“The tale is unfolded with such mastery, humor, and emotional force that we are entirely within its power.” —The New York Times Book Review Features an audio read-along performed by James Earl Jones! Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the valley, but he is always alone and never smiles. No one knows about the mementos of his lost wife and child that he keeps in an unopened drawer. But one early winter’s day, a widow and her young son approach him with a gentle request that leads to a joyful miracle. The moving, lyrical tale, gloriously illustrated by P.J. Lynch, has been widely hailed as a true Christmas classic.

“The tale is unfolded with such mastery, humor, and emotional force that we are entirely within its power.” —The New York Times Book Review Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the valley, but he is always alone and never smiles. No one knows about the mementos of his lost wife and child that he keeps in an unopened drawer. But one early winter’s day, a widow and her young son approach him with a gentle request that leads to a joyful miracle. The moving, lyrical tale, gloriously illustrated by P.J. Lynch, has been widely hailed as a true Christmas classic. This beautiful anniversary edition includes a new note from the author and an audio narration by James Earl Jones available as a complimentary download.

When a boy loses the wooden nativity set that links him to his deceased father, his mother persuades a reclusive woodcarver to make a replacement. As Christmas approaches and the boy demands more, will the gift be finished in time?

This third book in the four-book Children's Book Corner set provides a complete program for those starting a read-aloud program in their classroom, their school or public library, or their home. This volume focuses on read-alouds for children in grades 3 and 4. It provides book lists, book selection ideas, as well as pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading questions and activities. Parent Pull-Out Pages with helpful tips are provided for duplication. Helpful appendices and an index furnish additional aides to structure a great read-aloud program. New in this book is a section, Up Close and Personal, of personal notes from children's authors discussing their books featured in the read-aloud section. Also new to the section is Write Away, providing writing tips and activities. This third book in the four-book Children's Book Corner set provides a complete program for those starting a read-aloud program at home, in their classroom or school, or their public library. This volume focuses on read-alouds for children in grades 3 and 4. It provides book lists, book selection ideas, as well as pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading questions and activities. Parent Pull-Out Pages with helpful tips are provided for duplication. Helpful appendices and an index furnish additional aides to structure a great read-aloud program. New in this book, is a section, Up Close and Personal, of personal notes from children's authors discussing their books featured in the read-aloud section. Also new to the section is Write Away, providing writing tips and activities. Grades 3 and 4.

The widow McDowell and her seven-year-old son Thomas ask the gruff Jonathan Toomey, the best wood-carver in the valley, to carve the figures for a Christmas creche.

Use these 100 handy reproducible book lists to instantly create hand-outs for teachers and parents (as well as for older readers), to add to your newsletter, or to post on your Web site or bulletin board. Based on the most common needs of educators and librarians who work with young readers, these lists focus on new titles, as well as classics that are still in print and readily available for purchase. Fiction and nonfiction titles for ages 5-14 are covered. Bibliographic information and a brief description are given for each title. A dozen bookmarks are also included. This is a great time-saving tool and a good source for finding extended reading lists and read-alikes! Looking for folktales from China for elementary children? An informational children's book for a middle school science class? A list of books on the topic of compassion? A sampling of ABC books? These lists and more can be found in Nancy Keane's treasury of great reading lists for children. This versatile guide provides reproducible book lists based on the most common needs of educators and librarians who work with young readers. There are lists for standard curriculum areas (e.g., math, social studies, science), other areas of study such as character education and values, genres (e.g., pop-up, memoirs, ABC books), themes (e.g., animals, food, sports), and read-alikes (on bookmarks). You'll find 100 reproducible lists of fiction and nonfiction books for ages 5-14 (elementary/middle) that you can use to create hand-outs for teachers and parents (as well as for older readers), put in your newsletter, or post on your Web site or bulletin board. Focus is on new titles and classics that are still in print and readily available for purchase. On each list, titles are grouped according to grade level. Room to customize with your library logo or clipart is provided on each reproducible sheet. Bibliographic information and a brief description are given for each title. A dozen bookmarks are also included. This is a great time-saving tool and a good source for finding extended reading lists and read-alikes! Grades K-8.

This manual of ideas zeroes in on current picture book titles. It features reproducible worksheets, writing activities, related reading-based activities, and technology for grades three through five. The ideas have been tested in the authors' libraries and are linked to national curricular standards. Designed for school librarians, the book is also a valuable resource for the classroom teacher and the reading specialist. Librarians will find the ideas and plans valuable as they collaborate with teachers to teach content area standards. This manual of ideas zeroes in on current picture book titles. It features reproducible worksheets, writing activities, related reading based activities, and technology for grades three through five. The ideas have been tested in the authors' libraries and are linked to national curricular standards. Though school librarians are targeted as the main audience for this book, it also is a valuable resource for the classroom teacher and reading specialist. Librarians will find the ideas and plans valuable as they collaborate with teachers to teach content area standards. The most similar resource to this book of lesson plans is the authors' first book, Linking Picture Books to Standards. This new book has the same format, but focuses on upper- level picture books and activities. It provides the librarian, classroom teacher, or reading specialist with worksheets that are ready to copy and patterns that are easy to follow. There are few resources of a similar genre on the market today—this book should help bridge the gap and provide much needed materials. Grades 3-5.

Film plays a vital role in the celebration of Christmas. For decades, it has taught audiences about what the celebration of the season looks like – from the decorations to the costumes and to the expected snowy weather – as well as mirrors our own festivities back to us. Films like It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone have come to play key roles in real-life domestic celebrations: watching such titles has become, for many families, every bit as important as tree-trimming and leaving cookies out for Santa. These films have exported the American take on the holiday far and wide and helped us conjure an image of the perfect holiday. Rather than settling the ‘what is a Christmas film?’ debate – indeed, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are discussed within – Analyzing Christmas in Film: Santa to the Supernatural focuses on the how Christmas is presented on the deluge of occasions when it appears. While most Christmas films are secular, religion makes many cameos, appearing through Nativity references, storylines involving spiritual rebirth, the framing of Santa as a Christ-like figure and the all-importance of family, be it the Holy family or just those gathered around the dining table. Also explored are popular narratives involving battles with stress and melancholy, single parents and Christmas martyrs, visits from ghosts and angels, big cities and small towns, break-ups and make-ups and the ticking clock of mortality. Nearly 1000 films are analyzed in this volume to determine what the portrayal of Christmas reveals about culture, society and faith as well as sex roles, consumerism, aesthetics and aspiration.

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Literary habits naturally give way to literary affections. Once upon a time, a carpenter entered a forest and happened upon a wolf wearing a feathered cap. Quick -- whose side are you on? If you don't know, we suggest reading a hearty round of fairytales. Stories provide a roadmap for life. This is because stories are life. But oftentimes it's easiest to understand where we are when we can look through other eyes -- from the perspective of someone else, living somewhere else, somewhen else. For those beginning to read for the first time or those beginning to read again, The Book Tree will drop golden apples in your lap, until you can climb high enough to pick for yourself.