Seasonal Titles from 4RV Publishing

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?

Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: 4RV Children’s Corner (October 23, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1940310342
ISBN-13: 978-1940310343

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The narrator wonders, “Hundreds of tents are pitched in that field nearby. Why would anyone go camping on a winter day such as this?” So begins a night she and her stable mates would never forget. The words created by Jim Laughter and the illustrations that bring his words to life will be a book readers will not easily forget.

Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC (September 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0983274032

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A blind cat witnesses the first miracle.

Reading level: Ages 6-12
Paperback: 28 pages
Published: Nov. 12, 2009
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982588607
ISBN-13: 978-0982588604

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Christmas is the time for miracles, but sometimes, a child must make her own miracle, and one for her siblings.

Reading level: 4 – 8
Paperback: 24 pages
Published: September 1, 2011
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1-9832740-49

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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?

Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC (December 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0985266147
ISBN-13: 978-0985266141

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The First Christmas by Janice D. Green

Help your children prepare for their hearts for Jesus with The First Christmas by Janice D. Green.

Beautifully told and stunningly illustrated, The First Christmas tells the story of Christ’s miraculous birth. Each page in this wonderful book starts by sharing what transpired in Biblical times, followed by a short series of questions posed to young readers to help connect them to what happened thousands of years before they were born. One example is when the author is sharing the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The questions below the Biblical story read, “If someone told you a very old lady was going to have a baby, would you believe it? How do you think Zechariah told his wife about the angel’s message without talking?”

What a perfect way to make young people feel like part of that very first Christmas. Even more so when you give them a wonderful family activity to enjoy afterwards, like this book does.

Green teamed up with internationally published illustrator Violet Vandor for this story. I hope to see them work together again, as the colors Vandor chose are beautiful and she captures the emotions of all the characters–human and animal–so well.

The First Christmas by Janice D. Green is a special treasure that your family will want to read time and again.

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Honeycomb Adventures Press, LLc (June 25, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983680825
ISBN-13: 978-0983680826

I received an electronic copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Seasonal Stories with Great Messages

I received a box of books for Michael Neugebauer Publishing from their publicist. I’ve only had a chance to read a couple of them, but as soon as I did, I had to share them with you.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry with pictures by Sonja Danowski

This edition takes the classic story by O. Henry and sets it to beautiful artwork by Sonja Danowski. The oversized hardcover makes a perfect coffee table book. I usually display my seasonal titles throughout the house at Christmas time, so this one will prominently be displayed in the reading room.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, it goes something like this. Della and Jim are a young married couple who desire to give each other a special Christmas gift. After a year of scrimping and saving, Della discovers she has very little money to purchase a gift for Jim. But she soon comes up with an idea for how she can get enough money to buy him just what he needs, which leads to some surprises on Christmas Eve.

Keeping in mind that O. Henry lived from 1862-1910, the text is much more eloquent than one would expect of a picture book today. The author was also known for his wit and his wordplay, so some of the prose might not hit its mark with a younger audience. This would make a great read aloud for families.

ISBN-13: 9789888240579
Publisher: minedition
Publication date: 11/1/2013
Pages: 32
Ages 9 and up

The Message of the Birds by Kate Westerlund and illustrated by Feridun Oral

The Message of the Birds starts off with the old owl telling the story of the birth of a special child long ago in a stable, where all the animals hear the baby’s coos as a song of blessing and good will. The birds then ask why they don’t sing it anymore. After many possible reasons are given, the robin suggests sharing the message with the children. So the birds fly far and wide, telling every bird to share the message with every child, which the children then share with the world.

This is a touching story made lovelier by the stunning artwork of Feridun Oral. If you want to add meaning to your Christmas, this is great book to share with your family.

ISBN-13: 9789888240555
Publisher: minedition
Publication date: 11/1/2013
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 32
Age range: 3 – 5 Years

 

I received free copies of these books. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Prairie Christmas by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk

 A heartfelt story of the season can be found in Prairie Christmas by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk. Emma is disappointed when her mother, the town doctor, is called to deliver a baby on Christmas. Their plans are now ruined. She soon discovers Hansie and Will Van Der Meer’s plans have been changed too. They are missing their holiday and are anxious about the new baby’s arrival. Pushing her own feelings aside, Emma works to create a special Christmas that they will never forget.

There is so much to love about Prairie Christmas. From the touching storyline to the stunning artwork to the ability of the author to capture life in 1880’s Nebraska, this is a wonderful book. We find a modern woman as a trusted doctor. There is Emma, whose selflessness allows her to create a nice Christmas for the Van Der Meer children. There’s the down home feel of Christmas porridge,  decorating the Christmas tree, and concerned neighbors paying a visit.

Ronald Himler’s beautiful illustrations complement the author’s story in every way. The subtle warm colors make you think of home, and the gray, bleak snow pictures put you right on the early morning road between Emma’s house and the Van Der Meers’.

I highly recommend Prairie Christmas if you are looking for a meaningful unique seasonal story.

Rating:  🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

• Reading level:Ages 6 and up
• School & Library Binding:32 pages
• Publisher:Eerdmans Books for Young Readers; Library Binding edition (September 2006)
• Language:English
• ISBN-10:0802852807
• ISBN-13: 978-0802852809
• SRP: $17.00

I borrowed this book from our local library. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I wasn’t compensated in any way.

Picture Book Idea Month – Day 9

 

It’s Day 9 of Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo). Coordinated by Tara Lazar, this annual event asks writers to set a goal of coming up with 30 picture book ideas during the 30 days of November.

PICTURE BOOK IDEA #9: Concerned with how selfish and naughty the world’s children are behaving, Santa cancels Christmas. The uproar is heard in every village and every town. But one little boy named, Tommy, comes up with a plan to keep Christmas alive, which quickly spreads beyond his neighborhood. This would have to be handled in a humorous, but meaningful way, to show kids the important of thinking of others.