Five Favorite Books for December! (plus some music too)

I've discussed my need for a picture book 12-step program, but I am not yet ready to admit that I have a problem, so we will proceed with my monthly five favorite book post! Onward to my obsession collection!

I'm counting these two as one choice. In my opinion, you can't have one without the other and really you need to have both. Snowflake Bentley is about the first man to actually photograph an individual snowflake. His whole life was dedicated to this quest and his results are remarkable and documented in the second book, Snowflakes in Photographs. Once your kids actually comprehend that the pictures are the real photographs from the man in the book, they'll be mesmerized by them.

This next one is hilarious and as much as your kids will love it,  you are going to want to bring it home to read to the other grow-ups in your life. A man named Murray who runs a Jewish deli finds himself in the odd position of having to take over for Santa on Christmas Eve! A few years ago I was co-teaching with a great friend and we ended up turning this book into a reader's theater script that we had the kids preform for the parents. It remains one of the most memorable holiday projects I've ever done. Fresh, original and super funny. Don't miss this one!

This next book, The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza is by the beloved David Shannon. The incredibly detailed illustrations in this book really help tell the story of a neighbor who goes a *teensy* bit overboard trying to do outdo another neighbor's holiday decorations. Sound familiar? When I saw the movie Deck the Halls I  kept poking my husband telling him - that's in the book, that's in the book, that's just like the book! I swear, that movie has to be based on this book - but I didn't see any credit anywhere. The book itself remains one of my holiday season must-reads. It's funny, poignant (don't be impressed, I had to look up the spelling for that one!), a little sad and dazzling all at once. There are many opportunities to predict, infer and talk about cause and effect during a read aloud of this one - and just try to keep it out of the kids' hands after you show it to them once!




Speaking of keeping a book out of kids' hands, this has me a little freaked out! First of all, the story idea is adorable. It basically goes through the changes Santa makes each month of the year in a quest to improve himself. He changes his hair color, clothing, even trades in the reindeer for a red rocket-copter! (Can you say midlife crisis?) I love the idea of the story because it lends itself really well to having the children write about New Year's resolutions. Now, here's the freaky part. If you click on the picture of the book cover, you will see that it is selling for almost $300 from some Amazon sellers! Uh, what?? I like the story, but in all honesty it's not like a holiday classic or anything. I'm not even sure how many people even know about this book! I was temped to sell my copy until I saw that I'd be offered a whopping $4.78 for it. Guess I'll keep it, but I'm still wondering why the heck this book is so popular and expensive all of sudden!!

 I was actually considering doing a whole separate post on my favorite Hanukkah books, but then I started to get confused about where I'd include Murray, and could I do Hanukkah without Kwanzaa or Chinese New Year and it turned into a whole thing, so I just added this book here. I'm working on a free lesson for this book, so I'm hoping some of you have it or can get your hands on it in the next week or so. This book is one of my all time favorite for December.  Bubba Brayna is 97 years old and making latkes for her Rabbi when a bear gets a whiff of her delicious cooking and follows the scent right into her house! Her 97 year-old eyes can't tell that this bear is not the Rabbi (which leads me to wonder who is still letting her live alone and fry with hot oil at her age! And exactly how hairy is the real Rabbi?). Aside from my over-thinking, it's a sweet, simple, funny story to share with the kids. Love this one.


Bonus Time! I've already been wearing down my iphone battery playing Christmas music whenever I get in my car. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite music this month too. Now before you go calling me a claymate or anything, this is one of my all-time favorite Christmas albums. I know he has kind of weirded out and fallen off the radar, but this guy can S-I-N-G! It wouldn't be the holiday season without "Mary Did You Know" and "Don't Save it All for Christmas Day" by this guy. (Uh oh, Maybe I am a member of the Claynation after all!)




There is just something about Harry Connick, Jr. He can sing, act, play instruments and he's awesome at all of them! I was so hoping he'd be the new American Idol judge. But now we have Steven Tyler who graced us with the ever popular phrase "Sh*t fire, save matches, fu** a duck and see what hatches!"  Knowing the youth of America has such wonderful role models on T.V. is just heartwarming. ha!  Anyway, I especially love this Christmas album of Harry's because it has songs that are a bit different from the standards that are played over and over. There is just something about his voice that I can't explain...kind of the same way I feel about Eric Clapton's voice. Ever listen to EC sing Bell Bottom Blues? That song just melts me.  (Man I'm all over the place today!)





And last, but not least, is a relatively new find - an acapella group called Straight, No Chaser. If you haven't heard their 12 Days of Christmas you're missing out (especially if you're old enough to remember Toto from the 80's!)



Here's the video!


I apologize in advance because I know that song is going to be stuck in your head all.day.long, and for the fact that you're probably going to have to google that Steven Tyler phrase to see what the heck he's talking about or if I offended you with my self-censored version of that Steven Tyler phrase or for anything I may have said, written or implied in this present Christmas post,  posts of Christmas past or posts of the future. (Can you tell I just watched A Christmas Carol?)


For more great seasonal literature, stop by this fun linky at First Grade Found Me!




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16 comments

  1. Love the book pics. I'm going to have to pick up a few of them. Oh and I love Straight No Chases as well!
    Deb
    Simplytheclassroom.blogspot.com

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  2. I give up, my cell phone auto correct got the best of me. :)

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  3. YEA!!Straight No Chasers!! so talented.

    Pat

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  4. Ha! Deb have you seen this? I laugh so hard I CRY reading some of these!
    http://damnyouautocorrect.com/

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  5. Never heard of any of the books, except for Snowflake Bentley and I love love love that one! Thanks for sharing your favorite books as I'm tempted to pick up a few new books. hehe

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  6. Lol...those make me laugh every time!!!

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  7. I love this post!! Snowflake Bentley is awesome, so thank you for the companion book recommendation! And I've never heard of any of these other ones so I will check them out ASAP! Thanks for sharing! :)

    Marvelous Multiagers!

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  8. I have a Clay Aiken cd too...shhh lol.

    Oh and that Straight Chaser video was introduced to me last year. LOVE it!

    I have a thing with books too...everywhere. At least you have a classroom, mine are all in my room/closet lol.

    Journey of a Substitute Teacher

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  9. Love Straight No Chaser! Their Christmas cd is fabulous! So much fun to listen to. Check out Il Divo's Christmas cd. Those men can really sing!

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  10. I've started a book wishlist for my future classroom library, and I've just added all of these!

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  11. I love Harry Connick, Jr. ...when I saw him a few years back... I fell in love with him all over again. I love his Christmas CD... but then again, I own every CD he's made. :)


    Debi
    Just 4 Teachers: Sharing Across Borders

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  12. You are not alone in thinking that Clay can sing! Love his voice!


    Jennifer

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  13. I don't know if my computer isn't loading photos, or what- but I can't see the title for the 2nd book and it sounds fantastic!

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  14. I'm so glad you linked up. I have a bit of a book addiction also.

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  15. I'm so glad you linked up to the party! Thanks for sharing about Snowflake Bentley. I've heard of it but don't have that book... yet. I love that video! The Toto part was hilarious! Have a Merry Christmas.
    Chrissy
    First Grade Found Me

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