Advent Book Calendar // Second Edition
Go ahead. Throw shade at the Christmas decorations popping up the day afternoon Halloween (tiny glittery bottle trees mean nothing to you.) Bah humbug at your computer screen when you see your “friends” posting pre-maturely decorated trees (you thought you knew them better.) Cover your eyes when you hear that seasonally festive music pumping through the speakers of your radio (No it is NOT beginning to look a lot like Christmas.)
But trust me on this one. If you plan on using the library to complete your Advent book calendar, then you are going to want to get ahead of the game and reserve those books before your Christmas heart is ready or you will end up with the Christmas story leftovers and that’s enough to dash even the No- Christmas-Until-After-Thanksgiving Loyalist’s Christmas spirits this season. (For the record. I am not one of those people. I respect all beliefs and traditions. But while I fight it, Christmas brings me joy no matter when I see it and I am definitely guilty of pressing play on some holiday playlists while working on these posts.)
(Additional note...If you need a refresher on what an Advent Book Calendar is, check out this post from two years back.)
With that information covered, here are some new additions to our Advent Book Calendar, including one I just found today and cried in the middle of the book store. That’s a sign of a good Christmas book right there. Get your name on these books at your local library, quick!
Red and Lulu - I thought the story would be good. Two cardinals and their tree that becomes the one standing in Rockefelller Plaza. But I had no idea the story would make me cry, not for sadness but because of such a sweet friendship and love of Christmas. I adore this. A new favorite for years to come. And the house in the story looks just like mine!
The Little Reindeer - A sweet story about a girl looking for a reindeer by listening for the Jingle-Jingle of the bells. The illustrations are magical, especially with little cutouts and silver lining. I imagine this would be fun to read with a set of jingle bells to add to the magic.
Pick a Pine Tree - This is a simple story about picking a Christmas tree and decorating it. But it's the illustrations that drew me in. They have a mid-century modern look to them and I am a sucker for that look. You won't mind reading this again and again just to stare at all those pretty pictures.
Bear Stays Up for Christmas - I love the books in Karma Wilson's series of this bear and his friends, and this one does not disappoint. In an effort to stay up, the bear discovers the joy of giving. Your little cubs will want to stay up with this kind bear and his friends!
Mortimer's Christmas Manger - I laughed and cried with this one! A little mouse thinks he has found a perfect place to sleep in the nativity set, until he keeps returning to the manger only to find the baby placed back inside, where he wants to sleep! Imagine his surprise when he discovers who this little baby is. Such a sweet little mouse, it almost makes me like mice. Almost.
Christmas in the Big Woods - I am very excited to dig into the Little House on the Prairie Book Series with my kids since moving to Minnesota. This tells one of the Christmas stories in a picture book making it accessible to a younger audience. And this story is so dear as the simplicity of the time is such a wonderful lesson.