Board books and novelty titles vie for the role of stocking-stuffer. With holographic paper accents twinkling beneath die-cut shapes, the Holiday Sparklers board book series includes The Gingerbread Man and The Busy Little Elf, both by Dawn Bentley, illus. by Tom Patrick. (Intervisual/Piggy Toes, $4.95 each 10p ages 2-up ISBN 1-58117-163-3; -162-5; Aug.)
With approximately three dozen reusable holographic stickers, the 7" x 7" board book Make Your Own Christmas Treats by Judith Moffatt lets readers put the finishing touches on gingerbread houses, cookies and more. (Scholastic/Cartwheel, $6.99 12p ages 3-5 ISBN 0-439-36219-9; Oct.)
Large-scale pop-ups of snowmen, Christmas trees, etc., and an unusually bright palette are the feature attractions of the oversize Charlie Chimp's Christmas: A Pop-Up Extravaganza of Festive Friends by Keith Faulkner, illus. by Jonathan Lambert, about a chimp who can't sleep on Christmas Eve. (Barron's, $9.95 16p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-7641-5556-3; Sept.)
Emily the bunny celebrates in her seventh lift-the-flap book, Merry Christmas, Emily! by Claire Masurel, illus. by Susan Calitri. The publisher uses an identical lift-the-flap format for the informative Kwanzaa title, Kwanzaa Kids by Joan Holub, illus. by Ken Wilson-Max (Puffin, $6.99 paper each 16p ages 2-6 ISBN 0-14-230198-1; -230199-X; Sept.)
Frolicsome tiny penguins follow their mother as she bedecks their igloo in the board book original Get Busy This Christmas! by Stephen Waterhouse. The whimsical art packs such details as a polar-bear-faced wall clock and penguins on skis. (Barefoot, $6.95 32p ages 3-7 ISBN-1-58234-802-2; Oct.)
Several new titles focus on the birth of Jesus. Two Slide and Seek board books, The Shepherds' Tale and The Wise Men's Tale, both by Tim Dowley and Peter Wyart, illus. by Martin Pierce, engage readers in a gentle biblical quiz. "What do the shepherds find in Bethlehem?" asks one spread; the spread slides open to reveal a panel inset of Mary and the infant Jesus. (Kregel/Candle,$5.99 each 12p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-8254-7257-1; -7256-3; Sept.)
Tomie dePaola adapts his 1978 The Christmas Pageant for the board book Tomie's Little Christmas Pageant, in which the boy narrator winningly tells the story of Christmas: "Welcome to our play. It is about a baby who was born many, many years ago on the very first Christmas. This is how it all happened." (Putnam, $7.99 32p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-399-23959-6; Sept.)
Another pageant unfolds in Suse MacDonald's watercolors for Jean Marzollo's rebus story I See a Star. A rebus key introduces the 17 words of text; the q&a format makes it easy to get in the groove ("[can] U C a [camel]?/ [eye] C a [camel]"). (Scholastic/Cartwheel, $7.95 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-439-26616-5; Oct.)
Bound into the back cover, a plush finger puppet peeks through the die-cut pages of the Snuffleheads series titles Little Lamb's Christmas Story and Little Donkey's Christmas Story, both by Kathryn Smith, illus. by Amanda Wood. Little Lamb, for example, welcomes baby Jesus into the world; prompts encourage participation ("Help Little Lamb kneel and worship the baby, too"). (Kregel/Candle, $7.99 14p ages 4-8 ISBN 1-85985-442-7; -441-9; Sept.)
Star-shaped molded-plastic counting pieces increase in the sky above Bethlehem in The Stars Came out on Christmas by William Boniface, illus. by Stephen Waterhouse ("Nine little stars heard the sound of heaven's horn./ Ten little stars proclaimed: 'The son of God is born' "). (PSS!, $10.99 24p ages 3-up ISBN 0-8431-4879-9; Sept.)
