In celebration of the upcoming holidays I thought there could be nothing better than sharing my favorite bloggers with my favorite readers! For the next twelve days I’ll be sharing posts written by my favorite bloggers about their favorite holiday reads. From food bloggers to book bloggers each one is one I’ve long loved reading and know you’ll enjoy as well. So sit back and enjoy!

Already to day seven of our twelve day celebration, I’m thrilled to share a favorite reviewer and friend of mine Carisa from Digital Storytime. This was a stand-out year for me because I was able to meet and connect with so many new bookish friends and Carisa is one of the highlights of those “meet-ups”. Initially we met on Twitter through our shared passion of digital media and digital picture books, and then we were able to meet in person when she traveled up the coast of California to where our family resides. It was an absolute treat! Carisa and her little boy are amazing and I only wish they lived closer so that we could spend more time together. You’ll find Carisa at her incredible site Digital Storytime and her companion blog The Digital Media Diet where she reviews hundreds of book apps & apps for children. So, without further hesitation on my part, Carisa from Digital Storytime…

It’s a book … it’s a screen … wait, it’s transmedia! How storytelling is at the center of it all …

Great storytelling never gets old, just re-imagined!

When Danielle asked me to do a guest post about my favorite holiday books, it wasn’t easy to choose a digital story to focus on, since I have reviewed nearly 50 holiday titles in the past month. But even after I selected the top book app on my list, a nagging question was in the back of my mind. What did we read during the holidays before the iPad? My husband and I have been reading enhanced books on the iPad with our son for over 18 months now and when I really thought about it, I realized that we didn’t read a lot of holiday books before we had the digital option. Since holiday books are so specific to a time of year, we didn’t own any in print. Seasonal titles are often checked out of the public library during the holiday season, making them hard to borrow. But with the iPad, it is so much easier to download something on an impulse, especially when these apps are as inexpensive as used picture books in many cases (or even free). I’m sure my little boy will never remember a time when we didn’t read a lot of holiday books simply because he was only three when the iPad arrived. Because of digital, not only does my family read more now, but we are also creating some new family traditions around reading, including sharing holiday stories.

At the lot with Linus, Charlie Brown identifies with one lonely tree ...

Among the many versions of ‘The Night Before Christmas’, tales about Santa, reindeer and Christmases saved at the last moment, one title really stood out this year from the rest … but not for being modern or even original. Our favorite read has been the LoudCrow Interactive title, A Charlie Brown Christmas. This is an app that is built on the story (and images) from the original holiday TV special so familiar to anyone who was a child anytime after the 1960′s, when the show first aired. It has been a Christmas tradition every year since on TV and one of the first ‘transmedia’ book apps that I have really fallen in love with. Transmedia storytelling, according to wikipedia, is “the technique of telling stories across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies. It is not to be confused with traditional cross-platform media franchises, sequels or adaptations.” Really all this means is that the content expands, gets customized and even enhanced through modern means often unavailable to the creator of the original story idea. Charles Schultz is unlikely to have imagined his holiday cartoon, originally sponsored for television by Coca-Cola in 1965, as an animated book; a good story, I am thankful to discover, is favored by this digital revolution.

Charlie Brown seeks 'professional' help for his Christmas blues ...

From the first page, where a countdown to Christmas is prominently displayed, to the last page of credits with a list of all the Peanuts characters (tap to hear classic lines from each), this book app has it all. Children can play the piano alongside Schroeder, help Linus use his blanket to sling snowballs and even decorate the little tree. After reading this title many times, my child and I still find something new almost every time we read it again. The book itself is available after just a few minutes of waiting for it to download onto any iOS device (iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad). It covers much of the plot of the original television special, but more importantly it preserves one of the most important aspects of the original story, the voice of Charlie Brown. Narrated by Peter Robbins, this title has the ability to draw children, their parents and grandparents into the story together … making new memories for the youngest listeners while engaging older readers with a burst of nostalgia for their own childhoods and a reflection of deeply shared cultural experience.

