In the book basket

Aside from the usual melee of picture books we go through each day, we're immersed in a bit of historical fiction from Clyde Robert Bulla, called "Viking Adventure." Being so roguishly boyish, Xavier is of course in love with this book. I always love to find good books that incorporate a bit of history in with a great story.

I also wanted to share a few of our favorite Christmas books. Now we all know there are a million children's books about Christmas, but only a (maybe large) handful are really TREASURES. Some of these titles are pretty common to other literature-loving mamas, but not all of them. We keep our Christmas books packed away with the decorations and such so when we open up the box each year, it's like rediscovering old friends. These are some titles definitely worth owning... or at the very least reading this time of year. There are plenty of other good books for Christmastime out there, these are just some near and dear to our hearts. (A caveat: you won't likely find these at the library now because aggressive book-lovers and homeschoolers have had these titles on hold for months now.)

1. The Miracle of Saint Nicholas- a lovely story that offers a bit of perspective into a time/place where priests were persecuted.
2. B is for Bethlehem- Unfortunately, I don't own this (yet!) but you can't beat illustrations by Elisa Kleven, they are glorious. This is an especially good book for wee ones.
3. The Donkey's Dream- a true gem that is quite meaningful in its imagery. It tells the Christmas story from the donkey's perspective.
4. Why Christmas Trees aren't Perfect- A sweet story about serving others before oneself.
5. The Clown of God- not so overtly seasonal that we pack this one away, but the climax does take place on Christmas Day; it's a gem.
6. The Legend of the Poinsettia- another sweet story that highlights the virtues of a humble heart.
7. The Story of the Three Wise Kings- this is a hard one to get your hands on these days! But it's so difficult to find good Epiphany stories that it's worth keeping an eye out.