Music and pictures also combine in the book-and-CD Room in the Stable: The Animals Share Christmas by Crystal Bowman, illus. by Beverly Leudecke, music by Lynn Hodges. The rhymed verses (read and sung on the CD) describe how the animals share their manger with the Holy Family and tell "everyone/ The wonderful news of/ God's only son." (Cook/Faith Kids (800-708-5550), $14.99 32p ages 4-7 ISBN 0-78143-797-0; July)
Familiar characters star in the next batch of titles. Liftable flaps and foil accents enliven the sturdy pages of Clifford's Christmas Present by Sonali Fry, illus. by John Kurtz. (Scholastic/Cartwheel, $8.99 16p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-439-39451-1; Oct.)
A dog of a different color stars with his good buddy Joe in the paper-over-board title Blue's 12 Days of Christmas by Catherine Lukas, illus. by Karen Craig. (S&S/Simon Spotlight, $9.99 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-689-84971-0; Oct.)
Diane deGroat's school-going possum, Gilbert (hero of the series including Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink), plays second fiddle to his little sister, Lola, in Lola the Elf, which inaugurates the Lola's Dress-up Box books. When Lola decides to be a helpful "elf" as her parents make Christmas Eve preparations, gatefold flaps unfold reveal the humorous, less-than-helpful results. (North-South/Night Sky, $5.99 paper 16p ages 3-6 ISBN 1-59014-081-8; Sept.)
In Teddy's Snowy Day, Ian Beck recasts Teddy and Lily, the toy bear and girl separated and reunited in Home Before Dark, in another tale of bear loses girl (and gets back to her again). This time Teddy is aided by a stranger; the illustrations show only the mysterious helper's red mittens, white cuffs and red sleeves and the interior of his well-laden sleigh. (Scholastic, $15.95 32p ages 3-up ISBN 0-439-17520-8; Oct.)
One of the all-time champion worriers returns in Merry Christmas, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt, illus. by Cyd Moore. Here Stinky Face challenges his unflappable mother to come up with contingency plans for various possible emergencies: "What if Santa landed on our roof, and one of his reindeer got his antlers stuck in the tree that hangs over my bedroom window?" (BridgeWater/Troll, $15.95 32p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-8167-7468-4; Oct.)
Cavis and Millward (aka Bob and Larry) are the VeggieTales heroes of The Star of Christmas: A Very Veggie Christmas Story, adapted (from the video) by Cindy Kenney, illus. by Dennis Bredow. In 1880s London, these Veggies learn that the true star of Christmas isn't the prized ornament they covet but Jesus Christ. (Zonderkidz, $14.99 40p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-310-70504-5; Oct.)
Franklin's Holiday Treasury by Paulette Bourgeois, illus. by Brenda Clark, unites four previously published tales starring the titular turtle. (Kids Can, $15.95 128p ages 3-8 ISBN 1-55337-045-7; Sept.)
In the beginning reader Minnie and Moo: The Night Before Christmas by Denys Cazet, the bovine series heroes consult the "Clement Moose" classic ("It's a how-to book on delivering Christmas gifts") when the farmer forgets where he's hidden his grandchildren's presents. (HarperCollins, $15.99 48p ages 4-8 ISBN 0-06-623752-1; Oct.)
After Honey the cat causes mishap after mishap, Happy the dog intercedes and convinces Honey to do what pets do best: simply relax and wait for Santa to fill their stockings in Happy Christmas, Honey! by Laura Godwin, illus. by Jane Chapman. (S&S/McElderry, $14.95 32p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-689-84714-9; Oct.)
The heroine of Princess Dinosaur returns in Merry Christmas, Princess Dinosaur! by Jill Kastner. The gal goes into a Christmas Eve frenzy, giving gifts to her toy-box compadres, and imploring Santa with a giant message in the snow. (HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $15.99 32p ages 5-up ISBN 0-06-000471-1; Oct.)
In the 8" x 8" Humphrey's Christmas by Sally Hunter, elephant siblings Humphrey and Lottie (Humphrey's Corner and Humphrey's Bedtime) enjoy seasonal delights, cozily depicted in hand-lettered text and small-scale vignettes. (Holt, $9.95 24p ages 2-5 ISBN 0-8050-7176-8; Oct.)
In a timely addition to Pelican's line of Christmas books, they add Firefighter's Night Before Christmas by Kimbra Cutlip, illus. by James Rice. A surprise guest visits while the team answers a call for help; they return to a bevy of gifts. (Pelican, $14.95 32p ages 5-8 ISBN 1-58980-054-0; Oct.)
