Eight-year-old Robert is eager to share his wish list with Santa at the mall on Christmas Eve. When he meets Glenn, who only has one request for Santa, Robert is confused about what he should do. Can he cast aside what he wants and ask Santa to bring his new friend a special gift?
“5 Stars? An emphatic yes! Two thumbs up? No doubt!” ~ fundinmental
“Nicely illustrated, enjoyable story for readers of all ages.” ~ Jude, Amazon Reviewer
“It will remind you of the true meaning of Christmas…” ~ Ruth, Amazon Reviewer
After the war, factories began to make toys again, and Ellouise discovers a marvelous surprise when her parents take her to the city to see Santa Claus, a baby doll that opens and closes its eyes.
She tells everyone that she wants that baby doll from Santy Claus.
Then, she worries about Santa Claus being able to find her at her grandparents’. Will Ellouise get her baby doll from Santy Claus?
Joseph and his wife, Mary, expect a baby. With all that is happening, including the government requiring a census, Joseph feels a little overwhelmed and a bit left out of the preparations for the baby. Is there something he can do?
Merry Tilda discovers a small evergreen growing by her house. As years pass, the tree become larger and more important to her, her family, and her neighbors. She, with the help of grandchildren and their friends, decorates the tree each winter with goodies for the birds and animals. The tree becomes a winter fairy tale.
Christmas is the time for miracles, but sometimes, a child must make her own miracle, and one for her siblings.
Panther finds helping Katie and Emma decorate for Christmas fun.
However, Christmas morning brings a surprise. Katie and Emma love the surprise, but Panther doesn’t. It’s cold and wet and not fun, at least to him.
How does Katie help her cat adjust to a snowy Christmas?
Eight-year-old Robert is eager to share his wish list with Santa at the mall on Christmas Eve. When he meets Glenn, who only has one request for Santa, Robert is confused about what he should do. Can he cast aside what he wants and ask Santa to bring his new friend a special gift?
Eight-year-old Robert is eager to share his wish list with Santa at the mall on Christmas Eve. When he meets Glenn, who only has one request for Santa, Robert is confused about what he should do. Can he cast aside what he wants and ask Santa to bring his new friend a special gift?
Kindertransport by Kena Sosa is the touching story of a young Jewish girl in Germany who gets onboard the Kindertransport train headed for England.
In the days before the outbreak of World War II, Helen finds herself trapped inside her house. Unable to understand why her family’s life has changed so suddenly, she worries as Vater’s mood changes and Mutter pretends she doesn’t like eggs simply so Helen will have enough to eat. Then one day, Mutter tells her to pack her suitcase so she can ride a train that will bring her to England until the danger is over.
Sosa has done a fabulous job of bringing to life the experiences of so many Jewish children in the days before the war started. She captures the emotions, the frustrations, the uncertainty Helen feels as life has changed. I’m sure the interviews she conducted with Jewish survivors helped flesh out the details, and it is that research that allowed her to create such an incredible story. An afterword shares more about Kindertransport, and a list of materials used in the research for the book is included.
Accompanying Sosa’s moving text are the black and white illustrations by Jeanne Conway. The burning of Vater’s bookstore, how Helen clings to her bunny as she packs, and the hope Helen feels as she holds on to the ship’s railing on her way to England are all brought to life by Conway.
Kindertransport might be one of the most stirring books I read this year. I highly recommend it to readers everywhere.
Louie is back with another story in Louie Finds A Friend by Vivian Zabel.
Louie enjoys riding waves, but it is lonely without any friends. He plays with his cousins, but they don’t like riding waves. So, when Mr. and Mrs. Goose’s grandson, Gus, comes to live on their lake, Louie hopes Gus will like him even if he is different.
Zabel wrote the Louie the Duck stories for her grandchildren. Now, in published form, this sweet series shares the adventures of young Louie and his life on the lake. In Louie Finds A Friend, Gus comes to live with his grandparents and Louie is asked to be his friend. Louie is unsure if they will get along, especially because he likes to ride waves, unlike his cousins. What unfolds is a sweet story of friendship.
Jeanne Conway provides the artwork for Louie Finds A Friend and the other books in the Louie the Duck series. Colorful and filled with tons of detail, these illustrations are the perfect complement to Zabel’s story. From rolling waves to sandy shores to yellow and orange skies as the sun sets on the cove, young readers will be enchanted and turn page after page.
A charming story of making new friends awaits your young reader in Louie Finds A Friend.
I purchased a hardcover copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.
The Children's and Teens' Book Connection 