What Is Christmas?

October 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-A simple introduction to the holiday, illustrated with full-color photographs showing attractive children and adults writing to Santa, lighting candles, decorating cookies, singing in a church choir, and sharing dinner. Each spread includes one or two photos and a brief paragraph of text. One page referring to Christians states, "For four weeks before Christmas, they get ready," which is strangely definitive, considering that some families don't get ready until a few days before, and some start in late October or early November. Also, the popcorn-and-cranberry chain, which requires the use of a needle, seems like an odd choice for a book aimed at very young children, even though it does suggest adult assistance.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

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