Christmas in July Handmade Card 2021

 

This is my first Christmas card for the 2021 holiday season. July is almost over so I thought I had better get started on my Christmas cards. 

This card features the PRE-COLORED digital stamp "Ragged Winnie" designed by Maurie J. Manning of Mo's Digital Pencil. I usually color the images myself, but this image is so beautiful that I had to have it. I die-cut the image and red background with a Spellbinders "Fancy Edged Ovals" set.

The background paper and sentiment are from a Tim Holtz Christmas paper pad.

I will enter this card in the following challenge;

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #305

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Let Heaven and Nature Sing

Click on image to enlarge.

Each year I plan to make my Christmas cards before the holiday rush. I decided to celebrate "Christmas in July" with my first Christmas card of 2019.

The base of this card is a blank green cardstock card that measures 5" by 6.5" (Recollections from Michaels).

I chose the digital stamp/sentiment Bird Tree from Mo's Digital Pencil. I used Canva to merge the image and sentiment. I added the hill and two small trees from the Little House Elements that Maurie Manning gave her Patreon subscribers. I printed the design on white cardstock with my HP Photo Printer and Instant Ink.

I watercolored the birds on the tree with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I added shadows around the tree and on the ground with Copic Sketch markers.

I chose a clean and simple card design because I wanted to emphasize the sentiment on the card...Joy to the World, the Lord is Come! 

I will enter this card in the following challenges;
Christmas at Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - July
Cute N' Crafty Christmas Blog Challenge #16
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #53
Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #281
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge #64
Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #WWC232

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Seven Stories of Christmas Love by Leo Buscaglia - A Review

Seven Stories of Christmas Love

By: Leo Buscaglia, PhD

Illustrator: Tom Newsom

Publisher: Slack Incorporated

Date of Publication: June 1, 1987

Length: 110 Pages


About the Author
Felice Leonardo "Leo" Buscaglia PhD, also known as "Dr. Love," was an American author and motivational speaker, and a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California. His dynamic speaking style was discovered by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and his televised lectures earned great popularity in the 1980s. At one point his talks, always shown during fund raising periods, were the top earners of all PBS programs. Dr. Buscaglia died of a heart attack on June 12, 1998.

The Spirit of Christmas is Love
This book features the following short stories about the author's Christmas memories:

A Christmas Morning Memory - A story about Leo's poor Italian  immigrant family and a lesson in forgiveness and love.

Two Festivals of Light - Leo and his family share Christmas dinner with their new Jewish neighbors.

A Gift of Ravioli - When Leo was a boy, he had a crush on the public librarian. He only had some of his mother's homemade ravioli to give her at Christmas, but that was enough.

The Christmas Story According to Big Matthew - A humorous story about Leo directing the Christmas pageant when he was a young elementary school teacher.

A Santa Suit Does Not a Santa Claus Make - Leo is recruited to be the school Santa Claus when the school custodian fell ill.

No Room at the Inn - Leo shares the Christmas story during a magical trip to Bali on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't - Leo finds himself in the hospital recovering from a heart attack and quintuple heart bypass surgery on Christmas day, 1992. This does not stop him from spreading love to fellow members of the "Open Heart Club."

 My Thoughts
I remember watching Dr. Leo Buscaglia on PBS and reading his books in the 1980s. When I saw this book at the library sale, I was immediately drawn to it. This little book does an amazing job defining the true meaning of Christmas. The author tells how each of the Christmas memories he shared in this book reinforced his beliefs in the value of caring and love.

I can't choose a favorite story from this book...I loved them all. The illustrations are lovely and add value to the stories.

The spirit of Christmas is love. Each of the seven stories in this book emphasized the importance of family, friendship, caring, sharing and love. "Dr. Love" was a great inspiration to all who heard him speak and read his books.

I highly recommend this book to older children and adults. 
It is a short book that packs a mighty punch. You will want to read it each year to remind you of the true meaning of the season.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I found this book on the quarter shelf at a Friends of the Library sale.

