Yesterday I shared a grouping of new Christmas books for younger children (babies through 7). Today we have another grouping of new Christmas books. Today's will probably become classics, and each story has a rescue theme going in it. Our first book is a new Mr. Willowby Christmas book. A long lost transcript was found to create this book! The book is Mr. Willoby's Head Over Heels Christmas by Robert Barry. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7 but I can see older kids loving this one too!
About the Book:
The beloved classic Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree gets a sequel!Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree has been a holiday favorite since 1963. Now, its generations of fans can read a new Mr. Willowby story, thanks to the discovery of a long lost manuscript and sketches by the creator Robert Barry, lovingly brought to life in a thrilling new picture book.
On Christmas Eve, Mr. Willowby finds himself in a predicament when his Christmas tree delivery gets stuck in a snowdrift. But hope arrives in the form of Barnaby Bear and his woodland friends, who embark on a thrilling mountainside adventure to bring the perfect tree to Mr. Willowby’s parlor. Their journey is filled with laughter, surprises, and the true magic of Christmas, making this story a perfect addition to any holiday collection.
An afterword to the book by Robert Barry’s son illuminates his father’s acclaimed career and provides details about the exciting discovery of this forgotten work.
From Me:
In this fun book, Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree is stuck on a truck stuck in the snow. Mr. Willowby is feeling gloomy in his parlor. Barnaby Bear has an idea. He climbs the mountain to find the best tree for Mr. Willowby. The problem is he forgot how far he would have to bring the tree. He has a great idea of using the tree as a sled to get it down the mountain. The problem is there is no control, so the tree picks up more riders as it goes down, and they get covered in snow thanks to a snowman who gets run over! The tree makes it to Mr. Willowby's but gets stuck in his fireplace. The animals can't get it unstuck until they work together and the tree pops out brimming with decorations, candy and gifts! Mr. Willowby walks into the parlor to a fully decorated and lit tree with gifts for all underneath. Barnaby Bear realizes Santa must have seen the tree when he was coming down the chimney. Santa decorated and unstuck the tree! Mr. Willowby celebrates Christmas with his woodland pals and they all find the tree to be the friendliest tree they have ever seen.
This book is fun and beautiful. On the inside cover John Barry, Robert Barry's son, shares the story of his father's work and finding this manuscript. He hopes the readers love it just as much as the first Mr. Willowby book and I am guessing they will. It is such a wonderful tale of friends--a man with animals. The animals do not seem upset when Barnaby Bear and the tree pick them up and change their plans for the day! It is a fun holiday story of friendship and watching out for others. It spreads the joy of togetherness. Kids will love it, and adults will enjoy it and perhaps reminisce about the first Mr. Willowby book from their own childhood!
Our next book is the latest from beloved author Jan Brett. It is The Christmas Sweater by Jan Brett. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 and full of Jan Brett's beautiful illustrations!!
About the Book:
From the beloved author and illustrator behind the wintertime classic The Mitten comes an adventurous Christmas tale of a boy and his adorable pug who saves the day with his holiday sweater.“Brett’s legions of fans will delight in this new Christmastime story, with plenty to pore over in the detailed, wintry illustrations.” —Kirkus Reviews
It’s Christmas morning, and Theo’s Yiayia has knitted his dog, Ari, a special red sweater. But when Ari shows his disinterest in the gift, Theo steps in to show his grandmother just how much they appreciate her kindness. He proposes a hike to Echo Lake, just him and Ari, where he can use his new snowshoes and Ari can sport his new sweater!
The woods are a winter wonderland, and more snow swirls as they hike. But just when they reach the lake, Theo realizes Ari’s sweater has disappeared, along with their tracks and every familiar landmark. Could they have lost Yiayia’s gift and the way home?
Luckily, Ari spots something in the snow that turns out to be a surprising solution to their predicament. And when they get home, they find an even bigger surprise from that amazing Christmas sweater.
Jan Brett’s story of the bond between boy and dog radiates warmth and charm, while her signature border details hint at a final Christmas miracle sure to wow any crowd. The Christmas Sweater is a beautiful tale that’s sure to become an instant Christmas classic in every household.