The little tree is too small for decorations ... or is it?

Each page evokes a message that is entirely modern in it’s criticism of the commercialization of Christmas … especially for a world sobered by a deep recession. This focus on the ‘true meaning’ of the holiday season is both a reminder of what matters most, even in our modern world, and of the purpose of Christmas every year … dating much further back than media itself. It’s a time to look beyond ourselves, to reflect on deeper spiritual values and to take time to be connected to those we love most. And for a book app to give readers across generations a shared transmedia experience, entirely new and yet connected to a shared past, is among the gifts I am thankful for this year.

You can see my other favorites for digital holiday reading on this list: 2011 Christmas Book Apps – Our Top 10 + Bonus: Top 5 FREE. I look forward to reading even more in 2012, as Digital-Storytime expands to cover both Nook Color & Kindle Fire titles in the new year.

A love of music, like reading, draws odd couples together ...

Carisa Klüver is the co-founder, with her husband Marc, of Digital-Storytime.com, a book app review site for children’s picture books on the iPad. The site features 400+ book app reviews, daily deals on kids apps and a blog, The Digital Media Diet. Before book blogging, she was a health educator working with children, youth & families for 2 decades. She resides in the Pacific Northwest, but her heart can often be found in sunny California where she grew up reading.

In celebration of the upcoming holidays I thought there could be nothing better than sharing my favorite bloggers with my favorite readers! For the next twelve days I’ll be sharing posts written by my favorite bloggers about their favorite holiday reads. From food bloggers to book bloggers each one is one I’ve long loved reading and know you’ll enjoy as well. So sit back and enjoy!

Day Six is a long time blogging buddy of mine, Gina from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! A bit of random info for those of you out there, Gina was actually the very first person to ever comment on my blog! And funny enough, we’ve never even met in person. Gina and I connected on Twitter and ever since then we’ve been amazing friends. I trust her judgement on books better than most anyone else and if I’m ever in a pickle, Gina is the friend I turn to. She’s amazing! I simply don’t know if I’d still be book blogging today if it wasn’t for her. So thankfully she indulged me when I asked if she’d chat a bit about her favorite holiday books! So, without further hesitation on my part, Gina from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…

Hi there fellow readers!

How are you doing today?  Enjoying the holiday season I hope.  It’s time to add a little more joy to this time of year with a few great books just begging to be read.  Why?  Because!  They ARE holiday books after all!  When Danielle approached me to write a guest post for her upcoming feature, I was honored…I was touched…I was perplexed as to just what title to write about!  O-O  I mean, really…there are SO MANY great ones out there and to pick just one would seem a crime.  Luckily, she’s a fellow reader, foresaw this conundrum and gave us free reign to chit-chat for a bit about the title or titleS that call out to our bookish natures this time of year.  So, if you please…here are a few titles that you may want to add to your seasonal reads from my bookish heart to yours….in no particular order….

Ted E. Bear Finds Christmas by Diane Mayfield

Oh the joy that this one brings in both memory AND story!  My Mom and I would read this EVERY YEAR when I was younger.  It’s a story about a little bear that doesn’t want to hibernate like the rest of his friends and family, but wants to explore the season and discover Christmas for himself.  It’s cute; it’s endearing….it’s good for all ages.  It also may be harder to find…sorry!  Older title, but a classic nonetheless.

Twas the Night Before Christmas…

You can take your pick of authors here since the story has been done a dozen times over but it never really gets old, you know?  I remember a larger storybook version that unfortunately has been misplaced over the years that had these vibrant full page illustrations accompanying the poem.  They were magical somehow….imbuing Santa with that mischievous twinkle in his eye, and the snow with an inviting glow. Speaking of must reads….

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens…

I try to read a version of this story every year.  This year I found a storybook copy set to verse (think Twas the Night before Christmas style) that worked rather well.  It still managed to keep most of the elements we enjoy while shortening it to a length suitable for a young child’s (or adult pressed for time and still wanting to hold on to traditions) attention span.

