The Mitten

This beautifully illustrated book is a Ukranian story of a boy who loses his white mitten in the snow. One by one, the animals take shelter in its warmth. The Mitten will be sure to bring a smile your child's face.

A Christmas Book

One of my favorite Christmas books is

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the village, but he is a lonely and bitter. "Christmas is pish posh." A widow woman and her son seek his skills in recreating a lost nativity set. Over the next few weeks, a heart-warming relationship forms between the them.

Little Thomas persists in explaining how the pieces should look. "My sheep were happy...They knew they were with the Baby Jesus, so they were happy." The cow needs to show pride, the angel appears important, and Mary must look at her child with love, while the newborn reaches up to her. Jonathan is forced to face his hidden fears and memories to carve each piece with its special characteristics.

The illustrations of P.J. Lynch are spectacular

and show a subtle romance in themselves.

Papa Panov's Special Day

When my children were young, they were given a copy of the book Papa Panov's Special Day
by Leo Tolstoy.

It's about a Russian shoemaker who lives alone. He has a dream that Jesus would visit him on Christmas Day. All day long he waits for Jesus. He helps others who are hungry and cold, but Jesus never comes...or so he thought.

That night he has another dream. This time, the people that he helped that day pass by saying, "Didn't you know me?" Jesus had visited him, and he didn't even know it.

We had a great time performing it as a play in our Christian school. It is a great book for teaching kindness and love for others.