Fallen Star Stories

We're at one week and counting until the big day! Every year, I always bring home one special book for the season, and my collection is growing exponentially. I'd like to take a moment to share with you a few of my favourites over the years. These books come out year after year for the whole family to enjoy. I hope you enjoy them as well. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens This book needs no introduction, but I need to add that my very favourite edition of this is the one illustrated by PJ Lynch...beautiful and evocative! Twas the Night Before Christmas illustrated by Matt Tavares Again, a story that needs no introduction and there are numerous editions available, with new editions published nearly every year. For me, the edition that sums up the time and the spirit of this story is illustrated in black and white by Matt Tavares. Timeless! North Child by Edith Pattou North Child is not really a Christmas story, but it is a beautiful and eloquent winters...

With less than a week to go, the shopping is getting frantic and Santa's workshop is all abuzz. I thought I'd take just a moment to add a couple more of my favourite books for Christmas. (You can never have too many books in your holiday library!) - The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg This is a wonderful book for the little ones to read and play with over and over. As the Jolly Postman makes his Christmas Eve rounds, he finds letters and little packages for Baby Bear (of Three Bears fame),  Little Red Riding Hood, Humpty Dumpty, the Gingerbread Man and more. Puzzles, board games, cards and annuals... even a 'Wolf Spotters Guide'; and there's something special for the Postman himself! - The Christmas Bear by Henrietta and Paul Stickland Very difficult to find, now, if you can locate this beautiful book, grab it and make it your own! Lushly illustrated and a charming story... don't forget to look for the mischievous penguin on each page. - ...

From yesterday's Irish Independent, our own author extraordinaire, Sarah Webb, took time out of her very busy schedule (currently finishing her latest book for her loyal adult readers) to let us in on some fantastic bookish gifts for the young readers among us. In her article, Sarah focused on, as she said in her own words "books that young people will genuinely want to read over and over again, as opposed to books that look beautiful but sit on the shelf." However, quite a number of them are also beautiful, as well as being great books to read over and over again. I'm thinking of Michael Rosen's "Tiny Little Fly" , illustrated by Kevin Waldron and "Tales of Irish Enchantment" by Patricia Lynch. Also on offer are "Timecatcher" by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, the "Alice and Megan Cookbook" by Judi Curtin and "Cherry Crush" by Cathy Cassidy. Rather than bore you with a recounting of Sarah's list, Here's th...

Julia Eccleshare gives us her list of favourite children's books for Christmas. This remarkable listing hosts some remarkable choices, including The Gift by Carol Ann Duffy, Slightly Invisible (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child, Ottoline At Sea by Chris Riddell, and The Puffin Mother Goose Treasury by Raymond Briggs. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/11/childrens-books-present-review-roundup And from the 8th of December comes this interesting review of Susan Cooper's contemporary classic: The Dark Is Rising. The entire Dark is Rising sequence, a dark and menacing contemporary Arthurian quintet has been released, so once again, we can spend the dark winter months embedding ourselves in the stories of the Dark and Light forces battling for the souls of all humanity. If you have read them, I suggest you start immediately, but have always felt it's best to start with The Dark Is Rising, actually the second book in the series. This is especially apt now, as the sto...

It's once again time for the Irish Times to publish their book picks of the year. This collection of articles on children's books from tots to teens includes expert commentary from some of the best in the business.... Robert Dunbar covering books for all ages, Leanne O'Sullivan on children's poetry, Anna Carey is all about the young adult fiction and Katherine Farmar brings us up to date on graphic novels. I was delighted to see some of my favourites of the year.... A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton, Vamoose by Meg Rosoff, Lob by Linda Newbery, Eric by Shaun Tan.... If you're not sure what to get the kids, or what to read yourself, here's the link to this invaluable article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/1211/1224285250264.html

A customer shared a Christmas tradition with me the other day and I thought it was just lovely. She has 3 young children, and it seems that every year on Christmas Eve, they have a tradition of sharing a family story and then, of course, it's time for bed before Santa comes. As each child goes to bed, it seems that Santa must have made a quick stop already, for on each child's bed, he has left a wonderful Christmas book for them to look at and ponder over as they drift off to sleep. MAGIC! It makes me wish my children were small all over again. With that in mind, I began to think about which books I'd ask Santa to leave. Here are a few suggestions: 1) The first has to be 'The Night Before Christmas' . There are so many wonderful versions of this classic Christmas tale from which to choose, whether you lean more towards the traditional and delight in the Walker Books edition illustrated beautifully in black and white by Matt Tavares, or prefer the new edition out t...

Alison Walsh has unveiled "A Christmas List to Fill Stockings and Dreams" in  the Irish Independent with an article featuring some of the best and brightest books for children of all ages. She begins by assuring us that books "are the perfect gift for Austerity Santa", and I couldn't agree more. They're actually the perfect gift for both Austerity Santa and Prosperity Santa...providing hours of entertainment and pleasure and giving a gift that lasts in the hearts and minds of children for life. Included in Walsh's commentary are such wonderful books as Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick's Timecatcher , A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton, the wonderful board book for the very young Say Hello To The Snowy Animals by Ian Whybrow (of Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs fame), Judi Curtin's Eva's Journey , Garret Carr's new and dramatic Lost Dogs ; an impressive list with something brilliant for every age! http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/a-...