All Is Calm, All Is Bright

Except for me, that is.  😉  Normally the week’s Read Aloud Thursday post would be here, but folks, I’m running on all cylinders and not accomplishing much these days.  My house is a mess and it’s half-decorated, I have Christmas goodies to bake and movies to watch with my family (not to mention 7 days of school still to accomplish with my girls), and I still have about a million and one blog posts swirling around in my head.  We’ve read so many good books lately, and I want to share every one of them!  However, to always be thinking about it but unable to accomplish it makes me very tired and stressed out (frustrated is the word, I guess), so I am putting myself on bloggy break until after Christmas, and possibly even the new year.  It’s always an internal struggle with me (or maybe I should call it a contest–that sounds better!) to see how long I can blog in December before I call it quits.  I made it all the way up to December 21 last year, so I don’t know if it’s the addition of a baby to our already busy household or what, but this is it for the month this year.  (As I’m typing this I’m thinking, hmmm, what about reviewing this book?  Or this one?  Because there are several Christmas books I really want you to know about!) 

Okay, rather than reviewing the books, let me just link up a few titles that we have really enjoyed this Christmas season.  How’s that?  🙂  (Steady Eddie will laugh when he reads this because he knows I can’t resist talking about books. . . )

• The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L’Engle–a sweet little short chapter book about the Austin family.  Mama is expecting a baby and Vicky wonders if the baby’s birth will force the family to spend Christmas at home without mama.  Full of lovely traditions and warmth.  Highly Recommended!
• The Light at Tern Rock by Julia L. Sauer–a Newbery honor book published in 1951, this one blew me away!  Really–if you don’t read another chapter book with your kiddos this Christmas, look this one up! It’s the story of a boy and his aunt whose Christmas plans are upended when they are stranded at a lighthouse.  Full of spiritual insight, this is a story that really captures the meaning of the season.  Highly, Highly Recommended!
• Voices of Christmas by Nikki L. Grimes is a collection of poems about the characters who people the Nativity story.  This is an unusual approach to the story that will leave you thinking about the different people (and angels!) whose lives were affected by the coming of the Baby.
• Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck is a memoir of sorts about a time when a farm boy surprised his father with a simple act of service.  It’s a lovely, feel-good story that places the focus of the season where it should be:  not in materialism, but in ways we can show kindness and love to those around us.

Every one of these is a winner!

Well, since this turned into a Read Aloud Thursday of sorts anyway, if any of you have posts to share, just link them up in the comments!  🙂

Before I sign off, a bit of business–

Monica of Litten Lamm Academy   is the winner of the giveaway from last week’s Read Aloud Thursday.  Monica, I’ll be contacting you shortly.

Have a blessed Christmas, everyone!