From Me:
In this beautiful Christmas book Yiayia made Ari a beautiful Christmas sweater, but Ari doesn't seem to want to wear it. His human, Theo, decides to take Ari outside on an adventure to try out his new snowshoes and of course have Ari wear his sweater. Everyone and their dogs seem to be out this Christmas. Theo and Ari kept going into the woods and were enjoying the magical winter wonderland with the snow, but it gets Theo a bit turned around. After their picnic of the snacks Theo packed, he realizes that Ari's sweater had disappeared. The snow begins to fall again and makes it harder for Theo to figure out the way home. That is when Ari jumps out of his arms and digs in the snow. She pulls out one of the decorations that were on her sweater. The yarn is attached as well. Ari has given Theo a way to find the way home. They just have to follow the yarn. When they come out of the woods, Yiayia is there to greet them and asks about the yarn Theo is carrying. He tells Yiayia and the neighbors how Ari helped him find the way home thanks to the yarn from her sweater. After they hear some cheers and go to find the magpies have decorated a tree in the center of town with the decorations from Ari's sweater!
This book is beautiful. It is full of Jan Brett's illustrations and they are magical. The story is also sweet. There are some animals who hate wearing sweaters and clothing. Apparently, Ari is one of them. I love how the sweater yarn helps the duo find their way home and the decorations become the ornaments on the town tree. It is a fun story that mixes the story of winter, friendship, and love as well as the Christmas spirit. It will become another Christmas classic just like all of Jan's books!
Our final book is from the Elmore Moose Series. The book is Elmore and the Big Christmas Rescue by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
About the Book:
Elmore the Moose is back in a sweet and hilarious Christmas story about believing in yourself, even when under pressure. This adorable and funny picture book comes from the comic team that brought you I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and Don’t Eat Bees.Ho ho ho . . . achoo! Santa is out with a cold . . . just days before Christmas! When Mrs. Claus shuffles him away on a warm vacation, Santa must choose a replacement to look after all the Christmas planning. Could Elmore the Moose be up for the job?
Elmore soon finds that his new responsibilities are overwhelming. The elves are angry and the reindeer are out of control! But just as Christmas looks like it will be a flop, Santa shows Elmore his confidence and appreciation, encouraging his unlikely young apprentice to rise to the occasion.
Young readers will love Elmore’s desperate, funny letters to Santa as he tries to handle the chaos. And they will come away with a happy lesson in believing in yourself as they watch Elmore learn to trust his abilities.
Families will love snuggling up (and giggling!) together with this hilarious holiday tale that’s full of heart.
In this book, Santa is sick and Mrs. Claus takes him on a tropical vacation to recover. The problem is someone has to be in charge of getting ready for the big night. Santa leaves Elmore the Moose in charge. The two communicate with letters. Things are not going as easily as either hoped. The reindeer are giving Elmore problems as Santa remembers having to pretend to live with them for a year before the reindeer would even make eye contact with him. He sends Elmore encouragement but also is enjoying the beach vacation. Elmore struggles with all the rules that Santa told him to follow. Santa's advice finally works--Elmore needs to do things his own way and not Santa's. When Elmore follows his own way, he succeeds with the elves and reindeer. Santa is happy to hear it and is off to a limbo contest as Elmore delivers the gifts!
This is a fun book! Santa begins to enjoy the beach as he recovers from his illness. Elmore struggles to run things Santa's way but when he listens to his own heart it all begins to work out. It is a story about being oneself and not being afraid to try something different when it isn't working. It is also about helping others and so much more. Kids will enjoy the craziness that Elmore gets into but also the fun of having Santa on the beach and doing things like a limbo contest. I also love that the communication between them is "handwritten" notes. Kids have to learn to read a bit of the different font that looks almost like cursive. So many kids these days do not learn cursive but should still be able to read it. It is full of fun and humor and is sure to become a favorite with kids!
The holidays are fast approaching, and new books are always great gifts and great ways to get kids and families in the holiday spirit! Yesterday we shared a group of holiday books for younger kids (baby through 7). We will be sharing more next week. And in the meantime, check out our various Christmas posts full of books, crafts and more!
