Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2012

Today is the first day of The True Book Addict's Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2012! The reading challenge goes 'til January 6, 2013 (Twelfth Night or Epiphany). That's over a month of holiday reading to read and review. I hope to surpass the number of reads (and movies) that I enjoyed last year. (My round-up list is available here.) If you would like to join the challenge, sign up at The True Book Addict's blog. Happy holiday reading, friends!


Reviews: Christmas Wombat and Who Built the Stable?


The Christmas Wombat by Jackie French


Jackie French brings back the Australian wombat for a Christmas caper! Our wombat friends likes to eat, sleep, and scratch. He smells his favorite food - carrots and follows strange new creatures to carrots all over the world!

A simple and sweet story that doesn't hold a heavy holiday theme. The light touch highlights Santa, reindeer, and traveling in one night, but the main theme is a day with a wombat.

Reviewed from a library copy.

---



Who Built the Stable?: A Nativity Poem by Ashley Bryan


The art of poetry and the art of painting explode in this new Christmas story about the birth of Jesus. The paintings were rendered in tempera and acrylic to create a vibrant story that describes a little boy's journey to see the newborn King. This young sheepherder and carpenter helped to build a stable then invited Mary and Joseph a place to stay the night of the Census.

Poetry is a great way to tell a story. It's beauty blends well with the bright colors. Children and adults will be charmed by this story.

Reviewed from a library copy.