Fallen Star Stories

by Jessie Willcox Smith A very Merry Christmas to all of you! (If you don't celebrate Christmas, then a very happy season, whichever holiday you are observing at this time of year.) I hope you have enjoyed the Advent Calendar of Books this year. And I wish you many, many new books for Christmas and all the year long. I also want to thank all of you who have been checking out Fallen Star Stories this year. Many welcomes to all my new viewers from all around the world. It's always great to see you!The postings have been irregular at times, but life does have a tendency to get in the way of such things. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy enjoy them. Thank you; much warmth and love and BOOKS! Mary

A bit late with this, I know. It has been a manic couple of days in the bookshop, and now I am home and settled into tracking Santa on his worldwide journey via the NORAD Santa Tracker. If you see this, here's the link... and you can track Santa, too! http://www.noradsanta.org/

Here are some of my favourite books for young readers this year. There have been some fantastic books and it is so difficult to select 'the best'. See what you think. In no particular order..... WAFFLE HEARTS: Lena and Me in Mathildewick Cove author: Maria Parr translator: Guy Puzey Walker Books (2013) ISBN: 9781406341362 In a small fjord-side village in Norway, Lena and Trille get up to all kinds of adventures! Singing Christmas Carols in summer for change; re-enacting Noah's Ark, visiting with Auntie Granny; they are always together. Trille knows that Lena is his best-friend, but does Lena feel the same? This book is about friendship, family and living in community. A gentle, fun and warm book that shares all the best traits of writers like Astrid Lindgren! FLORA AND ULYSSES: The Illuminated Adventures author: Kate DiCamillo illustrator: K.G. Campbell Walker Books (2013) ISBN: 9781406345186 Flora Belle Buckman is 10 years old and a self-proclaimed cynic. Sh...

The Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013 winners have been announced this evening. Taking the prize in the 7-14 years group is....(drum roll, please!)..... Jim Smiths' Barry Loser: Still Not A Loser  And in the category for ages 6 and under is....... A big, hearty chuckle of congratulations to both! The Roald Dahl Funny Prize was launched in 2008 and celebrates its sixth year. It's goal is to promote laughter and humour when reading. Over 200 school children across the UK participate each year in the judging process for this award... an award given by the readers who really count. The awards were announced at the Cambridge Theatre in London (home of the Royal Shakespeare Company.) The winner in each category has received an award of £2500.... and the laughter and joy of children everywhere. Follow the link below for more on this year's awards and the complete shortlist...just for laughs! http://www.booktrust.org.uk/prizes/4

I wanted to share some of my favourite books of the year...and I thought I'd start with the picture books. These are a few of the 'stand-out' picture books from the past 12 months; maybe a few that you haven't thought of yourselves. As last month was Picture Book Month, hopefully you were looking at the site and learned from 30 'picture book ambassadors' the importance of picture books (in printed form!) in all our lives, not just the lives of our children. And please keep in mind, picture books are not just for the very young or pre-readers. Many are not written for young children (take Sally Gardners' new book 'Tinder' with it's evocative illustrations by David Roberts. That qualifies as a picture book; as does the original edition of 'A Monster Calls' by Patrick Ness with it's illustrations by Jim Kay.) But I digress... Here a just a few of the wondrous picture books that I particularly loved this year. JOURNEY author/illust...

Picture Books in Winter: Jessie Willcox Smith Welcome December and all that it brings! Today, in Galway, it was a grey, dismal day...just perfect for curling up with a good book or two; and for contemplating the holiday season and the new books coming our way. I've begun Mary's Advent Calendar of Books again this year... each day will feature a different book for the season right up to Christmas! There may be some repeats of last years' selection, but some books are too good not to mention again. Check out the page each day...see what you think! I'll also be making some recommendations of my favourite books of the year and hoping you will find something to delight and entertain the whole family! So, Welcome December...bring it on!