'Tis the Season

...for holiday reading!


Ah, the holidays will soon be upon us like a freight train. Our new Thanksgiving and Christmas books will be on our shelves soon. Here's a sneak peek at some tasty titles for Thanksgiving (winter holiday books will be featured in a later post):







10 Turkeys in the Road


A Thanksgiving read aloud? Yes! 10 turkeys are blocking the road of a busy and impatient farmer. One by one, they fly off; finally, the farmer can go on his way! Or, can he? Finding Thanksgiving read alouds suitable for my toddler story time is challenging (I don't think kids really get Thanksgiving until they are in a school setting), so I am super excited about including this in a November story time.








Annie and Snowball and the Thankful Friends


Cynthia Rylant's easy readers are so irresistibly cute; it's always a good day when she debuts a new one. Annie (cousin to Henry in the Henry and Mudge series) loves Thanksgiving and wants to celebrate it with a big crowd. That's a bit hard to do when it's only you, your father, and your rabbit, Snowball. Who can she invite in order to fill the chairs around the table?







Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade


Like many families, watching (or having it on in the background while getting ready for the big meal) the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is a tradition in my family. Naturally, I'm delighted about this picture book biography of Tony Sarg, the inventor of the parade's iconic balloons. I'm not so delighted about the fact that it's not being released until November 1 (seriously--holiday books should be released at the beginning of the month prior to the actual holiday). Oh well...I think this will remain popular after Thanksgiving. It's been receiving stellar reviews (since August!).







I Spy Thanksgiving


How genius is this? I Spy books in easy reader format! Just the thing to entice beginning or struggling readers and build their confidence. I Spy books and other picture puzzle books are terrific for beginning readers; they help to develop tracking and critical thinking skills, which are necessary for reading development. Jean Marzollo has written new clues designed for early readers, so it's not just a repackaged format.



Let the holiday reading begin!