The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover…

This one I was introduced to last year and was immediately taken in by the overall story.  It takes another look at the legendary figure in red shedding new light on how he came to be who he his today…complete with a “villain” out to stop him on his quest.  More suited for teens through adults as it has a darker spot or two (nothing violent really just not all “bowl full of jelly” laughing) but the end has a great message of believing you don’t want to miss.

This year I was introduced to TWO new Christmas titles that should not go unmentioned…

The Christmas Giant by Steve Light…

A storybook in style and genre but his one focuses more on the artwork.  It’s intricate and detailed while still giving off this rustic appeal.  Definitely one to read to the kiddos while you examine the finer points of the illustrations…

Jingle Bells: How the Holiday Classic Came to Be by John Harris…

Now this is one that mixes fact with fiction as it explores just where this classic carol originated from…not simply in time, but in story.  It was quite fascinating actually and though the author used a little creative licensing, you could really see the events play out as they suggested.  A wonderful look at the holiday season from a different time and place but with the reach to extend into our own “today”…

Every person, every thing has a story.  Some are more far fetched than others; some are filled with more hardships than should exist….but they are ALL worth sharing.  This holiday season, I invite you to start a new tradition.  Select a title that really touches your heart and read it each year….or maybe choose to read a new holiday selection each year as a family…you could even create a story with your friends and family if you’re feeling extra creative!  Whatever it may be, make it yours and the memories it creates will last a lifetime.

Thank you so much Danielle for allowing me to ramble on as I saw fit…hopefully I haven’t scared your readers away for the day with the length of this post.  ^_^  Happy holidays to each and every one of you out there!  May the season be merry and bright and the New Year brings you more joy than you had hoped.

Merry Christmas!

Gina

“the Insatiable Reader”

In celebration of the upcoming holidays I thought there could be nothing better than sharing my favorite bloggers with my favorite readers! For the next twelve days I’ll be sharing posts written by my favorite bloggers about their favorite holiday reads. From food bloggers to book bloggers each one is one I’ve long loved reading and know you’ll enjoy as well. So sit back and enjoy!

Day five is here already! Can you believe it? I can hardly believe that means there’s only a week until Christmas. Wow! Back to today though…I have the wonderful privilege of welcoming a good friend and book blogger I’ve found through my journey as a book blogger, Debbie from Debbie’s World of Books and Adventures of a Non-Creative Mom. One of the aspects of book blogging I’ve loved almost more than anything else is the opportunity to get to know fellow book lovers who also have children like myself. Debbie has two kiddos, just like me, who are around the same ages as the Turkeybird and Littlebug. It’s fabulous because we get to exchange book ideas, crafty kid project ideas and more. It’s fantastic! Not to mention the fact that Debbie has marvelous taste in books herself of course. So, without further hesitation on my part, Debbie from Debbie’s World of Books…

I’m a huge fan of Danielle’s blog so I was really excited when she asked me to guest post about my favorite holiday reads.

My first memories of Christmas are back from when I was 3 or 4 years old and we were living in Germany. One of my favorite books to read during the holidays was Frosty the Snowman. I still remember it was the edition from Golden Books and was most likely a hand me down from one of my older brothers. I loved those Golden Books and after reading Frosty the Snowman I would run outside with either my brothers or my best friend to make our own snowman. We would dress him up using rocks, a scarf, a hat and whatever else we could scavenge and after a long time playing out in the cold, would come inside for a warm cup of cocoa. I would go to bed thinking about how great it would be if my snow man were to come to life. Even after we left Germany and moved to Hawaii without a snowflake in sight I still loved to read Frosty the Snowman and even attempted to make a snowman out of sand (sadly with no success).

