For some reason, children love Christmas books that include animals... here are two of the latest Christmas books featuring kitties!
Brown, Margaret Wise.A Pussycat's Christmas.
September 2009.
Review Copy Provided Courtesy of: HarperCollins Publishers
In this delightful tale, a young pussycat experiences the joys and wonders of Winter and the Christmas season, by examining the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of this wonderful time of the year. Upon reading, children will likely look at entirely new side of the holiday season, stopping to take in the beauty that they have not previously recognized. Added to the story are beautiful illustrations that allow Pussycat to appear in a life-like manner, almost asking reader to reach out and pet the delicate looking fur!
Learning/Reading Activity:
Use this book to help your child explore the ways in which each of their five senses come into play during the Christmas/Winter season.
- Read the story together.
- Discuss the different things that Pussycat hears, sees, smells, tastes, and touches.
- Then, using the following worksheet (save and then print as a full page image), ask your child to determine how their five senses are put to use. For example, he/she may taste Christmas cookies, so list that under "I Can Taste..." or he/she may tell you they hear Christmas carols. Place that under the label "I Can Hear..."
- Finally, ask your child which of their five senses they like to use best at Christmas. On a sheet of lined paper, ask him/her to write a few sentences describing why. For example, My favorite sense to use at Christmas time is my sense of taste. I like to eat the sweet Christmas cookies, drink the warm hot chocolate, and taste the honey-glazed ham.
Scotton, Rob.Merry Christmas, Splat.
September 2009.
Review Copy Provided Courtesy of: HarperCollins Publishers
All of a sudden, it's dawned on Splat that it's the night before Christmas... has he been naughty or nice? He's certainly tried to behave himself, but was it enough? Splat isn't sure, so he decides to spend Christmas Eve day helping out his mom just to be sure Santa comes to visit him. Afterall, he has been hoping for a really big present. He even stays up almost all night to catch Santa in the act, but happened to somehow fall asleep. When his little sister wakes him up on Christmas Day, Splat is disappointed... it looks like his efforts weren't enough... However, his family was just looking to have a little fun with him... Santa did make it after all!
Children are likely to love Splat's added efforts on Christmas Eve to make sure Santa will visit... they'll be chuckling at his failed attempts, but will feel at ease to see that Santa did still visit! It will allow them a bit of a confident feeling if they've been struggling to make the "nice list" this year.
Learning/Reading Activity:
Readers never truly learn what it was inside that "really big present" that Splat was looking for. Encourage your child(ren) to use their imagination to determine what Splat received for Christmas. A coloring page of an open package can be downloaded here. Just print out the picture and ask your child(ren) to draw Splat's present and then color the entire page! If you're looking to improve/practice writing skills, ask him/her to rewrite Splat's letter to Santa using specific details about what he's hoping for inside his "really big present."
If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.
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1 comments:
My daughter was upset when she read the book that it didn't tell her what Splat received for Christmas. Grandma suggested it was just an empty box to play in, but that did not sound good to my daughter at all. Who would want an empty box?
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