picture books

Picture Book Review: Snow Globe Wishes

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Snow Globe Wishes by Erin Dealey
Snow Globe Wishes
by Erin Dealey (Author), Claire Shorrock (Illustrations)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


When the biggest snowstorm of the year hits, one little girl is glad that there is no electricity, because it means that everyone will slow down and enjoy the snow. Her family eats dinner by candlelight, and snuggles together in front of the fire. They make a blanket fort, and sleep all together in one big mattress. The little girl makes a wish on a snowglobe, wishing for peace on earth. In the morning, all their neighbors come out to play in the snow and they join hands around a Christmas tree.

The focus in this book is about all kinds of people coming together in peace to enjoy the simple pleasures of life like playing in the snow. The mother and father in the story are a bi-racial couple. Their neighbors are all ages from babies to grandparents, and from many different races and cultural backgrounds. Even the cat and dog get along together and promote peace! Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Santa and the Goodnight Train

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Santa and the Goodnight Train by June Sobel
Santa and the Goodnight Train
by June Sobel , Laura Huliska-Beith 

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

The children are climbing aboard the GoodNight Train on their way to find Santa on Christmas Eve! The engine runs on cookies and makes a jingle jingle sound as it chugs along. The conductor makes sure everyone has their ticket, their PJs, and a snug blanket. The train whooshes past gingerbread houses, candy canes, squirrels celebrating Christmas with acorn gifts, and finally finds Santa counting sheep as the reindeer take a nap. “Wake up! Wake up!… Next stop: North Pole!”

The story is told is delightful rhyme. I really liked the writing, and the poetry has good rhymes and a lovely rhythm in the meter. It’s very easy to read out loud, and flows off the tongue smoothly. There are also places where onomatopoeia is used to mimic the train whistles, “Whoooo! Whoooo!” Those things would be fun to read aloud with a child! Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: ‘Twas an Evening in Bethlehem

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'Twas an Evening in Bethlehem by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt
‘Twas an Evening in Bethlehem
by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt (Author), Sierra Klein  (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

The child of an innkeeper in Bethlehem shows Mary and Joseph to the stable, bringing them some blankets and cleaning out the animals’ trough to be used as the manger for the baby. In the middle of the night, the child hears a baby crying and sneaks out to the stable to visit the Christ-child. Angels are singing in the heavens, a bright star shines over the stable, and local shepherds come to worship. The child is proud to be a part of the miracle of Jesus’ birth, and keeps the King close in their heart.

This book was so sweet and lovely that it actually made me cry while I was reading it! So adorable, it really touched my heart. Despite the simplicity of the story, it has deep spiritual undertones that are sure to speak to the reader in a profound way. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Do You See What I See…

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Do You See What I See... by Sandi Gore Evans
Do You See What I See…
by  Sandi Gore Evans, Amanda Evans

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

A little rabbit named Bun-Bun can’t sleep. She looks up to see a bright star moving through the sky and decides to follow it. She is joined by Happy the red bird, Baa-Baa the lamb, and a snowman with heart buttons. Together they follow the star through the forest and valleys until they arrive at a stable, where they worship the newborn King of Kings. But as they move into the stable, the snowman begins to melt in the warmer air! Can Bun-Bun save her snowman friend before he’s completely gone? Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Dasher

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Dasher by Matt Tavares
Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever
by Matt Tavares 

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Dasher and her reindeer family are prisoners at a traveling circus, and they tell stories about the cool snow and clear stars of the North Pole. Dasher daringly escapes and searches for the North Pole, using the North Star as her guide. She meets a man dressed in red, struggling to deliver toys to children with only one horse to pull his sleigh. Dasher agrees to help him deliver the toys, and wishes that her family could enjoy the beauty and freedom of the North Pole.

I loved this book! The story is sweet and touching, and the illustrations are beautiful!
Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Santa’s Secret

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Santa's Secret by Denise Brennan-Nelson
Santa’s Secret
by Denise Brennan-Nelson,  Deborah Melmon (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

One little girl is on a mission to discover who Santa really is. Is it the Santa in the mall, the Santa from the Christmas Parade, or the Santa with a bell and a donation bucket? Or could it be a bearded old man in a coffee shop? With notebook and pencil, she asks penetrating questions as she sleuths around to find the answers. Can she crack the case and discover the REAL Santa?

The illustrations are colorful and festive, with a charming pencil style. The background of each page has interesting details that add to the story. For instance, the Santa in the mall has “Peppermint Beard Oil” stashed behind his Santa chair, along with a book about “How to be a Good Listener” and a toy catalog. So cute! Those details really make this story special. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play

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Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play by Candlewick Press
Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play
by Candlewick Press

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Peppa and her school class are planning their Christmas play. Peppa wants to be a Christmas fairy in the play, and she invites Santa to attend at the school along with all the parents. But Santa is very busy. The schoolmates see him at malls, grocery stores, garden centers, and even at the tree shop. Peppa is sure he will be able to come to their school play, but Madame Gazelle, their teacher, warns Peppa that Santa might not come. The show must go on, even if Santa doesn’t make an appearance.

This adorable picture book has a simple storyline perfect for little children. The writing is easy to read and excellent for beginning readers.

The first part of the story describes what each of the schoolmates will be for the school play, and all the animals prepare their costumes as snowflakes, reindeer, elves, a Christmas tree, and a Christmas star. Suzy Sheep wants to be a Christmas nurse, so she can doctor anyone who is sick at the play! It’s so cute! Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Wishing You Blessings from A to Z

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Wishing You...Blessings from A to Z by Sandi Gore Evans
Wishing You…Blessings from A to Z
by Sandi Gore Evans

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This Christmas book goes from A to Z as snowmen characters demonstrate the joys and delights of Christmas. A is the “aroma of a warm cup of cocoa,” while C is for the “cookies, candy, and snow cones shared with a friend”, and I is for the “incredible snowflakes”. Each page features snowmen and snow-women singing carols, toasting marshmallows, putting on mittens and scarves, and decorating their Christmas trees.

The artwork is adorable! Such cute little snowmen in sweet hats and coats with lots of Christmas decorations around them. The colors are very festive! But a couple of the illustrations are used twice, and XYZ are lumped together on one page with “Yuletide blessings” making do for all three letters. Continue reading →

Board Book Review: All Around Bustletown: Winter

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All Around Bustletown by Rotraut Susanne Berner
All Around Bustletown: Winter
by Rotraut Susanne Berner

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Everywhere in Bustletown people are getting things done, going to their piano lessons, doing their shopping, finding lost objects, buying a Christmas tree, skating on the pond, getting their car repaired, and tending to the animals. Everywhere you look there is something interesting happening and a story line to follow!

I love the colorful and detailed illustrations! Each page is beautifully drawn with fun little details to draw the reader in. I’m 37 years old, and I was fascinated with each beautiful scene!

It’s so fun to search for people in the hustle and bustle of the scenery and follow them from page to page as their little story unfolds.

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Little Robin’s Christmas

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Little Robin's Christmas by Jan Fearnley
Little Robin’s Christmas
by Jan Fearnley

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Little Robin has seven beautiful vests to keep him warm in the winter, but he gives them away to animals who are freezing in the snow, until on Christmas Eve he only has one vest left. He meets a lonely mouse who is shivering in the cold, and gives away his last vest. Now Little Robin will be frozen, unless a certain jolly fellow in a red coat can find this generous bird and give him the most precious Christmas gift of all.

Little Robin is such a sweet and generous little guy! He meets a lot of different animals struggling to stay warm in the snow and ice of the winter, and thoughtfully offers them a knitted vest to keep them warm and cozy. Continue reading →