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A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe - A Review

A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree

Author: Colleen Monroe

Illustrator: Michael Glen Monroe

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Publication Date: December 1, 2011

Length: 32 pages. 


About the Author
This book contains illustrations by wildlife artist Michael Monroe and text from his wife, Colleen Monroe.

A Christmas Wish
An old tree on a Christmas tree farm is disappointed because he has never been chosen to go home with a family and be a decorated Christmas tree. He sees his sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, grandkids and great grandkids picked, one by one.

He is sobbing because he believes his dream has passed him by.

However, unknown to the old tree, he has some grateful friends in the forest. The squirrel finds his branches safe and warm. A cardinal says the tree keeps him safe from the wind.

A white-tale deer says the tree he is needed because he provides him with a soft bed of pine needles to lie down and rest.

The tree learns that he is much more than a Christmas tree to his forest friends. He is needed and appreciated all year long.

My Thoughts
The tree IS NOT too old to have a purpose in life. The animals in the forest let the tree know that he has been loved and appreciated all along. This story is about friendship and letting our loved ones know how much they mean to us. What a wonderful Christmas message! 

This story reminds me of the popular Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life. We have no idea how significantly our lives affect others. The old tree thought he was a failure, but he was pleasantly surprised when his friends expressed their heartfelt gratitude.

I read this book on my Kindle and the formatting is very good. The illustrations are outstanding and large enough to see the details. 

I borrowed this ebook from the Prime Reading program available to subscribers of Amazon Prime. This book would make an excellent addition to your child's Kindle e-reader on Christmas morning. 

Highly recommended for children of all ages!

5 STARS OUT OF 5

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A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote - A Review

A Christmas Memory

Author: Truman Capote

Illustrator: Beth Peck

Publisher: Knopf Books For Young Readers

Publication Date: First published in 1956. Audio book published October 28, 2014



About the Author
Truman Capote was born in 1924 and died in 1984. Based on his own boyhood in rural Alabama in the 1930s, A Christmas Memory was originally published in Mademoiselle in 1956 and later was included in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

"As for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes.”  
Truman Capote remembers a cherished Christmas in the 1930s. Young Truman is 7-years-old and lives in a home with a family of distant and elderly cousins in a small town in Alabama. 

Truman's best friend is his cousin Miss Sook Faulk. She is in her sixties but is child-like in her ways. She calls Truman "Buddy", in memory of a boy who was formerly her best friend. The other Buddy died in the 1880s, when he was still a child.

Sook's first Christmas tradition of the season is making fruitcakes. When Sook happily exclaims, "It's fruitcake weather," Buddy knows that Christmas is not far away. Even though they have very little money, Sook is able to collect all the ingredients she needs to make delicious fruitcakes. Queenie, their beloved dog, is their constant companion.

“It's bad enough in life to do without something YOU want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want THEM to have.”   Cousin Sook

 Sook is good at stashing away a little pocket change  but there is no money for gifts. Sook and Truman make handmade gifts for each other. They decorate a Christmas tree with handmade art work. 

Favorite Quotation

“My, how foolish I am! You know what I've always thought? I've always thought a body would have to be sick and dying before they saw the Lord. And I imagined that when He came it would be like looking at the Baptist window: pretty as colored glass with the sun pouring through, such a shine you don't know it's getting dark. And it's been a comfort: to think of that shine taking away all the spooky feeling. But I'll wager it never happens. I'll wager at the very end a body realizes the Lord has already shown Himself. That things as they are, just what they've always seen, was seeing Him. As for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes.” Cousin Sook

My Thoughts
This is a classic Christmas story that is appropriate for children and adults. The theme of this story is friendship and love, the greatest gifts of all. Young Truman cherished his handmade gift from Sook and the wonderful times they spent together more than anything money could buy.

The last two pages of the story are poignant and heart-wrenching. Like life itself, time moved forward and things changed. I don't usually like stories with sad endings (especially when dogs are involved), but the end came in a way that accentuated the love and joy that Truman remembered from his past.

This was the last Christmas that Truman and Sook had together. Truman was sent off to military school, poor Queenie was killed by a neighbor's horse and Sook's health declined. But the memories lived on. 

