Celebrate the Holidays - with Books

Celebrate the Holidays - with Books

Third Sunday in September
Grandparents Day is celebrated the third Sunday of September - find some great books to celebrate with this focus at: Mcbookwords Blogspot. (2020, August 10). Grandparents Day.  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/grandparentsday-books

September - Rosh Hashanah

The publisher summarizes this book as: Rabbi Benjamin loves his congregation, and they love him. That's why on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the Rabbi's congregation presents him with a special holiday vest with four silver buttons and decorated with designs symbolizing the major holidays celebrated throughout the year. Rabbi Benjamin loves it! He also loves all the holiday treats that his families proudly fill him with-including delicious, crispy latkes; scrumptious matzoh-ball soup; irresistible apple torte; and honey cake.
As the year passes, Rabbi Benjamin's beautiful vest stretches tighter and tighter across his belly, and one by one the shiny silver buttons pop!-pop!-pop! off. When summer comes, Rabbi helps his congregation with their gardening, with the hiding of Chanukah presents, with the apple picking, and the fishing. Will all this hard work help Rabbi fit into his beautiful vest when Rosh Hashanah rolls around again?  
This book marks time by referencing Jewish holidays but the plot is one that will resonate with many readers the year around.

October 31 Fall Harvest and Halloween
Two blog posts that will be fun to share:
Fankenstein and Madeline.  McBookwords http://bit.ly/frankenstein_madeline

and 
Fall Harvest  
Apples for Everyone by Jill Esbaum (an Iowa Author),
National Geographic Children's Books, 2009. and the Pumpkin
Book by Gail Gibbons  (Holiday House, 1999) 

November 26
National Cake Day
Read The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman
Miss Rabbit's carrot cake has gone missing and food detectives Wilcox and Griswold are on the case.
 Watch Wanda Slykes read the book on Storyline Online
Access a Core Curriculum correlated book guide here (pdf).

November 29
Native American Heritage DayRead Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith - and for other great books download this pdf of recommendations from First Nations.

And don't miss exploring the publications in the coming year that will be released by Heartdrum, a new Native-focused imprint from HarperCollins, led by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek).

Thanksgiving Day Read Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano Watch Marc Maron read the book on Storytime Online.  View the activity guide here. Or read my favorite - Thanksgiving at the Tappleton's by Eileen Spinelli -- It seems as if EVERYTHING is going wrong, including Thanksgiving dinner.  A guide is available from Reading Is Fundamental (pdf).

December 9 - National Pastry Day

Eat a doughnut or two and listen to Chris O'Dowd read Arnie and the Doughnut on Storyline Online.  View the activity guide here. And if you are an adult and you want to learn how to make doughnuts to share with young readers learn how to make doughnuts here.

Winter Solstice   Al Gore reads Brave Irene by William Steig .  Plucky Irene, a dressmaker's daughter, braves a fierce snowstorm to deliver a new gown to the duchess in time for the ball. View the activity guide here.  Or read the Spanish edition: Irene valientemente se enfrenta a una nevada para entregar el traje que su madre ha creado para la Duquesa. Aunque se encuentra con un peligro terrible, al final todo vale la pena. I also love this book featuring the folktale about a mitten - The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth. Compare and contrast Jim Aylesworth's version of the tale to other versions of the tale: Brett,  Jan.  The Mitten. Putnam, 1989. Animals included in this retelling: mole, rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox, and bear. Tresselt, Alvin.  The Mitten. Lothrop, 1964. Animals included in this retellling: a little mouse, a green frog, an owl, a rabbit, a fox, a wolf, a wild boar, and a bear Aylesworth, Jim.  The Mitten. Scholastic, 2009. Animals included in this retelling: squirrel, rabbit, fox, bear, and finally a tiny mouse. Ask readers to think about their own story of the mitten and to retell that version in either written form or as an oral tale retold in an audio recording, video recording, or in a written form. Discuss activities to do on a snowy day -- while drinking hot cocoa (recipe for hot cocoa included.) Discuss the size of the animals and how likely it is that the animals could fit into a  normal sized mitten, glove,  or even a hat. Discuss how the plot of The Mitten is similar to or different from either of these tales: One-Dog Canoe by Mary Casanova Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen Mr. Gumpy's Outing by John Burningham Hanukkah Hanukkah is like nowhere like it is in Alaska.  Hear Molly Ephraim read Hanukkah in Alaska by Barbara Brown.  While a moose finds his way into their backyard, a young girl tries to entice him to leave - but nothing helps until Hanukkah arrives. View the activity guide here

Christmas A true story of Christmas giving is embedded in the Grimm Brothers tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker.  In this retelling by Jim LaMarche, the shoemaker is on the receiving end of the Elves good deeds - but in true Christmas spirit the shoemaker and his wife find good deeds of their own to share.  Listen to Chrissy Metz read The Elves and the Shoemaker.  View the activity guide here. December 31 Henri Matisse's Birthday Share Eric Close's reading of  When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden.  View the activity guide here. But older readers will LOVE this picture book by Tomie dePaola that captures the essence of great figures in the art world - This review from Publishers Weekly will provide insight into this delightful title. "When Uncle Satie, a debonair cat-about-town, comes to visit his niece and nephew, he regales the youngsters with tales of his escapades in Gay Paree. Satie ran with quite a crowd, it seems--numbering among his friends and acquaintances Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas and a host of others. (A key on the back flap identifies, rather coyly, the array of dazzling guests pictured at one of Stein's salons--Zelda F., Josephine B., James J., Isadora D. and Ernest H. Children will certainly not know--and may not care about--their famous surnames.) When a fight erupts over whether Pablo or Henri (Picasso and Matisse) is the greater artist, Satie is chosen to referee. The story, with its gentle message of individual merit and the folly of trying to judge apples against oranges, has a certain charm. The subtle shadings of dePaola's illustrations, too, are executed with considerable elan. Most of the references to the '20s and '30s notables, however, as well as the visual puns (Satie as Picasso's Blue Nude ), are aimed at a more sophisticated audience, and may go over the heads of puzzled readers. "   Bonjour Mr. Satie is worth a search in used book stores and libraries.  It is a classic to share.

Happy New Year -