the marlowe bookshelf

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Apple Tree Christmas

Trinka Hakes Noble 2005

Trinka Hakes Noble does nice work. A country Christmas story about a family who live in an old barn. The family has a apple tree that the oldest daughter calls her "studio" because she likes to sit on the branches and draw. They harvest their apples, take care of their animals and weather out a bad winter storm. They learn to be thankful and celebrate Christmas with joy in spite of an unexpected setback.

Noble's biography sounds wonderful, and even inspired part of this book. You can read more about her here.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Baby's Christmas

Gentle Eloise Wilkin board book showing the cozy traditions of Christmastime.

Baby's Christmas

Eloise Wilkin 1980

Other books illustrated by Eloise Wilkin:

My Big Book of the Outdoors

My Goodnight Book

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Something for Christmas

I love this little story of a mouse who loves his mother and wants to give her something special for Christmas. He has lofty plans, but she gently reminds him that the very best present of all is his love. The pictures are just darling.

Something for Christmas

Palmer Brown 1958

Friday, December 14, 2012

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Eric Kimmel

illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman 1994

We like to read this story at any time of year. Clever Hershel travels to a small village on the first night of Hanukkah and outwits the nasty goblins that took over the Synagogue. Worthy in every way of the Caldecott Award it received.