Maw Books » holidays

Literary Themed Christmas Trees

Natasha Maw — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:36:23 +0000

Ahh the Festival of Trees! Our favorite time of the year!! Here in Salt Lake City, the Festival of Trees, is an annual event where individuals, groups, and organizations decorate and donate Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, quilts, gingerbread houses and gift items. Everything is auctioned off and every single penny (I literally mean every single penny – everything is done on a volunteer basis) goes to the Primary Children’s Medical Center.

It is their largest fundraiser and raises millions of dollars. Between 70,000 and 80,000 people attend the festival each year and there are hundred of trees. Many of the trees are donated in somebody’s name or by friends and family of children who have either passed or have received compassionate care at the hospital. Many of the stories and photos of the children will make you cry.

To say that I adore this fundraiser is an understatement. It is simply amazing!! Each year, I have taken special notice of the literary themed Christmas trees so I can share them with you here.

Anne of Green Gables themed Christmas tree:

There is always a Harry Potter inspired tree:

And while there is a Twilight inspired Christmas tree every year, this year there was not one, not two, not three, not four but five Twilight Christmas trees. Obviously, a lot of fans around here.

Three Wizard of Oz trees:

Peanuts tree:

Dr. Suess is always a popular tree:

This Dr. Suess tree is titled, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go:”

This tree was gorgeous! Complete with bookish quotes, a fireplace underneath, and all kinds of wrapped books:

Goodnight, Moon:

The Jungle Book:

Lot’s of snowmen books under this snowman tree:

The name of this tree was A Critter’s Christmas and it had a lot of bug type books included:

Winnie the Pooh is another tree that we see every year:

The Secret Garden inspired Christmas tree:

A picture book Christmas tree complete with a paper mache Where the Wild Things Are. I didn’t get it in the photo but there was also a good sized bookcase full of books included.

These little elves were just too cute. And fun books too!

Christmas picture books included with this tree:

While this tree was not inspired by one particular book, it was just too adorable to pass up. Lots of princess books were under the tree.

I loved Raggedy Ann and Andy when I was little:

The books that were with this little tiny tree were almost as big as the tree which was titled, A Christmas Story:

Only one Nightmare Before Christmas tree this year. My little boy said this theme was what he would be watching for.

A Jane Austen Christmas:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid:

This little tree was set up on a gorgeous Lord of the Rings chess set:

And while these last few may not particularly be literary inspired, they get honorable mentions here because they were so creative. Although, Cookie Monster shows up in a lot of books though right?

And this surfing Santa was made with four leaning Christmas trees:

And yes, these are tires:

And two of my boys favorite trees that they couldn’t get enough of:

Did you have a favorite?! Tell me which one you loved the most. And if you didn’t get your fill, check out year’s past for more.

Today’s post is day 6 of the 2010 Virtual Advent Tour – where every day bloggers are sharing their thoughts about Christmas. Do follow everybody’s posts!

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Frankie Stein Starts School by Lola M Schaefer, Illustrated by Kevan Atteberry

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:15:54 +0000

In Frankie Stein Starts School by Lola M Schaefer and illustrated by Kevan Atteberry, Frankie is different. He certainly doesn’t look like his parents. And he certainly doesn’t act like them either. He’s just a tad too clean cut and non-scary looking. Which happens to make him the scariest Stein of all.

Frankie is ready to start school at Miss Wart’s Academy for Ghouls & Goblins and he’s very excited. But his classmates – witches, skeletons, and vampires – won’t sit next to him and make fun of him for not looking like the rest of them.

But Frankie declares that he can be scarier than all of them. By the end of the school day, Frankie undergoes a grotesque, bone-chilling, ear-shattering, and bloodcurdling transformation until he becomes scarier and scarier. When he leaves for home after his first successful day of school, he has made many new friends and proved that even with his rosy red cheeks and blond hair, he can be scary as well.

The illustrations are bright and silly. Kids will enjoy copying Frankie’s antics.

Links of interest: Lola Schaefer website, Kevan Atteberry website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. July 2010.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 0761456562
Source: Review copy for 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Frankie Stein Starts School is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Broom, Zoom! by Caron Lee Cohen, Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:01:15 +0000

Broom, Zoom! by Caron Lee Cohen, Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier is a book for the youngest of children.

A little witch with a big red pointy hat wants to take a late night flight on a broom but discovers that goblin is using it to sweep up spilled flour. After going back and forth about each needing the broom, the little witch helps goblin clean it up. Afterwards, she takes goblin on a broom ride.

The text is very simple. Most lines are only a few words.

“I want the broom.”
“I need the broom.”
“I want it.”
“I need it.”

Many spreads just have a single word. Makes for easy reading for those with the shortest attention spans. The illustrations are also simple with large swaths of flat color. I wasn’t in love with the character illustrations but a story of friendship and working together which the youngest children should enjoy for it’s simplicity.

