Our Christmas Must-Reads

Last year, I posted some books that we were reading during the Christmas/winter season. Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I just love a good theme then finding books to fit accordingly. We have a special basket set aside for our library books {in the hopes to avoid late fines} and for this month, I added our Christmas-y ones too. Here's E's favorite from this year...

Snowmen at Christmas

I bought this cute little board book last year and Ezra loves it. It's an adorable, rhyming tale sharing how snowmen celebrate Christmas.

The Little Drummer Boy

Another one of his total favorites. I know Gma and Gpa have read this to him many many times throughout this past year, which may have fostered his love for it now. He requests this book while he rides his horse {the big Swenson chair} and will 'sing' some of the words with me. And, of course, I love that it's by an Ezra too.

Silent Night

 This was an awesome but surprising find at our library. It's another song book, but the illustrations are amazing. I wasn't too keen on the cover, but after going through the whole book, I loved it! It depicts the Nativity story in beautiful blues, grays, and whites. And there's one scene with Mary nursing baby Jesus with angels, Joseph, and the sheep that just so precious. Something about it just hit close to home and brought the story to life. I think I know the whole "he came to earth as a helpless baby", but to see that simple scene of nursing him made it that much more real. Oh, yeah, he was a baby and had to be fed. Plus, it's a great way to share a Christmas Carol's meaning through its pictures. I think I may have to add this one to our personal collection.

Polar Express

This one is like a "duh!" book this year. He totally getting into the train-loving stage. Ezra first saw the movie with his cousins down in Orange County and has since requested it many times. I picked this one up at the library too just to make sure he'd like it before buying it. It was an instant hit. And Chris Van Allsburg is one of my favorite favorite children's authors. He packs in SO much into his books! My 5th graders did a ton of literary analysis with his books and could easily write a response to literature essay too. So good for developing higher levels of thinking!

Song of the Stars

Ezra just got this one for his birthday and already we love it. It's by the same author as the Jesus Storybook Bible. A beautiful story about how all the animals are awaiting the Prince of Peace!

Santa Mouse

This is one of my books from childhood that my mom gave me. It's a completely silly story and sometimes it feels like the rhyme is forced, but he likes it. And I do too, but just for sentimental reasons. ;)

Any other good books we should know about??

The 'Ow' Book

Every week or so, the Swenson family hits up the local library. Sometimes we get crazy and walk there multiple times in a week. But for E, we check out a new set of four or five books once a week. It's a bit hard to rummage through the stacks of picture books with the criteria in mind: attractive pictures, not too many words per page, but still has a central story line, and is on a topic he likes. Mostly, these books surround his current interests: fire trucks, cats, dogs, babies, etc. I'm still hoping to come across some bike or motorcycle ones..although I should probably just to do a specific research for them.  This is all while trying to watch him while he's in the play area.

Throughout the week, we typically read the books once in the morning right when he wakes up and we jump back in our bed with him snuggled in on Papa's side {which can buy me up to a whole additional hour of laying in bed}. And after naptime or right before dinner; along with his puzzles. He picks out which ones we read so right away I know if I've made a good selection or not that week. One of his favorite books from the library to date is this book:

Please Take Me For A Walk

By Susan Gal

It's about a pup who desperately wants to go for a walk as he shares all the dog-happy things he'll be able to do while on the walk. The pictures are made from charcoal and digital collages-- very rich and eye-catching. The author also clearly sets the story in her Berkeley neighborhood during the fall, which is fun too.Yes, that means complete with smart cars in the street and Mac computers at the cafe.

Well, this library book is now officially ours and is also officially known as the "Ow" book. E was 'reading' through it on his own one afternoon several weeks ago and happened to rip out a few pages from the binding as well as rip a page right down the center. I was able to tape the torn page, but still haven't tried to get the others back near the binding. 

We went the following week to notify the library and discovered that they have done away with the 'replace on your own' program. Basically, you have to just pay for the book AND a processing fee. Awesome, huh? I thought libraries weren't for profit?! Prior to the 'defacement' incident, I was actually going to hop on Amazon and buy a copy for E, he loved it so much. Welp, he does, in fact, have his very own {partial} copy for $21 now.  BUT he still picks it out to read every day and will repeatedly say "Ow" as we approach the torn page and the two pages I've shoved in the back until I tape them back to the binding. So, in part we're getting some money's worth. Yeesh.

Needless to say, we'll be keeping library book reading as a joint activity until he's a bit older. And he'll be sticking to board books on his own.

Project Runway

I just discovered this fun & creative show. The only reason I can think of that I didn't know of it sooner, is the fact that we don't have cable or even the basic channels. But I rented season 2 (they're on season 5 now) from the library & basically took today off from the classroom to watch it. (Total side note, but the library is so great!! Free rentals!! Great budget saver!) Total veg-session. Feeling a little guilty since my room is NOT done, but I enjoyed myself nonetheless. After finally showering at 4:45pm, I realized that I should enjoy these days while I can. There is no way I can get away with this once I'm a mom, so that helped the guilt..a little bit. :) Anyway, the show is so fabulous & since I'm learning how to sew, it definitely makes me excited. Not that I'll ever sew couture, but a girl can dream! And I think this will be my replacement for So You Think You Can Dance...Mom, you can start scheduling the DVR!!