveals this fun book behind today's door. Inside are actual letters that can be opened and read, as the Jolly Postman tells about all the different storybook characters who have written letters to Santa. Kids will also enjoy the games and puzzles that are part of the story.
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 18
Today the calendar door opened to show us The Nativity, with illustrations by Ruth Sanderson. The text comes from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, but the lush pictures are so gorgeous! This is a great way to share the true Christmas story!
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 19
A day when we were wishing for snow around here, with very little hope of getting any, was a perfect day for Snowmen at Christmas. This cute book shows us what snowmen do at night during the Christmas season -- while we are all asleep. This is a holiday-themed sequel to Snowmen at Night, which may be a fun choice for families that do not celebrate Christmas, but who still wonder -- what do snowmen do at night??
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 20
Ten on the Sled is a terrific winter-themed counting book. The illustrations are so funny as they show us exactly why it is not a good idea to put ten friends on one sled!
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 21
The Advent calendar door today and I was delighted to find A Bit of Applause for Mrs. Claus, because I've always thought she doesn't get enough credit. To tell the truth, I kind of identify with Santa's wife, who keeps things running smoothly at the North Pole while Santa gets all the glory.
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DECEMBER 22
Here is another of Tomie de Paola's wonderful Christmas stories. He has written and illustrated so many that it would be hard to choose a favorite, but The Birds of Bethlehem is absolutely one to treasure. In this tale, the birds of the little town gather for breakfast and discuss all of the unusual happenings: so many visitors! And a star shining brightly in the night sky; and angels singing to the shepherds. What can it all mean? This is a great read-aloud book!
+ + + + + + +
DECEMBER 23
Here is a fabulous new book that I suspect will become a classic. It's beautiful, and full of love and mystery and Santa! The Lost Christmas Gift presents itself as a package that the adult narrator receives after it has been missing for years. The storytelling is multi-layered, as we read the letters that the narrator should have received from his dad when he was a boy, along with his father's drawings depicting their adventure. We also read the adult narrator's musings about his memories of that adventure. It's wonderful!
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DECEMBER 24
"And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14 - See more at: http://twenty-firstcenturyhousewife.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-book-lovers-advent-calendar-christmas.html#sthash.UTDa77Br.dpuf
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14 - See more at: http://twenty-firstcenturyhousewife.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-book-lovers-advent-calendar-christmas.html#sthash.UTDa77Br.dpuf
"And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14
- See more at:
http://twenty-firstcenturyhousewife.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-book-lovers-advent-calendar-christmas.html#sthash.UTDa77Br.dpuf
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14
Happy Christmas, friends!
"And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14
- See more at:
http://twenty-firstcenturyhousewife.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-book-lovers-advent-calendar-christmas.html#sthash.UTDa77Br.dpuf
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14
Happy Christmas, friends!
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."
-- Luke 2: 8-14
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