RosieCotton Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 That time of year is quickly approaching. Soon it will be the holidays again and I hope we get tons of snow!! I'm looking for suggestions for good read alouds for the K-3 crowd. Last year we read The Thanksgiving Mouse which we loved but just happened across accidentally (actually I saw it next to my holds at the library as another homeschool Mom held it. :) ) Of course we are getting the Nutcracker, Christmas Carol, and will read the Night Before Christmas like every year. But I'm sure there are many other great books than these, so I thought I'd ask the group! I'm placing my library suspended holds this week and next for the holidays so the books come in when I need them (an awesome tool for those that have libraries that offer this option. . . .this has changed my life!!) Thanks for your suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Every year we read The Night Before Christmas and A Christmas Memory. This year I'm planning to read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Story of Holly and Ivy and Wenceslas (McCaughrean). DD will probably read Big Susan again and The Christmas Doll. Other good Christmas books: The Littlest Angel The Year Without a Santa Claus Cranberry Christmas Not specifically Christmas-related, but set during it: 101 Dalmatians The Family Under the Bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 The Advent Book, by Jack and Kathy Stockman. It's our absolute favorite! The hardcover book itself, with heavily-weighted pages and guilded edges, is a work of art in itself. Each stunningly illustrated page contains a "door" that can be opened to reveal a new illustration and a portion of the biblical Christmas story (closely following the biblical text). There are 25 doors; you may read one additional page each night in December. We read it nightly throughout advent after lighting our advent wreath candles, adding a new page each night, but always starting at the first door. My children (then 5,3,2,and 1) fell in love with this new tradition last year, couldn't wait to open a new door each night, and effortlessly memorized the whole story by Christmas Eve. Topping each evening's reading off with a mug of hot cocoa made it extra-memorable. Well worth the cost of the book (@$45)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 We all enjoyed reading these: http://www.amazon.ca/Pioneer-Christmas-Celebrating-Backwoods-1841/dp/1550749552/ref=pd_sim_b_3 http://www.amazon.ca/Pioneer-Thanksgiving-Story-Harvest-Celebrations/dp/1550747444/ref=pd_sim_b_4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus Jotham's Journey The Mole Family Christmas Cranberry Christmas Mousekin's Christmas Eve The Last Straw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 My favorite Thanksgiving books for this age range: (You can read a description of each on my blog. These are all REALLY good books!) The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story by Charlotte Herman Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Green, Paintings by Susan Baber Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky, Illustrated by Marylin Hafner Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore, Illustrated by Megan Lloyd The Pilgrim Cat by Carol Antoinette Peacock, Illustrated by Doris Ettlinger The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George ---------------- My Favorite Christmas books are located here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsH Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 We LOVE The Willowby's Christmas Tree and the Polar Express. For each of those, we "themed" an entire season after the book, reading it several times, doing activities around it, crafts, sharing the story with others, etc. We capped it off w/ an ornament for each of the kids. Each year we revisit those favorites, but it was lovely to really focus on the story for that one season. We also had a year that was very Nutcracker focused, and have done the Advent Storybook a couple of times. We read lots of xmas books, but by focusing on one nice one, it's really built a love for certain stories. I'm excited to see this list with some options for this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 We love this one:http://www.amazon.com/Little-Cummings-published-Hyperion-Hardcover/dp/B008Q3YLFS/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383798828&sr=1-10&keywords=little+tree+cummings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckles Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 My all time favorite read aloud when I taught first grade was The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! It is hilarious, and it has a positive message. I would just skip over words like "stupid." I have it on my shelf here at home, and I plan on reading it again just for fun. For even smaller kids, I really like reading The Mitten and doing an activity along with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 The Christmas Mouse is a personal fave. I think it's OOP, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 My favorites are the sentimental stories. #1 Favorite of all time. I cry EVERY time I read it. Just thinking about this book stirs emotion: http://www.amazon.com/AN-Orange-Frankie-Patricia-Polacco/dp/039924302X/ref=pd_sim_b_1 I love this OOP version of Kate DeCamillo's Great Joy - highly recommend finding it at your library: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Joy-Kate-DiCamillo-2007/dp/B00DIKTA6O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383837350&sr=8-2&keywords=kate+dicamillo+great+joy Love: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Day-Morning-Pearl-Buck/dp/0688162673/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383837399&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+in+the+morning Discovered this one last year: http://www.amazon.com/The-Carpenters-Gift-Christmas-Rockefeller/dp/0375869220/ref=pd_sim_b_2 http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Trenches-John-McCutcheon/dp/1561453749/ref=pd_sim_b_4 http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Perfect-Christmas-Tree/dp/0140558772/ref=pd_sim_b_6 I've read this illustrated version of A Christmas Carol for the past two years. It's become a bit of a tradition: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763631205/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Another OOP, but worth checking out from your library: