Hey, You’re Not Santa!
Author: Ethan T. Berlin
Illustrator: Ethan T. Berlin
Summary: Santa recruits a very helpful cow to take his place while he has to make a quick trip back to the North Pole for some forgotten gifts. Will Cow be able to fool a very savvy young man waiting for Santa?
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: Santa forgets a gift and recruits Cow to fill in for him. This story plays on the theme of helpfulness, how Cow, totally unqualified, goes to great lengths to be as helpful as he can to preserve the magic of Christmas for this kid!
Extension Activities: Let students write a persuasive letter or short story arguing what an unlikely character (e.g., a cow, a dog, a principal) should dress up as if they had to fill in for Santa. Have them illustrate their character and create a class book! If kids need help with drawing Santa, choose the link below! Click here!
Mistletoe: A Christmas Story
Author: Tad Hills
Illustrator: Tad Hills
Summary: Mistletoe mouse wants to share the joy of a snowy Christmas with Norwell the elephant, her best friend. But Norwell does not like the cold and wants to stay inside. How can Mistletoe and Norwell share the holiday together?
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: This book highlights a sweet mouse who thoughtfully creates a gift that will be something his friend will be able to use and appreciate. Have a conversation with kids about thinking about careful gift giving..how can those gifts benefit others?
Extension Activities: Norwell wants to be warm and toasty. Have kids brainstorm a list of things that would keep them warm and toasty, too. Teach older kids basic knitting or finger-knitting with yarn to create simple scarves or small blankets. For younger children, use yarn scraps to decorate a drawn outline of a scarf for a paper Norwell, or wrap yarn around a small cardboard shape.
Kugel for Hanukkah?
Author: Gretchen M. Everin
Illustrator: Rebecca Ashdown
Summary: Hanukkah has begun! A young girl begins to receive strange gifts each night that she cant quite understand and her Grandmother receives ingredients for a kugel. Hopefully, the mysterious gifts will be explained on the last day of gift giving!
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: The book portrays the joy of Hanukkah through a family's traditions, like lighting the menorah and eating latkes. The final act of making kugel from the grandmother's gifts shows how a family can create a special tradition and a delicious treat from what they have.
Extension Activities: As you read the book, have children guess what the unusual items (a metal lamp, a spray bottle, etc.) will eventually be used for (a pet iguana's supplies). Create a craft project related to pets, such as drawing or coloring pictures of their favorite animals, as the main character in the book really wants a pet. Use the cranberry chocolate chip kugel recipe included in the book to make the dish that Grandma prepares. Choose the link below to learn more about the traditions of Hanukkah. Click here!
La Noche Before Three Kings Day
Author: Sheila Colon-Bagley
Illustrator: Alejandro Mesa
Summary: This bilingual book tells the story of a family preparing for the arrival of the Three Kings on the night before el Día de los Reyes Magos, which happens on January 6th.
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: In this fun retelling of "The Night Before Christmas", traditional festivities are explored in a bilingual story.
Extension Activities: Have your kids leave their shoes in a prominent place (like by a door) and fill them when they go to bed! Kids can leave hay, grass and water for the camels to help them on their journey! Follow along with our friend Rob and learn to draw a camel! Have kids add details to match the story. Click here!
A Unicorn Named Sparkle's First Christmas
Author: Amy Young
Illustrator: Amy Young
Summary: Sparkle and Lucy are celebrating their very first Christmas together and are so excited to be together! But Sparkle doesn't quite understand gift giving and ruins some decorations. Can their Christmas be saved?
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: Lucy realizes that the true meaning of Christmas is about the connection and love between people, not the presents under the tree.
Extension Activities: Have kids design and create a traditional snowman and a unicorn snowman. In the story, Lucy has to apologize to Sparkle. Have the kids practice apologizing to one another. Sparkle and Lucy decorate cookies together. Have kids work with you to decorate Christmas cookies to share with friends! Click here!
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