A few great reads for the holiday season!

Because I just love recommending books...

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

"A girl and her father go owling on a moonlit winter night near the farm where they live. Bundled tight in wool clothes, they trudge through snow ``whiter than the milk in a cereal bowl''; here and there, hidden in ink-blue shadows, a fox, raccoon, fieldmouse and deer watch them pass. An air of expectancy builds as Pa imitates the Great Horned Owl's call once without answer, then again. From out of the darkness ``an echo/ came threading its way/ through the trees.'' Schoenherr's watercolor washes depict a New England few readers see: the bold stare of a nocturnal owl, a bird's-eye view of a farmhouse. In harmony with the art, the melodious text brings to life an unusual countryside adventure. Ages 2-6. " ~ Publisher's Weekly


Night Tree by Eve Bunting


"By moonlight in the quiet forest, a young boy and his family decorate their favorite tree with popcorn, apples, tangerines, and sunflower-seed balls as a gift for the animals of the woods. “Sure to become a Christmas favorite, this beautifully illustrated story of a family’s unusual tradition brings to life the true spirit of Christmas.”--American Bookseller


The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

This is perhaps the saddest story I have ever read, but both Zeal and I fell in love with the journey. Most appropriate for older children (not preschoolers). Here's the synopsis:

"Someone will come for you, but first you must open your heart. . . ."
Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely.
And then, one day, he was lost.

"Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the top of a garbage heap to the fireside of a hoboes' camp, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle—that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again."


Wild Child by Lynne Plourde and Illustrated by Greg Couch

This is one I know I have recommended before, and I apologize for repeating myself, but you just can't be waking winter without this beautiful book. Here's the synopsis:

"Time for bed," Mother Earth said.

"Not for a while," said her wild child.

"A song, first.
I need a song to play in my head before going to bed."
So Mother Earth gave her child a song....

But then this wild child wants a snack and PJs and a kiss....

Lynn Plourde's text snaps and crackles like the leaves of fall as Mother Earth gently gets her daughter ready for bed. And Greg Couch's extraordinary illustrations take readers from the soft greens of late summer through the fiery oranges of a fall sunset to the peaceful blues of early winter's eve. Wild children and their parents will revel in this scrumptious, loving tribute to the wonders of nature and of family."


And finally, a holiday offer for you... autographed copies of Child of Wonder!
*Free Shipping! * $15 per copy (regular $16.95) * Autographed!*


If you would like to pass on Child of Wonder to a loved one, now's your chance.
Because I am obviously going to be busy near the end of the month (and to ensure Christmas arrival), I will be accepting orders through December 10th.

Please send a check or money order, ship to information, and who you would like the book autographed to, to the following address:
Attn: Child of Wonder orders
Ginger Carlson
PO Box 51274
Eugene, OR 97405


click here to read more about Child of Wonder