When Christmas comes around children get excited, Christmas carols play on the radio, and everybody gets into the Christmas spirit. There are two Christmas books that I think capture the spirit of Christmas and are great to share with children.
The first one, “Very Christmas,” is a story written by Simone Mets about the true meaning of Christmas and how anyone can make a difference. The story centers around Santa’s workshop being being destroyed by a storm and how Ava Buttons and her friends come up with a way to make Christmas happen for other boys and girls. It has a wonderful message of giving and thinking about others. It also sends a wonderful message never to give up, that there is always a solution and you can make a difference no matter how old you are.
“The 12 Joys of Christmas” by Thomas Seibold and illustrated by Sheri McCulley Seibold, is a book that counts down Christmas joys and traditions, each depicted with a corresponding picture. I think it is a great book to read to children over and over again and one that they will remember as the pages count down from 12 to 1 the traditions you have with family and the things you look forward to during the holiday season. They will be delighted with the artwork and as you are reading to them they will be able to see the illustration of the respective “joy of Christmas” and all those already mentioned as they continue the countdown. The book is also perfect for children to read themselves, especially children learning to read as it is simple and repetitive so the words will be familiar for new readers. Personally, I love it as a bedtime story. It may even inspire a new tradition for your family!
“Very Christmas” is available at www.verychristmasbook.com, Amazon, Walmart.com, and the Farmhouse Store in Princeton, NJ. You can also learn more about “Very Christmas” on Facebook and Instagram as well as the website above.
“The 12 Joys of Christmas” is available for purchase at Amazon and Sheri McCulley Studio’s online book store. You can learn more about “The 12 Joys of Christmas and the illustrator’s designs at www.sherimcculley.com.