Highly recommended for all ages. 

MY RATING - 5 Stars Out of 5

FYI - I purchased a print copy of this book from the quarter shelf at a Friends of the Library Sale. This book includes a CD narration of the story but I have not listened to it.

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Skipping Christmas by John Grisham - A Review

Skipping Christmas

Author: John Grisham

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication Date: November 6, 2001

Pages: 177





About the Author
John Grisham is an American bestselling writer, attorney, politician, and activist best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide.

"And it's just for one year. Let's take a break."
Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip all the traditional Christmas activities and take a ten day Caribbean cruise. Their daughter leaves the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a year-long stint in a Peruvian village as a Peace Corp volunteer. Christmas will not be the same without Blair, so the Kranks plan to take a break from Christmas decorating, gift giving, parties, etc. and enjoy a much-needed vacation. They will leave at noon on Christmas day.

Unfortunately, the peer pressure from the Krank's neighbors is sometimes hilarious and sometimes downright scary. This upscale suburban neighborhood demands unquestioned conformity. It does not go over very well when Luther Krank refuses to mount a Frosty the Snowman decoration on his roof.
Things really get interesting when the Kranks get a phone call from Blair on Christmas Eve saying she is on her way home with her new fiancé and is expecting a traditional Christmas like the ones she remembers from her childhood.

Will Luther and Nora tell Blair about their plan to skip Christmas and go on a cruise or will they give their daughter the old-fashioned Christmas that she is dreaming about?

My Thoughts
This book has been setting on a shelf in our house for many years. I decided that my husband and I would both read the book and then watch the movie "Christmas with the Kranks." My husband is a huge John Grisham fan and has read all of his legal thrillers, but he never read this book. On the other hand, I am not much of a fiction reader and have only read one Grisham book..."The Firm."

Dean and I read the book last week and then got up early yesterday morning and watched the movie on Amazon Prime. We both got some good laughs from both the book and movie. We could relate with many of the feelings the Kranks expressed about commercialism during the Christmas season. We could also understand the peer pressure from the neighborhood leaders (bullies) when the Kranks refuse to live up to the unspoken expectations and rules that were long-standing and deeply ingrained. 

The real value of this book comes to light at the end of the book. The Kranks have some serious decisions to make. Will they put their vacation plans on hold and go all out to give their daughter the kind of Christmas she is dreaming about? The answer to the question is YES!

However, what will happen to the cruise? It is not possible to get a refund, so will that money be thrown away OR will the real meaning of Christmas shine through all the frivolity? 

This is a light-hearted and humorous Christmas read that will put a smile on your face and remind you of the spirit of generosity and love during the holiday season. The movie is a nice bonus after you read the book.

MY RATING: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I purchased a print copy of this book with my own funds.

Thank you for reading this book review. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below or tweet me @JanetteFuller.

Children's Christmas Book Review: Presents Through the Window by Taro Gomi

A non-traditional Santa Claus is coming to town in a high-tech helicopter. How will he choose the perfect present for each boy and girl?

Title: Presents Through the Window: A Taro Gomi Christmas Book

Author/Illustrator: Taro Gomi
Publisher: Chronicle Books, LLC
Year of Publication: 2016

(Originally published in Japan in 1983 by Kaisei-Sha Publishing. Copyright 1983 by Taro Gomi.)

About the Author
Taro Gomi is an internationally renowned author and illustrator who has created more than 350 books for readers of all ages. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Santa Peeks In the Window and Picks a Present!
Santa has a big bag of presents to deliver but no time to go inside the house.

So, he peeks in the window and observes a child sleeping in the bed. He picks a present out of his bag and tosses it through the window.

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. Things are not always as they seem.

Will the children be happy with their presents on Christmas morning?

My Thoughts
"Presents Through the Window" is an interactive picture book that includes die-cut windows to see into a sleeping child's bedroom. 

The text is very brief but the beautiful illustrations really make this book a WINNER!