http://www.amazon.com/Hannahs-Bookmobile-Christmas-Sally-Derby/dp/0805064206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383837582&sr=1-1&keywords=hannah%27s+bookmobile http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Packages-Appalachian-Christmas-Story/dp/053130051X/ref=pd_sim_b_7 http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Miracle-Jonathan-Toomey-CD/dp/0763636290/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383837803&sr=1-1&keywords=jonathan+toomey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 A favorite Christmas story here is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 The parts about Christmas in the Little House on the Prairie series. Barnes and Nobles sells an anthology of the first 5 books. The books are now copyright free in Canada. I forget the name of the forum, but if you sign up, you get access to the eBooks for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. For sure. Thank you for reminding me - I've been meaning to order a copy of The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle for quite some time now - I've tried to reserve it through ILL the past few years, but the library that supposedly has it never sends it. (But if I had to choose one, it would be The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted November 10, 2013 Author Share Posted November 10, 2013 Wow this is terrific, thanks for all the great ideas. I've found most of them at the library, and when we pick a favortie or two once reading them I'll get them from Amazon to add for our favorites book shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Something I plan to do new this December to go along with an advent calendar is to wrap 24 picture books---most we already own, some will be wrapped library books and some I'll buy. (My kids will understand that they are NOT presents, but a "surprise" Christmas reading countdown to xmas). Some are more my 3 year olds interest and some my 6 year olds. I also plan to read some longer books to my oldest, my littles can listen in. My tentative list---no particular order except the 1st and last book, the kids will just pick a new wrapped read aloud each evening. (some are xmas specific--and some just have a lovely winter feel about them) 1 The Elf on The Shelf (because we do this tradition) 2 How The Grinch Stole Christmas 3 The Polar Express 4 You Can Do It, Sam 5 Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening 6 The Steadfast Tin Soldier 7 The Wild Christmas Reindeer 8 The Snow Queen 9 The Gift of the Magi 10 Tree of Cranes 11 Trouble with Trolls 12 Snow on Snow on Snow 13 The Mitten 14 Mother Holly 15 Latkes and Applesauce 16 Story of the Nutcracker Ballet 17 Snowflake Bentley 18 The Snowman 19 The Gingerbread Boy 20 The Christmas Day Kitten 21 The Cat on the Dovrefell 22 Twelve Days of Christmas (Jan Brett) 23 Apple Tree Christmas 24 Twas the Night Before Christmas For my oldest specifically I have Cynthia Rylant's Children of Christmas, The Family Under the Bridge, and the Christmas Carol, but he'll obviously enjoy the others as well. I'd also really like to begin reading aloud Narnia to him this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 THIS version of Night Before is a favorite for the illustrations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 My favorites are the sentimental stories. #1 Favorite of all time. I cry EVERY time I read it. Just thinking about this book stirs emotion: http://www.amazon.com/AN-Orange-Frankie-Patricia-Polacco/dp/039924302X/ref=pd_sim_b_1 I love this OOP version of Kate DeCamillo's Great Joy - highly recommend finding it at your library: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Joy-Kate-DiCamillo-2007/dp/B00DIKTA6O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383837350&sr=8-2&keywords=kate+dicamillo+great+joy Love: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Day-Morning-Pearl-Buck/dp/0688162673/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383837399&sr=8-1&keywords=christmas+in+the+morning Another OOP, but worth checking out from your library: http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Packages-Appalachian-Christmas-Story/dp/053130051X/ref=pd_sim_b_7 These look great! Definitely may have to read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Margaret Wise Brown's The Little Fir Tree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 Something I plan to do new this December to go along with an advent calendar is to wrap 24 picture books---most we already own, some will be wrapped library books and some I'll buy. (My kids will understand that they are NOT presents, but a "surprise" Christmas reading countdown to xmas). Some are more my 3 year olds interest and some my 6 year olds. I also plan to read some longer books to my oldest, my littles can listen in. My tentative list---no particular order except the 1st and last book, the kids will just pick a new wrapped read aloud each evening. (some are xmas specific--and some just have a lovely winter feel about them) 1 The Elf on The Shelf (because we do this tradition) 2 How The Grinch Stole Christmas 3 The Polar Express 4 You Can Do It, Sam 5 Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening 6 The Steadfast Tin Soldier 7 The Wild Christmas Reindeer 8 The Snow Queen 9 The Gift of the Magi 10 Tree of Cranes 11 Trouble with Trolls 12 Snow on Snow on Snow 13 The Mitten 14 Mother Holly 15 Latkes and Applesauce 16 Story of the Nutcracker Ballet 17 Snowflake Bentley 18 The Snowman 19 The Gingerbread Boy 20 The Christmas Day Kitten 21 The Cat on the Dovrefell 22 Twelve Days of Christmas (Jan Brett) 23 Apple Tree Christmas 24 Twas the Night Before Christmas For my oldest specifically I have Cynthia Rylant's Children of Christmas, The Family Under the Bridge, and the Christmas Carol, but he'll obviously enjoy the others as well. I'd also really like to begin reading aloud Narnia to him this season. This is a great idea thank you for sharing. We've chosen 18 so far for the replies I've received, and I'm still searching for a few more to round us out to 24/25. Most will get here in time for me to wrap them all and be ready for the 1st day of December when they get to pick, the youngest gets the first choice, then the next oldest the next day etc. I'm searching for crafts that may go along with some of them. As when we get to 2 weeks before Christmas we'll take it off to have some fun and bake and decorate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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