There are plenty of lists around with all sorts of great books, some of which we even have, although possibly in a box in the garage. However we have not managed anything as impressive as one new book a day or anything like that - I would love a book advent! Maybe next year...
We have been reading Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I think we tried this last year but didn't get very far in, although the girls enjoy the Muppets version on film. This year we are doing better, despite the insistence that Bob Cratchett is a frog and Scrooge was apprenticed in a rubber chicken factory. Bob (L) finds it rather dull so we have to read in short snatches before he sabotages everything. The girls seem to be enjoying it though, and I think it's the first time I've actually read it. I'm interested that the memories so far (we have only reached the Ghost of Christmas Past) appear to be happy - they make Scrooge himself feel guilty, of course, but it's in contrast to my memories of the film(s) in which his sad and lonely childhood is hinted to be a part cause of his later character deficits. A kind of cod-Freudian retcon perhaps?
Other picture books we have read include Alvin Tresselt's version of The Mitten and Max's Christmas by Rosemary Wells. I do love her pictures of Max; there is no way he is ever going to listen to his big sister's adult-like refusal (or inability) to explain the magic of Santa Claus. I've also introduced Gerda Muller's Winter to Bob - I am always amazed by how much conversation the simple word free drawings can inspire. I have had to resort to a treasury version of Little Grey Rabbit's Christmas by Alison Uttley as our other version has yet to surface - sadly it is missing many of the beautiful illustrations. I still want to try Primrose Wine though, not to mention heather ale and all the other animal treats.
Apart from these delights (I really must see if the library has Jan Brett's Christmas Trolls, and show the girls Melissa Wiley's reading of Hanna's Christmas) we have just finished the decidedly non-seasonal The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I have loved this book for a long time, and it was a wonderful readaloud. I think the fox is my favourite - I once auditioned to play him in a dramatised French version of the story but was hampered by my complete lack of acting ability. I did notice that the various planets on which foolish grown ups counted stars, or reigned over nobody, were somewhat less gripping that the story of the little Prince himself, his flower and the airman who meets him in the desert. Matilda had read this before, although I think she got a bit more from hearing and discussing it, but it was new to the other two (this was a bedtime read so we were happily uninterrupted by three year olds). Nancy kept claiming she didn't like it, didn't want to hear it, so I was surprised when today we were listing our favourite books (for a time capsule tree decoration) and she included it! Unfortunately she did revise her opinion when we got to the end tonight and the little Prince returned to his own planet, possibly leaving his body or even his life behind. I love the ambiguity of this section, but the girls were unconvinced, although Capt. E still loved it. The melancholic element appeals to her I think. The idea that growing to love, or taming, someone, and how this can bring happiness but also sadness, resonated with them though. I shall have to try and remember to ask them, next time we look at the stars, if they think there is a sheep somewhere up there that may or may not have eaten a flower...
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