Young children will have a blast looking in the windows and guessing who is inside. Does Santa choose the correct present? 

When one child accidentally gets two presents and another gets nothing, the story illustrates the joy of sharing. 

This book is a wonderful gift to all Taro Gomi fans. Children have been enjoying his stories for over 30 years. This book is available in print and Kindle editions. Recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI - I purchased this print book for $0.79 at Goodwill. An awesome thrift shop find!

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Skater Holiday Card

A cute ice skater is featured on this colorful Christmas card. 

I used the digital stamp "Skater" from Mo's Digital Pencil to make this card. I colored the image with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I used Crystal Stickles glitter glue to add some sparkle to the white fur.

I used the Zig markers to watercolor the image and blue background areas.

The base is a dark green blank card that measures 5" by 6 1/2".

The background cardstock is from a Cricut Christmas paper pack.

I embellished the card with a light green ribbon and bow.

Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Make It Sparkle

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Ugly Christmas Sweater Card

Christmas sweaters are fun for people of all ages. Ugly Christmas Sweater parties have become popular over the past several years.

My card was designed to bring a smile and a bit of joy to it's recipient.

These are the materials I used to make the card:

A blank kraft cardstock card that measures 5" by 6 1/2".

Background cardstock from "Snow Village" Paper Pack by Pink Paislee LLC (2014).

The digital stamp "Corgi and Bess - Ugly Sweaters" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic Sketch markers. I made some snow in the background with light blue ink.

I used Dymo embossed labels for the sentiment "Let It Snow".

I finished the card with a piece of multi-color ribbon.

I will enter this card in the following challenge:

Weekly Christmas Card Challenge #2

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Cat's in the Christmas Tree Holiday Card

This mischievous cat is holding on for dear life. This card is bound to bring a smile and giggle to it's recipient. 

I made the card with the following materials:

A blank dark green card from Recollections that measures 5" by 6 1/2". 

A background piece of snowflake cardstock from the "Holiday Glitter Book" paper pack from My Mind's Eye (2009).

The digital stamp "Cat's in the Christmas Tree" from Mo's Digital Pencil. I colored the image with Copic sketch markers and cut it out with a Spellbinders die. I added some shine to the star and ornaments with my clear Wink of Stella pen.

The sentiment is from Hero Arts Christmas Sentiments #CL722 (2014) clear stamps.

I embellished the card with a piece of green ribbon and a bow. I tied the ribbon around the card first and then made the bow with my Bow-Easy template and stuck it in place with a glue dot.

Challenge
Mo's Challenge #270 - Anything Mo Goes!

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking a look at this card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Decorated Fire Hydrant Holiday Card

Tis the season to be jolly!

This handmade card features a dog wearing his holiday hat and scarf standing beside a decorated fire hydrant.

I used the following supplies to make this card:

A blank red card that measures 5" by 6.5". (Recollections)

Striped cardstock from Recollection's "Christmas Noel" paper pack.

Decorated Fire Hydrant #01098 wooden stamp from Stampabilities.

Dog clear stamp from Hampton Art Christmas set #SCO591.

Sentiment "Be Merry!" from Hero Arts Bottle Brush Christmas Tree clear stamps #CL803.

I colored the images with Copic Sketch markers and watercolored the background with Zig markers. I embellished the card with Stickles glitter glue and Ranger Glossy Accents.

Challenge:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

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Handmade Fairy Snowman Christmas Card

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This is my first handmade Christmas card in 2014. I will enter this card in Mo's Digital Challenge #242 - Snow.

I started with a blank kraft cardstock card that measures 4" by 5.5".

The background is a piece of pretty patterned paper from my Paper Studio stash.

I used the Spellbinders "Square Swatches" die to cut and emboss a piece of red cardstock for the background.

I chose the new Fairy Snowman digital stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil. I colored the image with Copic Sketch markers and added highlights with Stickles glitter glue.

I used the Spellbinders "Lacey Circles" to cut and emboss around the snowman image.

I used Spellbinders "Framed Tags One" to cut and emboss the tag from kraft cardstock. I stamped the word "Rejoice" on the tag and heat embossed the word with red embossing powder.

