The Legend of Saint Nicholas

The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi

Why is Santa Claus also called St. Nick?  That was something I never understood growing up.  This biography by Demi will definitely satisfy your curiosity!  Known for her richly detailed and brightly colored illustrations influenced by Eastern themes, this book is a feast for the eyes as well.

The book starts with baby Nicholas, born in 280 AD in what is now  Turkey.  On the day he was born he "stood up in his bath and prayed to God!"   Nicholas is a very devoted Christian who is upset with suffering in the world and devotes his life to easing sorrow.  Appointed the youngest bishop ever, Nicholas goes on to become the patron saint of many (including butchers and prisoners!) but most importantly, children.  His life story is full of miracles relating to children, and because of that his feast day on December 6th was cause for great celebration.  This led to giving gifts in St. Nicholas' name during the Christmas season.  Sinter Klaas, as he was known to the Dutch, came to New Amsterdam (now New York) and over time Sinter Klass was transformed into Santa Claus.  The endpages are decorated with images of how Santa Claus is represented in different countries.

This book is appropriate for elementary school-aged children.  It's a biography -- not a fuzzy storybook.   For the younger ones, be aware that there is a wicked man in the story who kidnaps and kills three little boys, soaks them in brine and intends to serve them as food.  However, Nicholas comes to their rescues and returns the boys to life.   It's only four sentences and one illustration of a man wrestling with a child... but something I wanted to make you aware of.  I read this to my 4-year old and I cringed as I read it, not quite sure how she would react.  But I suppose if you regularly read fairy tales to your kids, it's no worse than that. 

Learn More:

• Demi has also written books on other historical figures such as Ghandi, Buddha, Dalai Lama, Genghis Khan, Muhammad, King Tut, Mother Teresa, and Jesus (among others).  The text for her book on Jesus is passages taken directly from the Bible and so is definitely for older children -- or even adults -- but wow, so beautiful!  Actually, she's written/illustrated over 100 books, many of which are Asian folk tales.  

• St. Nicholas:  Discovering the Truth About Santa Claus -- Learn more about Saint Nicholas and how his feast day is celebrated all over the world.  Locate St. Nicholas churches, find classroom lesson plans, crafts, games -- everything and anything about St. Nicholas!! 

• Use The Legend of Saint Nicholas for a social studies lesson.  Follow Nicholas' journeys using the map in the front of the book or on a globe.  Identify where the Santas are from on the endpages.  The Santa holding the beer stein is pretty obvious (Germany) as is the Santa with the bagpipes or a shamrock.  But others are a bit tricky!! 
  

• Official NORAD Santa Tracker:  Follow Santa's journey across the globe on Christmas Eve with NORAD -- yes, the military organization that tracks airspace also helps out Santa! 

• Contrary to popular belief, the modern image of Santa Claus was not created for Coca-Cola advertisements. 

• Christmas Traditions Around the World:  pretty self-explanatory!
  

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas

Fancy Nancy:  Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

Nancy loves Christmas time, because everything is fancy this time of year!  From choosing a tree, to decorating the house and cookies, to caroling at Mrs. DeVine's, Nancy's joy is contagious.  But an impatient little girl gets a little too exuberant and -- uh-oh -- will her Christmas tree be ruined?  Grandpa comes to the rescue and teaches Nancy to improvise ("that's a fancy word for using whatever's around to make something").  As Nancy joyfully declares:  "There's no such thing as too much tinsel!" 

If you've never read Fancy Nancy before, you are in for a treat, especially if you have a little girl in your life to share it with!  Nancy doesn't like anything plain -- everything must have lace, or be frilly or sparkly.  Unfortunately, the rest of her family is not like that and it can be so frustrating!  She also likes to use big words -- including some in French -- because they sound fancier.  In her Christmas book, you'll find words like "aroma", "heirloom" and "compromise" used, which will indubitably make it into your fancy little girl's vocabulary!  

This is the newest Fancy Nancy book -- it just came out this fall.  Keep your eyes peeled for an Easter book available next month!  Au revoir!  That's French for "good-bye"!
 
Learn More:

• Splendiferous Christmas Kit:  Event Guide and Activity Suggestions --  invitations, gift tags, tree decoration crafts, color pages -- everything you need for a Fancy Nancy Christmas party!  

• Decorate a Christmas tree and print it or turn it into an ecard to send to a friend!  From the Fun & Games page, click on Christmas Tree Decorating.
  

• Fancy Nancy website at HarperCollins Children's:  Fun and games (including paper dolls and printable activity packages for each book), make and send eCards, and meet the creators of the books.   In the adult section, you can also find party kits and activities to do while reading with your child.
  

• The author's website:  Jane O'Connor  Another book I love by this author is The Snow Globe Family, about a little family who lives inside a snow globe! 

• The illustrator's website:  Robin Preiss Glasser and an interesting interview with her as well!
  

