Book Bites -- December 2011
by Houston Family Magazine
HCPL Book Reviews — November 2011
Toddlers (Ages 1 – 3)
Little Bunny and the Magic Christmas Tree by David Martin
Little Bunny is tired of being the smallest bunny around, but thanks to some Christmas magic and an enchanted tree, he gets teenier still—and has a “big” adventure.
Dewey’s Christmas at the Library by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter
After finding a red ball of yarn, Dewey the cat, who lives in a public library, finds a way to help decorate the Christmas tree.
Ho, Ho, Ho, Tucker! by Leslie McGuirk
Little white terrier Tucker gets especially carried away at Christmas time. Watch Tucker build a snowman, choose just the right tree, and make that tree his own. Amusing for kids and adults.
Picture Books (Pre-K – K)
Here Comes Jack Frost by Kazuno Kohara
One cold morning, a lonely boy wishes for something to do. His animal friends are hibernating, and he has nobody to play with—even the birds have all flown south. When he meets Jack Frost, he finds the new friend he’s been waiting for and discovers how enchanting winter can be.
The Hanukkah Hop! by Erica Silverman
As Rachel and her parents prepare the house, Rachel’s grandparents, cousins, and friends travel from near and far to sing and tell stories. Together, they light candles, play games, eat scrumptious holiday foods, and—of course—dance the Hanukkah Hop.
La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story by Antonio Sacre
While spending Christmas with her Cuban-American grandmother in Miami, young Nina misses her usual New England holiday traditions but enjoys learning about the foods and other Christmas customs her father knew as a child.
Early Readers (Grades 1-3)
The True Gift by Patricia MacLachlan
While spending Christmas at her grandparents’ farm, Lily becomes convinced that her younger brother Liam is right about White Cow being lonely and helps him seek a companion for her.
Jackie’s Gift by Sharon Robinson
When young Steve, who is Jewish, tells his new neighbor, Jackie Robinson, that his family does not have a Christmas tree, Jackie brings one to his neighbors, not knowing that they celebrate Hanukkah instead of Christmas. Based on a true story.
Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland by Wong Herbert Yee
The world outside is a winter wonderland, and there couldn’t be a better day for Mouse and Mole to go sledding, whirl around on ice skates, and build snowmen together. There’s just one problem: Mole doesn’t want to go outside. He’d rather stay as snug as a bug in a rug inside his nice, warm bed. Mouse is lonely—ice-skating and sledding just aren’t as fun by yourself. Then she gets an idea…a Sno-Mole might just lure her friend out of bed!
Children’s Fiction (Grades 4-6)
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
Fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley, a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is hired as governess to three young children who have been raised by wolves. She must teach them to behave in a civilized manner quickly, in preparation for a Christmas ball.
Judy Moody & Stink: The Holly Joliday by Megan McDonald
Judy Moody has a long list of wishes for Christmas this year, but sibling Stink wants only one thing, and from pretending to be a snowflake in his school play to believing in help from Jack Frost, he hopes to get his wish.
Kringle by Tony Abbott
In the fifth century AD, as order retreats from Britain along with the departing Roman army, the orphaned twelve-year-old Kringle is determined to rescue his beloved guardian from the evil goblins who terrorize the countryside by kidnapping and enslaving humans. In the process, with the help of elves and others along the way, he discovers his true destiny.
Teen Fiction and Nonfiction (Ages 12 & up)
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Dash and Lily are two sixteen-year-olds carrying on a wintry scavenger hunt at Christmas-time in New York, neither knowing quite what—or who—they will find. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York without ever meeting face-to-face? Narrated in the alternating voices of the two protagonists.
Selfish Elf Wish by Heather Swain
Zephyr, a fifteen-year-old elf, tries to resist using her elfin magic when Bella, the meanest girl in school, tries to make her life miserable as they both star in the school play.
Skip Beat! 20 by Yoshiki Nakamura
It’s the season of giving in Tokyo, but Maria is in no mood to celebrate. Kyoko, never one to sit out a challenge, finally gets Maria to admit what has her so soured on the holidays. It turns out that December 24th is both Maria’s birthday and the anniversary of her mother’s death. Can Kyoko work a Christmas miracle and give this little girl a happy birthday?