I embellished the card with a green Christmas tree brad (Recollections) and wrapped it with a piece of red raffia ribbon.

Thank you so much for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Christmas Family Traditions

Many years ago my Aunt Katherine, my dad's sister, wrote down her family Christmas memories from the 1920s and 1930s.  I would like to share an excerpt from her writings and a glimpse of a Luehrman Family Christmas long ago when my father was a child.

Now for the family Christmas celebration! Santa Claus always brought our Christmas tree after we were in bed on Christmas Eve. Since we had no electricity, candles on holders helped decorate the tree. Several evenings after Christmas we were allowed to light the candles very cautiously while Mom and Dad stood ready to put out a fire or even carry the tree out of doors if necessary. The "stars" on that tree were brighter to our childish eyes than any electric lights could ever be. The tree always stood on the sewing machine in the dining room. The dining room and the kitchen were the only rooms ever heated in the winter unless we had lots of company. The dining room table was always set up with a plate for each member of the family. On this plate, Santa always put candy and an orange or two. We kids made a game of seeing who could make his Christmas candy last the longest, so we ate it very sparingly. We'd probably not have candy again until next Christmas.

Our Christmas gifts would be placed next to our plates. Sometimes there was something too large for the table such as a little red wagon which had to be shared by the three of us. I remember getting doll furniture, roller skates (a real treat after we had seen some "town kids" skate at Grandma's house.) Usually there were clothes also...gloves, sweaters, caps, etc. One year we received a ping-pong set but no table so we played on our knees on the floor. Dad often played with us.

The most exciting Christmas of all was the year that Santa Claus brought us a new Kimball piano. I never did figure out how Santa ever managed to get it into the living room by himself. What a thrill it was for me to begin to play this wonderful musical instrument.

We always had Christmas dinner at Grandma's and Aunt Emma went all out to have a sumptuous meal. One year Aunt Emma dressed up and played Santa for all the kids. I was old enough to be wise to it, but how well I remember the excitement that it created for the "little ones".

We always had to gather around the piano and sing Christmas carols sometime during the afternoon. How proud Grandma was of her family!

Christmas evening supper around the table was filled with the love of family and the Christmas spirit within our hearts. We thanked God for the blessed event of the first Christmas as Dad read again to us the Christmas story from the Bible.

Written by Katherine Luehrman Dryer

*The picture is from an antique picture postcard from the early 1900s.

Do you have precious memories of family Christmas celebrations?

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Mary Christmas, The True Story of Mrs. Claus

Mary Christmas, The True Story Of Mrs. Claus

Author: Gail Elaine Mewes

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Date: November 20, 2012




About The Author
Gail Elaine Mewes has been a professional artist and programmer for over 30 years. Early in her career, she worked for Boeing, General Electric and John Deere creating animations and graphics for computer programs and the web. Now she writes and illustrates children's books and creates learning apps for children.

A Story About Mrs. Claus
What does Mrs. Claus do on Christmas Eve while Santa is delivering presents?

This is the story of a secret mission that Mrs. Claus performs to bring orphan children and loving families together on Christmas Eve. With the help of some very ingenious elves, Mrs. Claus is ALMOST able to keep this mission a secret from Santa.

Mary Claus learns that her promise to never keep secrets from her husband would have to be broken for the greater good of some very needy children.

My Thoughts
I honesty loved everything about this short chapter book about the Santa Claus family.

This story shares the strong family values and loving relationships that exist between Santa, Mary and all the elves at the North Pole. It is an original story with adventure, suspense, a broken promise and forgiveness. This book conveys the true meaning of Christmas in a very special way.

This ebook is very well written and formatted for the Kindle.

Highly recommended for the entire family!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

This ebook is being offered as a FREE digital download on Amazon.Com TODAY!
Grab it NOW and share it with your family and friends.

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Hand Stamped Christmas Gift Tag

Yesterday I made a Gingerbread Man Christmas gift tag with a digital stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil. Today I made a set of tags using the Tim Holtz "Merry Christmas" clear stamp set. I really love the vintage look of these stamps.