Bunny Sam returns in the padded-cover board book Sam's Christmas Word Book by Yves Got. With their thick black line and toy-bright colors, the cheerily childlike illustrations have something of the appeal of Maisy. (Chronicle, $9.95 94p ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. ISBN 0-8118-3559-6; Dec.)
Harriet and the Little Fat Fairy by Deborah Inkpen finds Harriet the hamster (Harriet; Harriet Adrift) exploring the Christmas tree; when she gets into trouble, an unexpected friend at the top of the tree comes to her aid. (Barron's, $11.95 24p ages 4-7 ISBN 0-7641-5562-8; Sept.)
Artist Susan Wheeler's well-dressed woodland creatures, featured in greeting cards and elsewhere, can be seen posing as an angel chorus and more in Holly Pond Hill: A Child's Book of Christmas, with 10 poems by Paul Kortepeter. Like previous Holly Pond Hill titles, this has a padded board book format. (Dutton, $9.99 22p all ages ISBN 0-525-47017-4; Sept.)
In Christmas City: A Look-Again Book by Michael Garland, a companion to Mystery Mansion, rhyming text challenges readers to spot the more than 200 objects hidden in the computer-generated collage illustrations. Complex layers of pattern and design multiply the fun. (Dutton, $15.99 32p ages 3-8 ISBN 0-525-46904-4; Sept.)
Reissues also deck the hall. Susan Orton Jones's Big Susan celebrates its 55th anniversary. Illustrations in muted tones are interspersed throughout the story, about a doll family that comes to life on Christmas Eve—after weeks of neglect by their eponymous owner. (Purple House, $18.95 84p ages 6-10 ISBN 1-930900-06-6; Sept.)
Mister Frog, Missy Cat, Master Dog and Mistress Pig star in Tomie dePaola's Four Friends at Christmas, adapted from dePaola's 1977 Four Stories for Four Seasons. (S&S, $14.95 32p ages 3-6 ISBN 0-689-85282-7; Oct.)
Clement C. Moore to the contrary, a curious mouse is indeed stirring in Mouse's First Christmas by Lauren Thompson, illus. by Buket Erdogan, now available in a board book edition. (S&S/Little Simon, $7.99 34p ages 2-6 ISBN 0-689-85141-3; Oct.)
Also new to board book, The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne, adapted by Pat Matuszak, illus. by Bill Dodge, explains how the evergreen tree became associated with Christmas and how it can be used to teach people about God. (Zonderkidz, $8.99 28p ages up to 4 ISBN 0-310-70446-4; Oct.)
The board book edition of The Littlest Angel pares back Charles Tazewell's text for the 1946 original, about a cherub and his present to the Son of God; illustrated with new, cartoonlike watercolors by Rebecca Thornburgh. (Ideals/Candy Cane, $6.95 ages 4-8 ISBN 0-8249-4224-8; Sept.)
First published in the U.S. in 1994, They Followed a Bright Star, based on a poem by Spanish poet Joan Alavedra, illus. by Ulises Wensell, returns to print. This lyrical, radiantly illustrated story tells of those like the fisherman and plowman who, less dramatically but no less powerfully than the shepherds, served Jesus on the night of his birth. (Putnam, $16.99 40p ages 5-up ISBN 0-399-22706-7; Sept.)
Also back in print, Peter Collington's 1997 A Small Miracle wordlessly tells of an impoverished old woman who restores the church's vandalized crèche; when she falls in the snow, the figures come to life and rescue her. PW's starred review praised the "skillful blend of fantasy and realism." (Knopf, $15.95 32p all ages ISBN 0-679-88725-3; Sept.)
Now with a new cover and new size (8 11/16" x 7 7/8"), The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (1995) by Susan Wojciechowski, illus. by P.J. Lynch, pairs what PW's starred review called an "elegant, poignant" story, about the spiritual reawakening of a bitter man, with richly detailed watercolors of an early-American setting. (Candlewick, $12.99 40p ages 6-12 ISBN 0-7636-1930-2; Oct.)
