Trains (Monday Poem)

by James S. Tippett


Over the mountains,
Over the plains,
Over the rivers,
Here come the trains.

Carrying passengers,
Carrying mail,
Bringing their precious loads
In without fail.

Thousands of freight cars
All rushing on
Through day and darkness,
Through dusk and dawn.

Over the mountains,
Over the plains,
Over the rivers,
Here come the trains.


from Time for Poetry: A Teacher's Anthology, compiled by May Hill Arbuthnot, 1951, Scott Foresman and Company 

Sea Gull (Monday Poem)

by Elizabeth Jane Coatsworth


The sea gull curves his wings,
The sea gull turns his eyes.
Get down into the water, fish!
(If you are wise.)

The sea gull slants his wings,
The sea gull turns his head.
Get down into the water, fish!
(Or you'll be dead.)



from Time for Poetry: A Teacher's Anthology, compiled by May Hill Arbuthnot, 1951, Scott Foresman and Company

Winter Holiday Books to Share (FAMILY magazine reviews)

Holidays come and go, but time spent reading wonderful stories together with young ones most dear to us makes memories that remain to comfort us in dark times and to cheer us on happier days. Merry, merry!

Hanukkah in Alaska by Barbara Brown, illustrated by Stacey Schuett

Although nothing in the title of this unique and tantalizing tale gives it away, a certain animal’s head is on the cover. A gorgeous painting of this same animal in acrylic and gouache spreads across the copyright and dedication pages, before the words of the story even begin. Noting these details, an attentive reader will likely expect a moose to be involved in this picture book.

The story does not disappoint, showing what it’s like to live in Alaska where winter is high on snow and low on daytime. Also, where a large and lonely moose might decide to eat the trees in someone’s backyard.

An unnamed young girl shares her experiences. She worries about her blue swing, hanging from the same tree, which the moose has begun to use for dinner. Carrots, cookies, or even apples tossed his way by the girl and her mother do not distract the moose. Neither is the narrator distracted by Hanukkah presents in the mail. Nor when she and her friends act like dreidels spinning in the snow.                     

            On the last night of Hanukkah, her father takes them outside to watch a stunningly colorful display. The girl has a clever idea of how to lure the moose out of the yard.

            Both visual and textual climaxes of the story come together in her ending observation, “Hanukkah can be pretty funny in Alaska, and miracles can happen in a lot of different ways.”

            Hanukkah facts and information about the aurora borealis are included in an Author’s Note at the end.

Henry Holt, $16.99

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2

Santa’s Book of Names by David McPhail

            Although Edward is good in math, he’s having trouble learning to read. His teacher is concerned, but his mother suggests, Patience. On Christmas Eve, as his dad is reading a story about Santa delivering presents, Edward wonders how Santa remembers names. Perhaps the names are written in a book, guesses his mom.

            That night Santa invites Edward to help him deliver presents. On this fantastic adventure, Santa loses his glasses, when they fall into the sea. Edward must help by reading from Santa’s book, the names and what each child’s gift is.

            Beautiful watercolor and ink paintings feature cozy indoor Christmas scenes in contrast with snowy moonlit winter nightscapes. Shadowy darkness gives way to a “dawning sky.”

Sounding out the words, Edward is able to give Santa the help he needs. In the morning Edward wakes up on the sofa with a book from Santa on the floor nearby. When Dad offers to read it, Edward smiling, says, “Let me read it to you.”

Little, Brown and Company, $6.99 (paperback)

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2

Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift by Dara Goldman

            In this retelling, for youngsters, of O’Henry’s classic tale, “The Gift of the Magi,” Boris and Stella are a perfect match. “They both like hats and scary movies.”

Boris is from a Russian family, which celebrates Hanukkah. Stella’s Italian family celebrates Christmas.

            A baker with only a few coins, Stella decides to sell her potted pine tree, a gift from her family, to buy Boris something special for Hanukkah. She wants him to know that she cares, choosing a dreidel from Israel as a gift.

            Boris, a pianist, is so glad to have Stella in his life; he wants to show her by choosing something special for her tree as a Christmas gift. Also, without many coins, he sells his dreidel collection, yearly Hanukkah gifts from his parents.

This rare and generous blending of Jewish and Christian holiday traditions features two cuddly bears. Warm golds and blues light up the illustrations concluding with a celebratory dinner on the last night of Hanukkah, also Christmas Eve.

When they realize what they have done, Boris knows “exactly what to say to make Stella feel better.” This is the beginning of our magnificent “new dreidel collection,” he says.

When Stella notices a small pinecone with seeds “that had dropped from

her tree,” she also knows how “to make Boris feel better.” She tells him, “We will grow a new Christmas tree!”

           

Sleeping Bear Press, $15.99 
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3

More Outstanding Holiday Titles:

Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale

by Eric A. Kimmel

Illustrated by Matthew Trueman

Disney Hyperion Books, $16.99 
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3

 
The Christmas Boot

by Lisa Wheeler

Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Dial Books, $17.99 
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2

The Christmas Eve Tree

by Delia Huddy

Illustrated by Emily Sutton

Candlewick Press, $16.99 
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3

The Christmas Magic

by Lauren Thompson

Illustrated by Jon Muth

Scholastic, $16.99 
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins 

by Eric Kimmel

Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

Holiday House, $17.95 (hardcover) 
$7.99 (paperback) 
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3

Too Many Tamales

by Gary Soto

Illustrated by Ed Martinez

G. P. Putnam’s Sons, $16.99 (hardcover) 
$7.99 (paperback)
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2

Wild Geese (Monday Poem)

by Elinor Chipp


I heard the wild geese flying
In the dead of the night,
With the beat of wings and crying
I heard the wild geese flying,
And dreams in my heart sighing
Followed their northward flight.
I heard the wild geese flying
In the dead of the night.



from Time for Poetry: A Teacher's Anthology, compiled by May Hill Arbuthnot, 1951, Scott Foresman and Company

Cat (Monday Poem)

by Mary Britton Miller


The black cat yawns,
Opens her jaws,
Stretches her legs,
And shows her claws.