This is how I made this tag;
(1.) I started with a pre-made kraft tag that measures approx. 2 1/2" by 5".
(2.) I lightly distressed the edges of the tag with Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Old Paper).
(3.) I chose the "Merry Christmas" sentiment and Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Barn Door) to stamp across the bottom of the tag.
(4.) I stamped the tall pine tress on the tag with Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Forest Moss).
(5.) I embellished the card with a Christmas sticker from K & Co. (Susan Winget Glad Tidings Floral & Bird).
(6.) I completed the tag with a piece of red/white baker's twine.

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Gingerbread Man Christmas Gift Tag

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. I have my tree decorated and about half of my Christmas shopping completed.

Today, I made a Christmas gift tag for Mo's Challenge #162 - Don't Be SQUARE. The card or paper craft item can be any shape EXCEPT square.

This is how I made this gift tag:
(1.) I started with a red stocking-shaped base that measures approx. 3" by 5". I bought a pack of Studio G stocking shaped note cards last year after Christmas. I cut the card apart and just used the front part for this tag.
(2.) I applied some white flocking powder across the top of the stocking.
(3.) I used a piece of red glitter ribbon at the base of the flocked section of the stocking.
(4.) I used glue dots to attach the Tim Holtz "Dream" ticket to the tag.
(5.) I printed out the new Gingerbread Man digital stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil on coral cardstock. This image is FREE this week only!
(9.) I used a Copic marker to color the shading around the edges of the Gingerbread Man. I used some blue dot stickers for the eyes and buttons. I trimmed the arms and legs with some vintage braided trim. I traced around the edge of the Gingerbread Man image with a white gel pen and colored the inside of his mouth white. I put a little Santa's hat sticker (Jolee) on the top of his head.
(10.) I stamped the background with the pine trees from the Tim Holtz Christmas clear stamp set. I completed the tag with a pretty package sticker and some red ribbon.

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Kindle Books For Kids: My Little Pet Dragon; Bilingual Edition

Would your child like to have a smart, helpful pet dragon? Most kids love to read about the mythical winged monsters that can be frightful or friendly. "My Little Pet Dragon; Bilingual Edition (Spanish and English)", by Scott Gordon, is a delightful picture ebook for young children. The story is illustrated with colorful 3D images that kids will adore. The first half of this book contains the story in English and the second half of the book is the same story in Spanish.


About the Author
Scott Gordon is the author of several children's books, including My Little Pet Dragon, My Crazy Pet Frog, Pigtastic, A Little Book About You, A Pocketful of Dinosaurs, Ninja Robot Repairmen, Happy Healthy Hearts, My Daddy's Cool Car Collection and If I Were A Robot. Currently he is hard at work on his next project: Braedyn Bunny and the Missing Eggs.

A Dragon For Christmas
A child receives a pet dragon for Christmas. The dragon's name is Neka and she is very smart and helpful. Neka spends all of her time helping and entertaining the child and his family. She helps the child with his homework, fixes his computer and even helps brush his teeth!

Neka also loves to help the child's mother. She goes shopping, helps with the cooking and makes sure Mommy brushes her teeth each morning. Neka loves her family very much.

The next Christmas the child receives another dragon for Christmas. His name is Ness. There is love in the air and it looks like there is going to be a new target for Neka's affections!

My Thoughts
This is a very cute story for young children and the 3D illustrations are outstanding. Children will love to study the pictures and tell the story in their own words.

This special edition presents the entire story in English and then repeats the entire story in Spanish. I do not speak Spanish, but I have a basic understanding of the vocabulary and sentence structure. The translation of this story appears to be very good. There are some differences in the illustrations in the two versions. One of the most obvious differences is that Neka is a red dragon in the English version and a green dragon in the Spanish version. Children will enjoy comparing the text and the illustrations in the two versions.

I worked as a school librarian for many years in a community that had many bilingual students. I was always looking for easy picture books in Spanish. This book is a good fit for bilingual students, children who speak English as a second language (ESL) and students who are learning Spanish.