Fancy Nancy Books:

• Fancy Nancy
• Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy
• Fancy Nancy:  Bonjour, Butterfly!
• Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words:  From Accessories to Zany
• Fancy Nancy:  Explorer Extraordinaire!
• I Can Read Books:  Fancy Nancy at the Museum and Fancy Nancy and the Boy from Paris (there are many more!)
  

• There are quite a few sticker / activity books available.  I'm not as familiar with these as my daughter isn't a fan of stickers... but there are a whole bunch available on Amazon.  Click on the Amazon link on the right side and search for "Fancy Nancy".  Books, toys, stickers, games, oh my!
  

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

I'm not a big meat eater, but I'm not a vegetarian either.  I'm just picky... I don't like my meat to resemble the animal it came from.  This is a dilemma* for me every year at Thanksgiving.  Give me ground turkey!  I don't want to see the whole bird on the table!  Ack!

Anyways, there is a point to this.  In 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, children go on a school fieldtrip to a turkey farm.  Because this is written to mimic Clement Moore's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, the children rode on a school bus "While visions of drumsticks / Danced in their brains."  Note it's DRUMSTICKS they're envisioning... not what animal they come from!  At the farm, children simply adore the turkeys, who are called by name by Farmer Mack Nuggett, who has a big white beard like a certain jolly fellow we all know.  After much frolicking, "Then sombody spotted / An ax by the door, / And she asked Farmer Nuggett / What it was for."  Then Farmer Nuggett with a gleam in his eye responds, "These feathery beasts / Will be chopped up and roasted / For Thanksgiving feasts."  The children and turkeys react with shocked looks on their faces and begin "a chorus of cries".  The farmer and the teacher discuss how to handle this, and upon their return find the children all mysteriously calmer -- and fatter!  They've stuffed the turkeys under their clothes, then waddle onto the bus -- and of course, the teacher and farmer are clueless.  The turkeys come to Thanksgiving dinner with the children... as guests, while their families feasts on veggies instead.  Gotta love it!

Dav Pilkey wrote and illustrated this book, and he is so much more than the Captain Underpants series, for which he's probably most famous for.  His artwork is full of energy and life and frequently has traces of masterpieces in it.  For example, in this book the teacher and the farmer strike an "American Gothic" pose, and he almost always draws his nighttime skies with traces of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" in them. 

Besides references to art masterpieces, he frequently sneaks in other familiar faces as well.  The turkeys are named Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beaver, Shemp and Groucho.  I had to explain to my daughter who Wally is -- not WALL-E but about "Leave it to Beaver".  There are several other references to "Turkey in the Straw", "Over the River and Through the Woods", and a visual reference to the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill" while the teacher "fetched some water". 

This is a great Thanksgiving book.  Although it deals with the subject of vegetarianism, Dav says:  "I don't consider this book to be a story about vegetarianism... to me, it's just a silly story about love and friendship. If this book has any 'message', it is perhaps that following your heart is often more important than following the rules."  Find out more about this book at Dav's website, and print a picture to color as well! 

I love Dav Pilkey... you'll be seeing more about him later!

Learn More:

• Dav Pilkey's Extra Crunchy Website-O-Fun!  Pilkey's personal website has information on all of his books, including fun facts and special notes.  There's also coloring pages, games, puzzles and more.  I have loved this website for years!!!

• Dav Pilkey's page at Scholastic Books:  Games and other fun stuff for Captain Underpants, Ricky Ricotta and information about his other books.

• 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore.  My family's favorite version is illustrated by Mary Engelbreit.  We like this one too with the Coca-Cola Santa.

• Thanksgiving books for toddlers/preschoolers:  I used to read these during my storytime.  Actually, sing these.  You sing all three of these books!  Over the River (A Turkey's Tale) by Derek Anderson;  One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by BG Hennessy;  I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson.
  

• National Geographic for Kids:  First Thanksgiving:   This is a great magazine -- I give it to my nieces.  There's history along with re-created photos, activities and games.  Can't go wrong here!

• Thanksgiving Activities for Kids and Teachers:  Thanksgiving is a harvest festival, and these have been held all over the world for thousands of years.  Learn about other country's traditions, read the 1676 First Thanksgiving Proclamation and that of George Washington in 1789 and Abe Lincoln in 1863.  Find Native American resources, historic American Thanksgiving dinner menus, symbols of Thanksgiving and more!!
  

• Thanksgiving Printables for Kids:   puzzles, mazes, coloring pages and more!
  

• Thanksgiving Jokes and Riddles:  What happened when the turkey got into a fight?  He got the stuffing knocked out of him!  Bada-boom!
  

• More on American Gothic and Starry Night.
  

• Who were Ollie & Stanley (better known as Laurel & Hardy), Larry, Moe & Shemp (aka the Three Stooges), Wally & Beaver and Groucho? 

• Some of my other favorite Dav Pilkey books include:  The Hallo-wiener, Dogzilla, Kat Kong, Dog Breath, and God Bless the Gargoyles.
  

*So is spelling the word "dilemma".  I was taught "dilemna" but apparently it is with an "mma".  There is a big discussion on this "spelling dilemna" online.  It just looks wrong to me spelling it "mma".  Ack!