Then she gets up
And stands on four
Long stiff legs
And yawns some more.

She shows her sharp teeth,
She stretches her lip,
Her slice of a tongue
Turns up at the tip.

Lifting herself
On her delicate toes,
She arches her back
As high as it goes.

She lets herself down
With particular care,
And pads away
With her tail in the air.



from Time for Poetry: A Teacher's Anthology, compiled by May Hill Arbuthnot, 1951, Scott Foresman and Company

Mirrorment (Monday Poem)

by A. R. Ammons


Birds are flowers flying
and flowers perched birds.


from Sing a Song of Popcorn: Every Child's Book of Poems, selected by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, Eva Moore, Mary Michaels White, Jan Carr, 1988, Scholastic

Thanksgiving is a Time for Remembering (FAMILY magazine reviews)

Thanksgiving is more than a time for gratitude. It has also become a time to reflect on immigration, remembering that many of us have come to the United States for safety and freedom. Being together, sharing food and family history, reading and telling stories, and talking about the events that influence us can bring new meaning and enrichment into our relationships. The love we share with each other is always an important part of reading and telling stories. Holidays can provide times for these essentials. Have fun!!

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff

Illustrated by Michael Dooling

            Rachel and her orphaned cousin, Grisha, play a storytelling game to distract him from his grief following his parents’ deaths during an epidemic. The only thing left from his former life is a coat his mother made from her own coat. “Inside, he can still feel his mama’s touch,” Rachel tells the aunts and uncles who want Grisha to have a new coat.

This heartwarming immigrant tale shows a Russian Jewish family who must leave when it is no longer safe in their village. They make the difficult journey by wagon, train, and finally, by ship across the ocean to America.

Rachel’s words begin the stories. But it’s Grisha’s pictures that help him to find comfort in this storytelling game they play together.

The restrained oil paintings that illustrate the story use sepia tones to give a sense of another era, especially those of the farm and village scenes. However, even the more colorful pages use subdued tones to communicate the fear and grimness of wartime Russia, and the immigrant lines at Ellis Island.

A minor fall when Rachel loses her balance, during their storytelling game in the customs inspection line, knocks Grisha into a basket. He scratches his eye. When the Ellis Island doctor examines him, it looks red and irritated. He writes a chalk letter “E” on Grisha’s coat. How Rachel solves the problem, and Grisha does not get separated from the family, is the happy ending to this tale.

An Author’s Note, and Historic Notes about Life in Russia, The Journey Westward, and Ellis Island are important back matter.

Scholastic, $17.99 (hardcover) 

$6.95 (paperback)

Interest Level: Grade 2-5

Gracias, The Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley

Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

            Papa, who is a truck driver, sends a live turkey to Miguel. He lives with Abuela, Abuelo and Tia Rosa in a small New York City apartment. Miguel names the turkey Gracias. He’s supposed to feed the turkey, so it will be fat for Thanksgiving dinner, in time for Papa’s arrival.

            Miguel and Gracias become friends, amigos. He goes to the library to find out what turkeys eat. Miguel and his school friend, Clarene, talk with the park ranger in Central Park. They get sacks of cut grass from him to feed to Gracias. The Indian couple that owns a nearby store gives them old cabbages and lettuces for turkey food. The “whole neighborhood knows about Gracias.”

Even the friendly local cop teases them about whose oven is bigger to cook the turkey. Miguel gets worried when the subject of ovens comes up.

“People shouldn’t eat pets,” he says. Then, Gracias is stolen! Despite all best efforts, no one can find her.

The oil paintings are bright and cheerful, featuring the multicultural neighborhood, and the changing seasons. Officer Deveraux, to Miguel’s great relief, arrives with a still alive Gracias, which she has rescued.

This humorous story with its surprising twists is an unexpectedly delightful tale. Its setting in the city with a non-traditional Spanish speaking family supplies a satisfying ending. A glossary with Spanish words and their English translations is at the back.

Scholastic 
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2  

The Thankful Book by Todd Parr

            Well-known for his signature primary colors and flat, primitive style illustrations, Parr once again uses a simple format for sharing important information. His animal and people characters outlined in black are featured on colorful backgrounds with unusual things to be thankful for. Purple hair, begins: “I’m thankful for my hair because it makes me unique.” Underwear can be worn on one’s head. The library is filled with endless adventures.

            This book is an unusual exploration of gratitude. Text and pictures together invite laughter. Great conversations can emerge from what readers and listeners are thankful for as a part of enjoying this book together.

            As often happens at the end of his books, Parr concludes with a personal note: “There are lots of things to be thankful for. Try to remember some of them every day. The end. Love, Todd” This is a perfect story to share.

Little, Brown and Company, $11
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2

 

More Books to Share:

The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli

Illustrations by JoAnn Adinolfi

Henry Holt, $7.99 (paperback)

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1

 
A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting

Illustrated by Diane de Groat

Clarion, $6.99 (paperback)

Interest Level: Kindergarten - Grade 3

 
What is Thanksgiving? by Elaine Landau

Enslow Publishers

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3