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Yuletide treasuries. Grandly oversize (almost 13½" x 10¼"), The Family Treasury of Classic Christmas Carols, illus. by Sarah Gibb, enlivens 21 traditional tunes with energetic watercolors. (Running Press/ Courage, $9.98 56p ages 9-12 ISBN 0-7624-1392-1; Oct.)
Twenty-five true tales, many of them submitted by Chicken Soup readers, celebrate the holiday spirit in Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Treasury for Kids: A Story a Day from December 1st Through Christmas for Kids and Their Families by Jack Canfield et al.(HCI, $16.95 100p ages 6-12 ISBN 0-7573-0038-3; Oct.)
Sian Hardy compiles 18 folk tales and stories from writers as diverse as Beverly Cleary, Joan Aiken and Hans Christian Andersen in The Kingfisher Treasury of Christmas Stories, illus. by Kate Aldous with b&w drawings. (Kingfisher, $5.95 paper 160p ages 5-8 ISBN 0-7534-5566-8; Sept.)
With as much appeal for adults as for children, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Christmas ABC, beautifully bound for gift-giving, pairs text based on a poem by Carolyn Wells with early-20th-century lithographs by students at Vienna's Wiener Werkstätte. (Abrams, $12.95 64p all ages ISBN 0-8109-3496-5; Dec.)
The song "Jingle Bells" plays when readers open the lid of Disney's Christmas Music Box, which sports a silky handle. Five handsize books with padded covers lie within, featuring characters from Toy Story, and more. A Disney ornament is included. (Disney, $12.99 ages 4-8 ISBN 0-7868-3387-4; Sept.)
Kids get into the act with My Christmas Album by Candice and Richard Elton, illus. by Fran Lee. Packaged with a reusable flash camera (film, batteries and a glue stick are also included), the spiral-bound volume tells readers what to focus on and how to position the camera. (Gibbs Smith, $19.95 28p ages 4-8 ISBN 1-58685-204-3; Aug.)
Crafty types should take note of Christmas Window Art by Barbara Kane, which contains 101 holiday designs, plastic sheets and six squeeze-on paints for making stick-on, peel-off window decorations. (Klutz, $19.95 38p ages 6-up ISBN 1-57054-980-X; Sept.)
Also for aspiring artisans, the Quick Starts for Kids! title Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments by Ginger Johnson, illus. by Norma Jean Martin-Jordenais, draws on a variety of crafts techniques. (Williamson, $7.95 paper 64p ages 8-up ISBN 1-885593-79-1; Sept.)
A cloth book lets the youngest book lovers participate in the festivities: The Animals' Christmas Gifts by Alice Joyce Davidson, illus. by Emily Bolam, uses a lamb on a Velcro closure to lead in; other interactive elements include a "cozy" wool blanket. (Standard [800-543-1353], $12.99 8p newborn-up ISBN 0-7847-1375-8; Aug.)
The Bible People Books Nativity Set comes with plush dolls of Mary and Joseph, who each carry in a backpack-like enclosure a book about the first Christmas—both titles by Stephanie St. Pierre, illus. by Tammie Lyon. A plush baby Jesus also stars swaddled in a cradle; the gift box provides a stage backdrop of the animals in the stable. (Standard [800-543-1353], $14.99 all ages ISBN 0-7847-1242-5; Oct.)
Other good things come in book packages. Madeline's Christmas Book and Doll boxes up a copy of Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline's Christmas plus a 7½" toy Madeline. The doll wears a festive red coat and hat. (Viking, $21.99 ages 3-8 ISBN 0-670-03595-5; Sept.)
Featuring a keepsake edition of The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg, illus. by James Bernardin, The Legend of the Candy Cane Gift Set also includes an enhanced CD (with a reading of the story, carols, screensaver and wallpaper) plus a candy-cane ornament. (Zonderkidz, $19.99 ages 4-8 ISBN 0-310-70328-X; Oct.)
The Miracle on 34th Street Ornament and Book Gift Set pairs Valentine Davies's 1947 holiday classic, designed to match its original 1947 edition, with a painted wooden ornament. The vintage look, with its muted reds and greens, is eye-catching in its understatement. (Harcourt, $16.95 all ages ISBN 0-15-204575-9; Oct.)
Note: For additional spooky titles as well as a smattering of holiday reprints, see Children's Forecasts, p. 71
