Hello,
I have some Christmas books that are somewhat new to me and I thought I’d share them with you.
Miracle in a Shoebox by Franklin Graham. 1995. (I bought a used copy.)
Our school usually participates in the Operation Christmas Child program by Samaritan’s Purse and a year or so ago, I happened upon a book about the program. The story opens with a young boy who sees a TV commercial about this program and wants to participate and send a shoebox to a child. He gets his family and his Sunday School class involved, too. The story continues with the boxes going to a family that has suffered from the effects of war and the joy that the boxes bring. This book really helps demonstrate how the shoebox program works and how much they mean to the children who really have nothing.
The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Came to New York City by George Matteson and Adele Ursone. 2012.
The little girl in this story goes with her father who is a tugboat captain in the New York Harbor. Not only does he get to bring the annual Christmas tree to New York, but we also learn a little about the job of a tugboat captain. There is further information at the back of the book, too. After reading this book, go online to look at the current Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
If you have not gotten enough about the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, here is another story for you.
The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree by David Rubel. 2011.
Henry and his father cut down some trees on their property to sell in Manhattan during the depression. They sell most of their trees and give the last one to some carpenters and construction workers who were kind to them. The tree is decorated. Henry picks up a pinecone that fell from the tree and put it in his pocket. When he got home, he plants the pinecone. The construction workers were so pleased with the gift of the tree that they came out to Henry’s home (a shack) and helped his father build a new home. Meanwhile the tree grows, Henry ages, and one day someone comes and wants Henry’s tree for the Rockefeller Christmas tree. Henry decided to return the joy he has had in his tree all the years and help bring joy to others. In this book we learn a little about the Rockefeller tree plus a little about Habitat for Humanity.
Any of these books would be appropriate for students in all grades.
Have a great week,
Audrey
