Happy Holidays!

December is truly the HOLIDAY MONTH! Two major religions and many ethnic groups have celebrations during this month. Hanukkah is an 8-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jersusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. This year Hanukkah was celebrated from December 1-9. Christmas or Christmas Day is observed on December 25th to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. Christmas Eve [December 24th] and Christmas Day [December 25th] is the day Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas visits homes and leaves gifts for good boys and girls. Kwanzaa is a week long celebration in the United States honoring universal African heritage and culture. Kwanzaa is always celebrated December 26 through January 1.

Here's a list of books to help celebrates these events:

1. Christmas in the Manger: A Pat-and-Peek Book - Nola Buck
2. The Friendly Beasts: A Christmas Carol - Shannon McGinley-Nally
3. The Legend of the Poinsettia - Tomie dePaola
4. The Night of Las Posadas - Tomie dePaola
5. God Gave Us Christmas - Lisa T. Bergen
6. Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend - Julie Stiegemeyer
7. The Nativity - Julie Vivas
8. Room For A Little One: A Christmas Tale - Martin Waddell
9. How Santa Got His Job - Stephen Krensky
10. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree - Colleen Monroe
11. Christmas Trolls - Jan Brett
12. The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy - Jane Thayer
13. The Christmas Day Kitten - James Herroit
14. Santa's Favorite Story - Hisako Aoki
15. The Twelve Days of Winter - Deborah Lee Rose
16. Winter is the Warmest Season - Lauren Stringer
17. Good King Wenceslas - J.M. Neale
18. Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day - Maitefa Angaza
19. Happy Happy Kwanzaa - Synthia Saint James
20. The Children's Book of Kwanzaa - Delores Johnson
21. Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa - Donna L. Washington
22. Seven Days of Kwanzaa - Melrose Cooper
23. It's KwanzaaTime! - Linda Gross
24. Seven Days of Kwanzaa - Angela Shelf Medearis
25. Maccabee Jamboree: A Hanukkah Countdown - Cheri Holland
26. Hanukkah Rocks! - The Leevees
27. Hanukkah Around the World - Tami Leman-Wilzig
28. A Different Light: The Big Book of Hanukkah - Naom Zion
29. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins - Eric A. Kimmel
30. Hanukkah: A Counting Book in English - Hebrew-Yiddish - Emily Sper

Tuesday of this week I meet with K-Geelan and we will watch a DVD with 4 holiday stories included: The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, Max's Christmas and Morris's Disappearing Bag by Rosemary Wells, and Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. Mrs. Glawe's 2nd graders will listen to The Twelve Days od Winter by Deborah Lee Rose and illustrated by Carey Armstrong-Ellis. On Thursday 3-Zuehl will write a short book report.

I will not be in the West Hancock school district next week.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Mrs. T. Reiter

K-12 Teacher Librarian

Picture This

Parents/guardians can help their child become a better reader. Good readers form mental pictures as they read. To improve your child's comprehension, read a book without letting him see it. Then, ask him to guess what the illustrations look like. Example: How are the characters dressed? Is the setting bright or gloomy? What are the characters doing?

This week I will be with 3-Bruns and 4-Kahlstorf on Tuesday and the 1st grades and 4-Hildman on Thursday.

Next week I will visit with K-Geelan and 2-Glawe on Tuesday and 3-Zuehl on Thursday.

Books make great gifts!

Mrs. T. Reiter
K-12 Teacher Librarian