From Kate’s
Writing Crate…
There are many wonderful and classic books to read to
children this time of year. My best memories are of my mom or dad or grandma or
grandpa reading their favorite books to my siblings and me. We only saw our
grandparents a few times a year so spending time sitting on their laps or
huddled together on a couch or bed listening to adventures was fun and
exciting. These days parents and grandparents can also read to kids via the
Internet.
For the youngest audience, there is Harold at the North Pole by Crockett Johnson. Harold, who always
has his trusty purple crayon in his hand, goes on yet another wonder-filled
adventure—this time to see Santa and find a Christmas tree. I loved that Harold
could create whatever he needed or wanted using his imagination and his crayon.
If only crayons worked like that outside of books!
For the three to eight set, The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry and illustrated by
J. P. Miller is always a big hit with its scratch and sniff pages. When you
think of Christmas as a child or an adult, it’s often the scent of pine and
baking cookies that first comes to mind so this book with its six scent pages
will create a strong memory for the children you read it to as they experience
Christmas along with lead character Little Bear as he and his family prepare
for the holiday by baking, getting a tree then decorating it, and receiving a
stocking. I can still remember scratching and sniffing those pages as the book
was passed around. It made the anticipation of Christmas morning even keener.
There is nothing like the original English adventure novel One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie
Smith—not the Disney version—for children about five to ten or eleven. At 199
pages with detailed black and white illustrations, you are whisked away to
London and then the English countryside where Pongo and Missis (as Perdita is a
different character) in search of their puppies are helped and sheltered by an
array of doggy characters including a spaniel in a country manor who shares a
delightful tea time with them when they most need comfort. (Serving tea or hot
chocolate and buttered toast or Christmas cookies during the reading of chapter
9 is highly recommended.) At a chapter a night you can keep the kids and
grandkids on the edge of their seats for 18 nights. Chapter 17 takes place on
Christmas Eve in a serene and holy setting followed by the last chapter that
continues at the peak of the adventure on Christmas Eve into a happy Christmas
Day then into the New Year. As we were a family who had dogs and cats, this
adventure appealed to everyone as cats play important roles in the story filled
with puppies. We also felt good that the Baddun brothers got their
comeuppance—thanks to the Colonel who then promotes himself to Brigadier-General—as
well as Cruella and her husband—thanks to their own cat and most every
Dalmatian. (Please note that Dalmatians are high-energy dogs so not the best
pet for many families although a dog and/or a cat makes a home even homier in
my opinion.)
My grandmother loved The
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney and illustrated by
William Sharp—perfect for kids about six to twelve. Mrs. Pepper is a widow
raising her five children in a setting about a hundred years ago. The three
brothers and two sisters are a close-knit bunch helping their mother as best
they can while still having fun. Life is not always easy and Christmas gifts
are difficult to come by and yet the family celebrates all the blessings they
do have including their new friend, Jasper, and his German shepherd, Prince,
who save the youngest, three-year-old Phronsie, when she goes missing. While
there are good times and bad, the family has a happy ending. I believe my
grandmother loved this book as more important things than gifts are highlighted
in this story. I loved the characters wishing I had an older brother like Ben
or Jasper, a sister like Polly, and especially a dog like Prince. (When I grew
up, I got a German shepherd just like Prince—my own happy ending!)
Make
your holidays more memorable—read to the kids!