Now that I have kids of my own and my daughter is four years old I wanted to find a book that she could grow up reading and have her own set of memories associated with. Her favorite books have been Where Do Teddy Bears Come From by Mark Burgess and Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner. Where Do Teddy Bears Come From was one of the first Christmas books I read to my daughter where she actually understood the concept of Santa Claus and really latched onto the idea that Santa would bring you the one gift you truly wanted. Last year we read it over and over for weeks leading up to Christmas and she just pulled it out again last week and it’s become a part of her bedtime routine. This year we have also added Snowmen at Night to the mix and I have a feeling it’s going to remain on her favorites list as well. Each day she talks about wanting to build her own snowman and imagining what he would do at night while she’s sleeping. As you can imagine this made me smile as it immediately took me back to my childhood musings about Frosty. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to take my daughter back to Germany to visit where I spent my first memories of Christmas building my snowman and imagining him dashing through the neighborhood playing games and sliding down hills.

In celebration of the upcoming holidays I thought there could be nothing better than sharing my favorite bloggers with my favorite readers! For the next twelve days I’ll be sharing posts written by my favorite bloggers about their favorite holiday reads. From food bloggers to book bloggers each one is one I’ve long loved reading and know you’ll enjoy as well. So sit back and enjoy!

Today’s featured blogger is long time friend of mine and fellow book blogger, Jenni Elyse! The funny thing about Jenni and I is that we actually both knew each other online before we were book bloggers, but now both of us are book bloggers. We are both long time Stephenie Meyer fans and met on a fan based site for her book The Host. Well, those days have long passed, but our little group still chats via Facebook and I’m thrilled that I can still keep in touch with Jenni! Her site is amazing! She just had a site re-do and it’s adorable. Not to mention the fact that I love her posts and taste in books! So, without further hesitation on my part…Jenni Elyse!

I’ve always been one who doesn’t watch holiday movies or read holiday books because I think most of them are cheesy. This is still very true for me. But, as I’ve been reminiscing about my childhood around Christmas time, I remembered two books I absolutely loved.

The first is Santa and Me and a Lonesome Bear Called “T.” by Rick Reinert. It was published in 1983 and is currently out of print. (I’d love to get my hands on one of the used ones because I no longer have the copy my parents gave me.) My dad used to read this story to me and I remember loving it. The only thing I remember about it is that “T.” helped Santa save Christmas. Anyway, I thought it was something fun to read around Christmas and I looked forward to it each year when I was a child. If I still had it, I’d read it again this year and share it with some of my favorite children.

The second book is one that I became familiar with when I was a teenager. It was used as an object lesson at church. It’s called The Tale of the Three Trees; it’s a traditional folktale retold by Angela Elwell Hunt. It’s the story of three trees as they grow from saplings to full-fledged trees. Each of them expresses what they’d like to be used for when they get chopped down.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. “I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!”

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they’ll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God.I will be the tallest tree in the world.”

The trees don’t get exactly what they wished for, but they do get something better in return. It’s a marvelous story and beautifully illustrated. In my opinion, it captures the true meaning of Christmas more than most Christmas stories can or do. It’s definitely worthy of a reread each year.

In celebration of the upcoming holidays I thought there could be nothing better than sharing my favorite bloggers with my favorite readers! For the next twelve days I’ll be sharing posts written by my favorite bloggers about their favorite holiday reads. From food bloggers to book bloggers each one is one I’ve long loved reading and know you’ll enjoy as well. So sit back and enjoy!

Today I’m so unbelievably thrilled to have a very good friend of mine guest post! Kim from Chef Messy is a friend of mine from when our husbands were both in law school together. Back in those days we could commiserate about being “law school widows” while raising kiddos, but Kim as well as a small group of other wives built wonderful friendships that I treasure. Fortunately for me Kim keeps up an amazing blog and is basically my real life version of the “Pioneer Woman”! She does it all and not only that…she loves to read! Last year she even did an entire Christmas book advent calendar with her kids. It’s fabulous! So, without further hesitation on my part…Kim from Chef Messy!

Hi there! Chef Messy here. I was so excited to be asked to guest post about our favorite Christmas books! Reading is a big part of life at my house, as I’m sure it is at yours. Honestly, it’s the only time of the day when my kids hold still! We have so many favorite Christmas books that I had a tough time narrowing it down, but here are a few that our family enjoys year after year.

