Are your kiddos looking for something to read this holiday season? Here are seven recent titles currently available in the Children’s Room at the Galesburg Public Library. If you see something that interests you, give us a call or visit the catalog to put one on hold!
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS STORE by Maudie Powell-Tuck
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS STORE by Maudie Powell-TuckCelebrate the joy of love, family, and the magic of Christmas with this touching story about the most important gifts that money can’t buy.
Christmas for Benji this year has lost its magic. He desperately wants to feel the joy of this special season, but his family has very little. He is out walking in the city on Christmas Eve when he stumbles upon a magnificent store. A polar bear invites him in, and Benji visits different rooms that are filled with silly sounds, invisible items that appear using one’s imagination, and wonderful, inviting smells. Will he be able to find the perfect Christmas gifts for his family?
RED AND GREEN AND BLUE AND WHITE by Lee Wind
RED AND GREEN AND BLUE AND WHITE by Lee WindIt’s a holiday season that both Isaac, whose family is Jewish, and Teresa, whose family is Christian, have looked forward to for months! They’ve been counting the days, playing in the snow, making cookies, drawing (Teresa) and writing poems (Isaac). They enjoy all the things they share, as well as the things that make them different.
But when Isaac’s window is smashed in the middle of the night, it seems like maybe not everyone appreciates “difference.”
TINY REINDEER by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
TINY REINDEER by Chris Naylor-BallesterosTiny Reindeer is too small to pull Santa’s sleigh. Will he figure out a way to prove his worth before Christmas day? A sweet Christmas picture book for fans of When Santa Was a Baby and Dasher.
Santa and his reindeer are getting ready for Christmas, but Tiny Reindeer is too small to join in! Santa knows that a nudge in the right direction could change Tiny’s life forever. When Tiny discovers a letter from a bereft little girl who is wishing for a tiny reindeer to match her grandfather’s final gift, a hand-carved tiny sleigh, Tiny realizes that this might be his big chance. But will he have the courage to take a (literal) leap into the unknown? And what can Santa do to help?
THE PEOPLE REMEMBER by Ibi Zoboi
THE PEOPLE REMEMBER by Ibi ZoboiThe People Remember tells the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa. It begins in Africa, where people were taken from their homes and families. They spoke different languages and had different customs.
Yet they were bound and chained together and forced onto ships sailing into an unknown future. Ultimately, all these people had to learn one common language and create a culture that combined their memories of home with new traditions that enabled them to thrive in this new land.
THE REAL SANTA by Nancy Redd
THE REAL SANTA by Nancy ReddIt’s not Christmas without Santa! But what does Santa truly look like? Does he match the figurines on the mantel, or the faces on our favorite
holiday sweaters? Does he look like you or like me?
Find out in this joyous and cozy celebration of family, representation, and holiday spirit! Destined to be a new classic, and perfect for any child looking to see some of themself in Santa Claus.
THE GOLDEN DREIDEL by Ellen Kushner
THE GOLDEN DREIDEL by Ellen KushnerA timeless story that combines Jewish folklore and holiday tradition with an unforgettable fantasy adventure.
Sara wishes she celebrated Christmas. Instead, at her family’s big Chanukah party, her Tante Miriam gifts her a shiny golden dreidel. Sara and her cousins are warned to be careful, for it is no ordinary dreidel. Soon Sara discovers that the dreidel is an entranced princess in disguise. Swept into a magical world, Sara uncovers her own wisdom and courage as she solves riddles and defeats demons in order to save the princess. The perfect Chanukah read!
A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM by Phyllis Alsdurf
A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM by Phyllis AlsdurfWhen a little girl finds out her family is planning a simple Christmas this year, she’s not so sure about it. But soon she gets into the spirit of simplicity and generosity by making presents and Christmas decorations with her parents and grandparents on their family farm. She and her mama share Christmas cookies with friends they meet, inviting everyone to join them for Christmas in their little red barn.
Warm and heartfelt, this story invites children and families to imagine an inclusive Christmas, focusing on the simple pleasures of connection, community, and the care and generosity shared by making things by hand. Step-by-step directions for creating three handmade Christmas gifts are included at the end of the book. A Simple Christmas on the Farm is an inspired companion to author Phyllis Alsdurf’s bestselling Thanksgiving in the Woods, a picture book based on the real-life story of a family that celebrates Christmas in the woods in Upstate New York.
All book descriptions are courtesy of the publisher.