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Books can make wonderful gifts

Published 11:37 pm, Thursday, December 6, 2012
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Remember to give a book or two, such as those reviewed below, as a gift to the special child in your life.

For additional suggestions, visit this column's companion website, www.greatestbooksforkids.com.

Books to borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

"The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey," by Susan Wojciechowski, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, Candlewick, 36 pages.

Read aloud: age 5 and older.

Read yourself: age 8 and older.

The children in the village called him "Mr. Gloomy," but his name was really Jonathan Toomey.

The fact was, Mr. Toomey was a miserable man who kept to himself. He had come to live in the village after his wife and baby had died.

He was a magnificent woodcarver by talent and trade, which was the only good thing people could say about the man anymore.

Newcomers to town themselves, the widow McDowel and her son, Thomas, came to Mr. Toomey's door one snowy day in early December.

The widow asked Mr. Toomey if he would carve a new creche for her for Christmas. Theirs had been lost during their move, and it was terribly important for them to have the creche by Christmas.

Mr. Toomey took the job with no guarantee when it would be complete. It would be done when it was done, and he was not a man who believed in miracles.

But of all the miracles of that Christmas season, none was so grand for Jonathan Toomey as the happy hours he passed carving those figures with Thomas by his side.

This beautifully written and illustrated Christmas tale will be treasured for many years to come.

Librarian's choice

Library: Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road, Southbury

Library director: Shirley Thorson

Children's librarian: Joan Stokes

Choices this week: "Bark, George" by Jules Feiffer; "Journey" by Sarah Stewart; "Kit's Wilderness" by David Almond.

Books to buy

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.

"Where's Ellie? A Hide-and-Seek Book," written and illustrated by Salina Yoon, Robin Corey Books, 2012, 18 pages, $6.99 board book.

Read aloud: birth to age 2.

Read yourself: age 6 or 7.

Little readers will love searching for Ellie the elephant in this fun book that features familiar objects as well as new ones.

Children will enjoy looking for Ellie on every double-page spread until at last the adorable elephant is found!

"The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Emma Thompson, illustrated by Eleanor Taylor, Frederick Warne, 2012, 64 pages, $20 hardcover.

Read aloud: age 4 to 6.

Read yourself: age 7 or 8.

This year marks the 110th anniversary of one of the most loved characters in children's literature -- Peter Rabbit.

Inspired by and based on the original tales by Beatrix Potter, author Emma Thompson has crafted, as the title implies, a further adventure for Peter Rabbit.

It involves the McGregor picnic basket, an unforeseen trip to Scotland, meeting a distant relative, and much, much more.

Wonderfully written and magically illustrated, this terrific book also comes with an audio CD of the text read by the author. Children will request reading or hearing "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit" time and time again.

"A Boy and a Bear in a Boat," written and illustrated by Dave Shelton, David Fickling Books, 2012, 294 pages, $16.99 hardcover.

Read aloud: age 7 or 8 and older.

Read yourself: age 8 to 10.

A boy requests passage across the sea from a bear who captains his trusty rowboat, Harriet. As they set off, the boy asks the bear how long it will take.

"A little while," the bear replies.

But as the days and nights go by, and the sea becomes violent and produces a giant monster from its depths, the boy and the bear can't be sure of their fate.

And when the seemingly worst thing happens, the boy and the bear discover that it isn't the worst thing at all.

A wonderfully original, often funny, and most entertaining tale, this story is rich with its subtle message of what true friendship is.

Nationally syndicated columnist Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at www.greatestbooksforkids.com.

 
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