1. The Littlest Angel – This is a classic story that actually began as a radio broadcast in the late ’30′s. The story follows a four-year-old troublemaker of an angel who is just a little out of place amongst the older, more serious Heavenly set. I’ve always somehow related to the little guy. In spite of his slips and stumbles, he means well and has a pure heart. We love this story so much that I actually have two editions. I grew up with this one, and it is charming:

However, the illustrations in this one are lovely as well:

2. That’s Not My Snowman – Because we have some littles around here, we like to keep plenty of board books around. I very highly recommend any of the books from Usborne’s “That’s Not My…” series. They are sturdy and have plenty of fun textures for little people to feel (or chew on–you know how it goes with board books!) This one is a fun one for the holidays.

3. Angela and the Baby Jesus – This is a story that will even make grownups chuckle, and is based on the true story of Frank McCourt’s mother (of Angela’s Ashes fame). Angela, concerned about the baby Jesus who is sitting out in the cold at the local church nativity scene, decides to bring baby Jesus home and warm him up. Hilarity ensues when the local priest and policeman get involved. I dare you to try and read this without an Irish accent.

4. Winter’s Tale – This is a gorgeous pop-up book. All of the cutouts are done in sparkly whites, silvers, and pastels. You’ll feel cold just reading it, but it is lovely. The little house at the end of the book has a fun surprise – the Christmas lights light up! I look forward to this
book every year. Really, this is MY book. I am stingy with it! My kids love it, but nobody is allowed to touch it but me. It’s just too pretty!

5. Room for a Little One – This is one of the sweetest tellings of the nativity story that I know of. At the turn of each page, a cold little animal is warmly welcomed into the stable by the animals who came before it, ending with the arrival of Mary and Joseph. My father spent some time as the leader of his church congregation, and he enjoyed telling this story to all of the children in their neighborhood church. He had to guard it carefully because it had a tendency to walk away with people! It has a special place in my heart.

6. The Mitten – Speaking of cold animals, this is a silly story, but it never fails to make my kids laugh. In this Ukranian folk tale, a group of animals squeeze into a misplaced mitten to try to keep warm. Right about the time the bear squeezes in, the mitten finally gives out and explodes, much to the surprise of the animals, who are apparently lacking some spacial reasoning skills. I recently tried the same trick with a pair of pre-children pants, with much the same results.

7. I’ve Seen Santa – Any parent who has been mistaken for Santa in the wee hours of Christmas will appreciate this book about a little bear who is trying his best to stay up and see Santa. Daddy Bear is busted drinking Santa’s milk. Mommy Bear is caught messing around with the Christmas stockings. I’m sure that has never happened at your house. I love that the bears never do get to see Santa. They are konked out long before Santa arrives. But that doesn’t mean Santa doesn’t see them! You’ll love the little bear in this book – he’s super cute.

8. A Pirate’s Night Before Christmas – So, the pirates are waiting for Sir Peggedy instead of Santa Clause. Their Christmas wish list is rather, well, piratey. Also, Sir Peggedy arrives with eight seahorses, not eight reindeer. But if your kids are into pirates (who isn’t?), they will love this one. The illustrations in this book make it particularly fun.

9. The Snowmen Pop-Up Book – Ever wondered what your snowmen at night, when you are asleep in your bed? Why are they often so skiwampus in the morning? The pop-ups in this book are going to explain everything. (Apparently, your snowmen have been off having a wild lot of fun.) This book seems to be out-of-print, but I believe this is the same story, minus pop-ups.

(There’s also “Snowmen at Christmas” by the same author and illustrator, but I don’t know much about it. I’d love to see this one, though. Anyone else know if it’s good?)

