You already know the story about Santa.
You know about his reindeer and his sleigh and the toys. You
know about Frosty, and Rudolph, and the elves. But what
about fairies, tubas, or construction equipment at
Christmastime? With these great picture books, you’ll learn
fast…
Everyone in Ava’s family played some sort of musical
instrument and so when it was time for Ava to decide what
she wanted to play, she knew immediately that she wanted
a tuba because nobody else was playing one. But in “The
Christmas Tuba” by Helen L. Wilbur, illustrated by Mary
Reaves Uhles, Ava learns that big instruments come with
big problems and she almost quits – until her music teacher,
Rodney, makes a big announcement.
In a few days, it’ll be Christmas everywhere. In
“Construction Site on Christmas Night” by Sherri Duskey
Rinker and Ag Ford, dump trucks, mixers, bulldozers,
excavators, and other equipment toil on a project that must
be done by the end of the year. Each machine does its job
perfectly and at the end of the night, there’s a reward:
each finds a special holiday thank-you for their hard work.
Of all the kids at Mary Fitzgerald Orphanage, Plum was the
smallest and the other kids never let her forget it. One
night, she was sent to bed early for something she didn’t
do, but Plum decided not to let her troubles spoil
Christmas. After making presents for all the kids in the
orphanage, she discovered a mysteriously wrapped gift with
her name on the tag. In “Plum: How the Sugar Plum
Fairy Got Her Wings” by Sean Hayes & Scott Icenogle,
illustrated by Robin Thompson, that led to a sweet
surprise.
If read-aloud time is important in your house, wouldn’t it
be great to have a holiday theme for the next few days? Of
course it would, and one of these fun books might be just
the thing to ho-ho-have.
With its Christmas concert theme, “A Tuba Christmas” is
perfect for 4-to-7-year-olds who love music and performing.
Be sure you’ve got your sound-effects voice warmed up,
because this book will be doubly fun if you play along.
Because just about every 2-to-5-year-old likes big machines,
“Construction Site on Christmas Night” takes the
“Construction Site” books to a natural holiday level with a
tale of hard work and giving. Here’s a hint: if your child
is on Christmas overload and can’t sleep, this book makes a
great bedtime story.
And finally, “Plum” is a just-right book for slightly older
children (5-to-7 years old) who still crave holiday
tradition in a read-aloud. It’s a cute story that, from an
adult’s perspective, is perhaps a bit too contrived; to
kids, though, it’s as fanciful and lovable as its ballet
namesake.
For the child who wants a Christmas story but the same old
tales need new sparkle, grab any of these three books. With
their holiday themes and cute illustrations (but not a word
about The Jolly Old Elf), you absolutely know your child
will love them.
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