Links of interest: Sergio Ruzzier website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. August 10, 2010.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 1416991131
Source: Review copy for 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Broom Zoom is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Scaredy-Cat, Splat! by Rob Scotton

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 04:41:58 +0000

Scaredy-Cat, Splat! by Rob Scotton is my first introduction to Splat and I found him so cute that I must go seek out Rob Scotton’s other books featuring the same character. It’s Halloween and Splat is in search of the scariest costume. But no matter what he does or wear, everybody else is scarier than him. Even his jack-o’-lantern is funny instead of scary.

But when his teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple tells a ghost story in the dark, Splat gets so scared that he throws his jack-o’lantern up in the air and it lands straight on his head! Unable to see anything, he stumbles around and scares the entire class! Splat may be more scary than silly after all!

The illustrations in Scaredy-Cat, Splat! are adorable! I don’t even really like cats all that much but Splat looks so soft and cuddly that I’d love to take him home with me. I particularly loved Splat’s friend Spike dressed as a mummy. Too cute. I think a couple of the pages of text at the very beginning were a bit too long as I much preferred the more brief text in later pages. But a fun story to read out loud.

A great Halloween book that kids will love.

Links of interest: More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Harper Collins, August 24, 2010.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 0061177601
Source: Library copy. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Scaredy-Cat, Splat is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman, Illustrated by Bonnie Leick

Natasha Maw — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:53:08 +0000

I know I’ve been saying this a lot about the Halloween picture books that I’ve been reviewing this past week but I have another book for you that is sooooo cute and adorable that I can hardly stand it. Have you seen Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman and illustrated by Bonnie Leick? It’s a new one this year and one that you have to have!

Rhyming text describes one little monster’s going to bed rituals: bathtime and scrubbing every scale, tangling his hair, bedtime snack of worm juice and baked beetle bread, brushing his fangs, reading a book, checking under the bed for scary children, and snuggling in with a night-light (an eyeball of course).

Sweet dreams, Little Monster.
My darling, sleep tight.
With Mama nearby,
you’ll be safe through the night.

What absolutely steals the show in this book are the gorgeous illustrations. Just enough cuteness and just enough ick. Bonnie Leick certainly knows how to make me wish I could bottle up that little monster, put him in my pocket, and take him home with me. I love the clawed monster feet on all the furniture. Lots of bugs. Lots of spiders. Bats and mice as well. Both of my kids got a great kick out of the worm juice and baked beetle bread. They love to point out the jar of eyeballs on the copyright page.

Although perfect for the Halloween season, I’d read this book all year round. Oh man, the illustrations are just too adorable. I can hardly stand it.

Links of interest: Helen Ketteman website, Bonnie Leick website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. August 2010.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 076145683X
Source: Library copy. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Goodnight, Little Monster is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Ollie’s Halloween by Oliver Dunrea

Natasha Maw — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:49:06 +0000

Ollie’s Halloween by Oliver Dunrea is just about the cutest Halloween picture book that I have read. Oliver Dunrea’s popular characters Gossie, Gertie, Peedie, BooBoo and Ollie all make an appearance in what can only be called an adorable tale.

Gossie is a wizard. Gertie is a chicken. Peedie is a dragon. BooBoo is a bunny. And Ollie is a mummy. It’s Halloween night and the goslings are all on the prowl. They hoot, they howl, they creep, they scare and they stalk. It’s Halloween night, a night to beware. But most important, it’s a night about sharing.

I love Oliver Dunrea’s books and this one also hits the mark. Love the characters, love the illustrations, love the story. If you have little ones in your house this Halloween, don’t miss picking up Ollie’s Halloween. You’ll want to add it to your permanent collection. It’s just too cute to miss.

Links of interest: Oliver Dunrea website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. September 6, 2010
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 0618532412
Source:Library. A 2010 Cybil’s nomination for which I am a 1st round panelist.
Ollie’s Halloween is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijitten

Natasha Maw — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:20:42 +0000

Be sure to add The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijo to your picture book Halloween reading this month.

Trick-or-treating has always been fun and safe especially when the town can count on the mysterious masked boy to wrangle up all the Halloween hoodlums. In fact, he’s done such a good job keeping Halloween safe that for years he hasn’t had to step in at all.

But that changes when a group of Goodie Goblins shows up wrecking havoc. There is even talk of canceling Halloween for good! The Halloween Kid back to the rescue! But are his skills too rusty? Can he overcome the Goblins or will the town need to come to his rescue?

I loved the fun western take on a “yee-ha-halloween!” The story was really entertaining to read and so fun to read a loud to the boys by getting into character. Very clever. But what I loved even more where the fantastic illustrations. I adored the vintage feel of the entire book.

The Halloween Kid is a new release so don’t miss it this year!

Illustrations copyrighted to Rhode Montijo.
Links of interest: Rhode Montijo website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction picture book. Approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. August 3, 2010.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 1416935754
Copy Source: Library
The Halloween Kid is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

Natasha Maw — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:59:59 +0000

Despite the fact that I have at least 20 books that will be overlapped into 2010 reviews, it just doesn’t make sense to review a Christmas book in January, so I wanted to squeeze one last 2009 review in. I read The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck for my book club. I liked it, I didn’t like it.