I think the demand for high-quality bilingual books for children is huge. I am glad to see that Mr.Gordon recognizes this need and is providing these books in digital format. This author is a real pioneer in the field of digital books for children. I highly recommend this book for pre-schoolers and early readers. You really don't have to be bilingual to enjoy both versions of this picture book.

My Rating:  5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Our Video Christmas Card

Peace

Love

Joy

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy".

Wishing you and your family
a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year!

Janette and Dean Fuller



Book Review: A Christmas Jar For Santa - A Christmas Jars Story

"Christmas Jars", a New York Times Bestselling novella by Jason Wright, first became a phenomenon during the 2005 holiday season. Readers across America reacted to the message of daily giving and sacrifice by creating their own Christmas Jars.

Today, thousands of glass jars rest on kitchen counter tops, slowly collecting the spare change generated each and every day. On Christmas Eve, each jar, now overflowing with both money and goodwill, will anonymously find a new home. In turn, the grateful recipients will put the money to good use in their lives and begin their own jar. Thus hearts and lives are changed and the cycle continues.

"A Christmas Jar For Santa" follows in the tradition and spirit of Christmas Jars.

About The Author
Jason Wright is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USAToday bestselling author. He is also a political commentator and the co-founder of http://www.politicalderby.com, a popular website for political junkies.

A Very Special Santa Claus
This short story begins with some background information about a man who would become a popular and beloved Santa Claus. He served in the Korean War and came home to marry Pauline. They wanted to have children of their own, but that wasn't to be. After working in a factory for many years, he retired and began his new job as a Christmas Santa Claus.

It started when Jake Carnahan, the church Santa took ill.  The demand for his services grew over the years. He and Pauline loved the children. They went to churches, hospitals, shopping malls and many other places...always delivering presents and spreading the joy of Christmas. His job as Santa Claus occupied most of his time for over 20 years.

When Pauline died of cancer, he was able to carry on his Santa Claus tradition with the help of some friends. Last Christmas, Santa came home from his last Christmas event of the season. He saw a plate of cookies, a glass of milk and a Christmas jar on his kitchen table. This was not an ordinary Christmas jar full of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. This jar was filled with some very special silver-colored wooden coins that touched Santa's heart in a special way. 

This story will take you about 15 minutes to read and it's message will bless you throughout the Christmas season. Santa does not have the easiest job in the world, but it is surely the most rewarding. This book was a delight to read. Highly recommended for the entire family!

FYI ~ I purchased this ebook from Amazon.Com. It was available as a FREE digital download when I received it. Please check the price before ordering.

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Book Review: Santa Flies A Bushplane

A 9-year-old Alaskan boy finds two large packages in the middle of a snowy field.
Did they fall from Santa's sleigh?

"Santa Flies A Bushplane; a Christmas Revelation", by Lance Brodie, is a touching story about a young boy's quest to find Santa Claus....and the real meaning of Christmas.

Where Is Santa?
A young Alaskan boy's sister tells him that Santa Claus does not exist. The boy is determined to prove her wrong.

Lance finds two large Christmas packages in the middle of a snowy field. The packages are right out in the open and have large red ribbons on them. He believes these presents must have fallen from Santa's sleigh and some unfortunate children would be very disappointed on Christmas morning.

The boy decides to open the boxes to see if he could find out where the packages came from. There are no toys in these packages. Instead, he finds baby bottles, infant formula, a disassembled wheelchair, old eyeglasses, some pills and metal leg braces.

Lance knows that these packages must have been going to a hospital or orphanage where they will be urgently needed.  He knows that he has to chase Santa Claus down and get these packages back into his hands, or die in the attempt.

My Thoughts
The boy embarks on an amazing adventure to find Santa and return the packages before it is too late. He displays perseverance, courage and determination in his quest to return these packages to the original owner.

This short Christmas story is a FANTASTIC read for the entire family. It proves that Santa Claus really does exist and he has many helpers. I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment.

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com ~ I received the book while it was offered as a FREE digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.