10. The Night Before Christmas – Everyone needs a good version of this story, and this one is my favorite. The illustrations are cute in the way that only Mary Engelbreit knows how to be cute. Her elves are adorable, and her Santa Claus is particularly rosy-cheeked and jolly. Each page has a ton of detail that make this book fun to read again and again. You’ll notice something different every time you read it. This story is a tradition in our house every Christmas Eve, and I’m so glad to have found an edition with pictures that we love so much.

Well, those are my recommendations! I’m looking forward to seeing what the other guest posters have to say! Books and stories are such an important part of the holidays! There’s nothing better than snuggling up with your little ones with a great story and a cup of hot cocoa!

Thanks again for letting me post my favorites! Have a Merry Christmas!

Kim (a.k.a. Chef Messy)

In celebration of the upcoming holidays I thought there could be nothing better than sharing my favorite bloggers with my favorite readers! For the next twelve days I’ll be sharing posts written by my favorite bloggers about their favorite holiday reads. From food bloggers to book bloggers each one is one I’ve long loved reading and know you’ll enjoy as well. So sit back and enjoy!

Day Two of the Twelve Days of Christmas is celebrated by the dynamic duo from Teach Mentor Texts, Jen and Kellee! I was first introduced to Jen almost two years ago now when she initially guest posted on my site about her favorite childhood book. Much time has passed and I’m grateful to be able to consider her a close friend and also thrilled that Kellee joined her site! Their reviews are brilliant and you can be assured you’ll always find great conversation where ever these two go, be it on their blog or on twitter. So, without further hesitation on my part…Jen and Kellee from Teach Mentor Texts!

We would like to introduce ourselves to you, Danielle’s awesome blog lovers! I’m Jen and I blog with my friend, Kellee, at Teach Mentor Texts. We’re both teachers. We met on Twitter…and then in real life. We love to read and blog books!

What I most love about talking books with Kellee (and with anyone really) is that I learn about new books or remember books I have read that I cherish. When Danielle asked us to write about our favorite holiday books, Kellee and I started brainstorming. We both instantly came up with Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas. How can you not love that book? I’m sure everyone has heard of that one, right?

In our family we have a tradition of reading The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore as illustrated by Mary Engelbreit. I have always loved her brightly-colored drawings and she brings all the characters to life like magic. It’s my favorite version. We have also started the Elf on the Shelf tradition. When our elf comes to visit he brings his book with him. We love waking up to see where our elf is hiding…or what mischief he has been up to.

Kellee has some favorite holiday books of her own:

The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is my favorite time of the year.  It is all about family and caring. It also is the perfect time to curl up and read a good book; specifically a holiday book!

My mother is a huge Snoopy fan because she attributes him to her love of reading. Because of that, we would always watch all of the Charlie Brown holiday specials on TV: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Luckily, all of these were originally books as well, so I always find comfort in reading A Charlie Brown Christmas during the holiday season.

As for more recently, last Christmas I was in the mood to read something festive so I picked up Let it Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with those authors. What I found was not only a romantic, funny book, but a perfect holiday read! Let it Snow is like those movies where you follow three very different stories and then eventually they intertwine and everything seems to follow into place. I loved reading each story, wanting to learn more about a certain character and then realizing the next story was about them! The authors also did a fantastic job throwing in aspects of Christmas and pushing the holiday cheer without shoving it down your throat. Let is Snow is one of those books that I want to curl up and read by the fire while it snows outside.

It’s me Jen, now. I’m back! I had no idea the Charlie Brown holiday specials were books first. I mean, I know they are comics but I’ve never read the books. I’ve already added them to my library list to see if I can find them! And I’m going to make sure to grab Let It Snow for winter break. I love Lauren Myracle, John Green, and Maureen Johnson and if Kellee likes this book I’m sure I will.

After reading what Kellee wrote about Let It Snow, I remembered Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares that is written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I read it last year and it is an excellent, witty story. I am a huge fan of love stories and adventures and surprises and mysteries and this book is full of it while at the same time being edgy and current. I’ll definitely be snuggling up with this one again this holiday season.

We hope you enjoyed our holiday picks – from picture books to YA!