By KAREN MACPHERSON
Scripps Howard News Service
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Celebrate the holiday season with these great new books:
HANUKKAH:
-- "Series of Unfortunate Events" author Lemony Snicket offers readers a zany look at a Hanukkah staple in "The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story" (McSweeney's Books, $9.95). It's hard to resist a book that begins "This story ends in someone's mouth ..." and features illustrations by Lisa Brown of an anthropomorphized latke. (Ages 4 up.)
-- The villagers laugh when Hayim asks a scribe to write a letter begging God to provide oil to light the Hanukkah menorahs. But, in "Letter on the Wind" (Boyds Mill Press, $16.95), author Sarah Marwil Lamstein shows what can happen when you expect a miracle. Lamstein's lyrical retelling of a Jewish folktale is matched by Neil Waldman's evocative artwork. (Ages 4-8.)
-- Sara's grumpiness about Hanukkah disappears when Tanate Miriam gives her a special dreidel that actually is an enchanted princess. In "The Golden Dreydl" (Charlesbridge, $15.95), author Ellen Kushner tells how Sara journeys into a magical world to rescue the princess from the evil Demon King. (Ages 8-12.)
CHRISTMAS:
-- Author Michael Morpurgo teams up with illustrator Quentin Blake to create "On Angel Wings" (Candlewick Press, $8.99). This beautifully done story of how a shepherd boy became the first to see the newborn Jesus is sure to become a Christmas classic. (Ages 4 up.)
-- A bouncy rhyming text pairs perfectly with whimsical, three-dimensional illustrations in "Merry Christmas, Cheeps!" (Bloomsbury, $9.95). Kids will love reading this sturdily made book, written by Julie Stiegemeyer and illustrated by Carole Baicker-McKee. (Ages 1-3.)
-- John Burningham is one of the greatest living children's-book author/artists. And "Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present" (Candlewick Press, $8.99) is one of his best. First published in 1993, this new edition is smaller than the original oversized picture book. But the story of how Santa is forced to use every conceivable mode of transportation to deliver one last Christmas gift retains its punch right to the surprise ending. And the illustrations, featuring a brightly clad Santa against a surreally beautiful landscape, are unforgettable. (Ages 4 up.)
-- Author Deborah Heiligman presents the latest of her books exploring different holidays in "Celebrate Christmas With Carols, Presents and Peace" (National Geographic, $15.95). Heiligman's simple but fact-packed text is complemented by colorful photographs of Christmas festivities. (Ages 6-10.)
-- Celebrate Christmas Latino-style with the upbeat "N Is for Navidad" (Chronicle Books, $14.95). This alphabet book, written in rhyme by Susan Middleton Elya and Merry Banks, features vivid illustrations by Joe Cepeda. (Ages 3-7.)
-- For kids who love to bake, try "Christmas Cookies! A Holiday Cookbook" (Candlewick Press, $4.99). Susan Devins' recipes are easy to follow, and kids also will enjoy the bright illustrations by Caldecott Honor artist Barbara Lehman. (Ages 4 up, with adult help.)
-- Those porcine preschoolers, Toot and Puddle, are back with a book focused on an important question: What's the best present to give your best friend? Author/illustrator Holly Hobbie shows how the duo answers the question in the cheerful "Toot & Puddle: Let It Snow" (Little, Brown, $16.99). (Ages 3-7.)
-- The text is familiar, but the illustrations are spectacularly new in "The Night Before Christmas" (Candlewick Press, $16.99). Artist Niroot Puttapipat's cut-paper artwork makes this a memorable Christmas book. (Ages 4 up.)
-- The irrepressible Olivia takes on the holidays in her own particular style in "Olivia Helps With Christmas" (Atheneum, $18.99). Author/artist Ian Falconer's understated text and expressive line drawings will leave both kids and adults laughing. (Ages 3-6.)
-- Peiling finally convinces her family of Taiwanese immigrants to celebrate Christmas. But it doesn't work out quite the way she expected, as author Pauline Chen shows in "Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas" (Bloomsbury, $15.95). (Ages 9-12.)
-- Judy Moody insists that it just doesn't snow in Virginia. But her younger brother, Stink, refuses to give up on the only Christmas gift he really wants -- some snow. In "The Holly Joliday" (Candlewick Press, $14.99), author Megan McDonald offers a winning new entry in her popular series. The zippy full-color illustrations by Peter Reynolds add to the fun. (Ages 5-8.)
-- Nella gets her Christmas wish, but finds that it's not exactly what she expected in "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll" (Schwartz & Wade/Random House, $16.99). Author Patricia McKissack and illustrator Jerry Pinkney's Depression-era book makes an important point about sharing without being preachy. (Ages 4-8.)
-- For something different, try listening to a holiday story on CD. Rabbit Ears Audio has two different offerings: "The Night Before Christmas" ($15.95), read by Meryl Streep; and "Treasury of Christmas Stories" ($11.95), which includes "A Gingerbread Christmas," read by Susan St. James, and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," read by Jeremy Irons. (Ages 4 up.)
(Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, can be reached at Kam.macpherson(at)gmail.com.)
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