Twelve year-old Eddie only wants a bike for Christmas. He makes sure that his widowed mother knows it whenever she’s in earshot. He’s been working hard all year and knows that he deserves this bike. But his mother breaks his heart when instead of his shiny new read bike on Christmas morning, he receives an ugly, hand-knitted sweater. He is devastated and hurts his mom deeply when he crumples the sweater and throws it in the corner.

That day when returning from a Christmas dinner at his grandparents house and not yet reconciling, his mother falls asleep at the wheel. While he is unhurt, she dies. Now living with his grandparents and mad at the world, he further distances himself from the grandfather that he always adored. His journey through grief, healing, forgiveness, faith and redemption is just beginning and it will take a literal and figurative storm to bring him back from his wayward path.

What I liked: the overall idea of the story. I liked what Beck was trying to do. I like Christmas stories. I liked the message. It was heartwarming. I liked the characters. I LOVED the grandfather.

What I didn’t like: That is was SO obvious that you knew what he was trying to do. It’s like he is trying WAY too hard to tug at your heart strings. Just when he can’t plunge the knife into your heart any deeper, he twists it. I liked it until the storm came and then it was no longer a story but rather a hit-you-over-the-head with this message disguised as a story. And I even LIKED the message!! There was nothing wrong with the philosophy. I knew that this would be a message book going into it. But I just felt that less subtle would have been better. And the ending! I did not like the ending at all. *SPOILER ALERT* The whole thing is a dream! He wakes up and his mom is alive!! He’s given a second chance at making the right choices and being happy with his sweater, instead of mad. It was a real cope out ending. Surely, there could have been a better way to end it.

So, I would recommend this one based solely on who you are (well . . . isn’t that the case with all books – but I know some of you would like it, others I wouldn’t recommend it at all) . Some will love it, others might hate it. With the exception of another book clubber, everybody really liked it. So it might be worth trying to see where you fall. And while I liked much of it, personally, I felt that it was a book that was trying too hard and it showed.

The Christmas Sweater book trailer:

Links of interest: Glenn Beck website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction, Holiday
Publisher: Threshold Editions. November 11, 2008
Hardcover, 284 pages. ISBN 141659485X
The Christmas Sweater is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Who Was Born this Special Day? by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by Leonid Gore

Natasha Maw — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:55:18 +0000

Who Was Born This Special Day? by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Leonid Gore is a beautiful, soft nativity story. Each manger animal is each asked in turn if they were born on this special night. Was it you little lamb? Was it you little goat? Was it you little calf? Was it you little donkey? Was it you mourning dove? Was it the cedar tee or perhaps a little stone? Each animal replies with the poetic story of their birth. The lamb says “I was born back in early May when the breezes of spring chased winter away.”

So who was born this special day?

Was it the child?
The child who lies in the manger bed, the shine of the star high overhead?

Clouds filled with angels shimmering bright,
singing of joy this dear, holy night.
Who was born this special day?

It was the child.

Both of my little boys really enjoyed responding with a no, each time the question is asked of each manger animal and then telling me that the baby is baby Jesus. The paintings are so soft. It gives a reverence to the book that is wholly appropriate. A great book for both children and adults to remind us that Christmas is not all gifts, glitter and Santa. But rather a special day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!!!

Links of interest:
Genre: Fiction picture book. Approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Atheneum. October 1, 2000.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 0689823029
Who Was Born This Special Day? is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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I’ve Seen Santa! by David Bedford, Illustrated by Tim Warnes

Natasha Maw — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:46:40 +0000

What a delightful book! My only qualm about I’ve Seen Santa! by David Bedford and illustrated by Tim Warnes is that one of the spreads was torn out in the library book that I borrowed thus missing out on another great illustration. This is one I would totally add to our home library.

Cute little Little Bear was really looking forward to seeing Santa. So much so, that he asks Big Bear and Mommy Bear many questions. How big is he? How will he get in? Does he visit bears all over the word? Will he have time to visit my house? Big Bear and Mommy Bear send Little Bear to sleep, but he doesn’t want to. And of course, when he hears a noise downstairs, he has to investigate. Someone is drinking and eating the cookies left for Santa! Is it Santa? No, it’s Big Bear!

And if that’s not enough, Mamma Bear has been caught getting into the stockings hung over the fireplace. All three decide that if they want to see Santa, then they better stay up all night with the flashlight and huddle near the Christmas tree. A surprise ending will leave a smile on all young readers faces.

The illustrations by Tim Warnes are really heartwarming and cozy. If you’ve got kids or know someone who does, add this one to your Christmas book collection. Adorable. I loved it.

Links of interest: David Bedford website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction picture book. Approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Tiger Tales. September 2006.
Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 1589250583
I’ve Seen Santa! is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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