The Dragons Are Singing Tonight

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight
Written by: Jack Prelutsky
Illustrated by: Peter Sis

One of my sons and I really like picture book dragons. What's not to like about breathing fire? I have some favorite dragon books, like George the Dragon, and Herbert The Timid Dragon. I have run across some slightly odd dragon stories, like Hush, Little Dragon. (I had to read that book twice in a row I was so taken aback!) The Dragons Are Singing Tonight is different from the rest as it's a book of poems about dragons. I was thrilled to find this in my tiny rural library just down the road. This lovely little library appears to have about 10 poetry books, and this happens to be one of them, whichI think speaks well of the book. The poetry in The Dragons Are Singing Tonightis written by poetry man Jack Prelutsky himself. The illustrations by Peter Sis are very worthy, as you can see by the cover. I think you'll like this one whether you are a dragon-lover, poetry-lover, or neither!

Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve

Minverva Louise on Christmas Eve
By: Janet Morgan Stoeke

If you have not yet met Minerva Louise, I highly encourage you to do so soon. She is great! Minerva Louise is a pleasant, sweet, slightly dull, and very funny chicken who lives on a farm of course. She is always mistaking one thing for another, inspiring giggles along the way. In Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve this silly chicken just can't understand the farmer in the red hat. She tells him plainly to watch out or he will fall, but to no avail --he slips down the chimney! She decides to follow him and is amazed that there is a new tree inside the house, which must have gotten cold, and the white hen with wings on top must be the one who laid the beautiful colored eggs that adorn it! Minerva Louise has had about enough when she sees the farmer in the red hat putting his stuff in her people's socks, but in the end she is happy to get her own present, and enjoys it just as a sweet and silly chicken should.

Also try: Minerva Louise and the Red Truck or A Friend for Minerva Louise!

Bah! Humbug!

Bah! Humbug?
by Lorna and Lecia Balian

Has your older sibling ever tried to ruin your fun? If you have an older sibling --I would imagine so! The rotten older brother in Bah! Humbug? is set on proving to his faithful little sister that there is indeed NO Santa Claus. Of course that's not true, and Santa has a magical way of steering clear of all the very creative traps this brother has set. In this book there are moments where a picture is worth a thousand words!

I love this book as much as I love Humbug Witch! Author Lorna Balian knows how to make my kids and me smile. Before this book was back in print (with what look to be improved illustrations by Lecia) my mom went to great lengths to find a used copy for me, which I treasure. I hope you get a chance to read this story sometime, especially if you can do so with a child.

More Christmas books I'd like to read, or the woes of not having a large book store nearby:

A Pirate's Night Before Christmas

A New Improved Santa

The Night Before Christmas: Tenth Anniversary Edition

Claude the Dog: A Christmas Story

Drummer Boy
Mary Engelbreit's The Night Before Christmas
Has anybody read these? Loved them?

Peter Spier's Christmas

When I was a child my mother started a holiday tradition of giving each of her children a Christmas book. When I moved from home I had quite a collection, and thanks to my mom, it's still growing. One of the first books I received as a part of this tradition was Peter Spier's Christmas. It's still one of my favorites. I always love Peter Spier's books, and this one is no exception. This book is wordless, but don't worry --there is plenty to talk about! The pictures tell their own story and there are also plenty of details in the illustrations. This is a book you can look at for a long time with your child, but your children might end up doing that on their own!

Unfortunately this book appears to be out of print. It shouldn't be! Perhaps your library will still hold a copy.

A couple Christmas favorites my children enjoy that are still available are: Dream Snowby Eric Carle, and Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson. I would love to hear about your favorite Christmas books! Enjoy the season!

Books for Babies!

Dear Zoo: A Lift the Flap Book by Rod Campbell

When my oldest son was a baby we had a bedtime routine of reading the same books before he went to sleep. After reading the books I would kiss him good night and he would go right to sleep. Oh, if only every child was this easy! Routines are helpful for all babies and children, and so is reading, so perhaps that's where the bedtime story ritual comes in so handy. All three of my children enjoyed Dear Zoo when they were babies, and it's my all time favorite baby book. It has animals, flaps, simple brightly colored pictures, and repetition. What more can you ask for?

Other tried and true baby books from my house include (all in board book form of course): Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Baby Booky: Booky (Baby Booky) by Mary Engelbreit. If there's another baby in time I will have to add Tomie's Baa Baa Black Sheep since I am in love with it. What are your favorite baby books?