Search Results for: blog a dolls christmas tasha tudor

Arthur’s Christmas Cookies – Lillian Hoban

Arthur’s Christmas Cookies by Lillian Hoban is a fun Christmas story for beginning readers. Our family has enjoyed this story for years. There’s a lot of humor and the characters in the story are very much like children at Christmastime. Arthur is a monkey who is discouraged. He wanted to make Christmas presents for his family. He made a wooden lamp for his father but it wouldn’t stand right. He sawed off one side to get it even but he sawed off too much and then it wouldn’t stand up at all. His sister suggests that he buy presents. He’s … Continue reading →

A Christmas Party for Dolls and Stuffed Animals

Ever since I reviewed The Doll’s Christmas by Tasha Tudor over in the Media Review section of Familes.com I’ve been thinking about the idea. The Doll’s Christmas is the story of some little girls hosting a pretend Christmas for their dolls. The holiday is complete with a special tea, gifts, a tree, and a Christmas play. Tasha Tudor based the book on her own family. She started the tradition of the doll’s Christmas when her own children were young and she needed a fun way to occupy them. Several years ago my twin boys wanted presents for their stuffed animals. … Continue reading →

Christmas in the Big Woods – Laura Ignalls Wilder

Many of us grew up following the adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder. We read the series, or watched the TV show, or both. Christmas in the Big Woods is a picture book based on one of the chapters in The Little House in the Big Woods. I love being able to share this story, and others in the My First Little House Books series, with children who are too young for the chapter books. The illustrations are inspired by the Garth Williams illustrations in the original books. And while the characters look exactly like how I’d pictured them, they are … Continue reading →

Christmas Tree Memories – Aliki

I’m sure I love this book because it reminds me so much of my own family. In the story of the Christmas Tree Memories a family sits around their Christmas tree and shares stories of memories. Each ornament brings back a memory. A heart of dough reminds the family of a blizzard and how they coped without electricity. A pine cone angel and a walnut cradle are reminders of a trip to Granny’s house where they gathered things in the woods. Other ornaments are from a special aunt who brought the children ornaments when they were babies. She has passed … Continue reading →

A Doll’s Christmas – Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor is the illustrator of over a hundred children’s books, and the author of many. The Doll’s Christmas is one of my favorites. It was originally published in 1950, but was reissued in 1999. In the introduction, Tudor explains how the tradition of having the household dolls celebrate Christmas grew from the time she was a young mother needing something to keep the children busy. Tudor says her children learned “the very essence of giving as they made gifts for the dolls to give each other”. In the story, two special dolls invite other dolls to celebrate Christmas and … Continue reading →

The Angel of Mill Street – Frances Ward Weller

Frances Rosalie Murphy was a little girl who lived on Mill Street. It was Christmas Eve, and she was waiting for St. Nicholas to come, but more immediately, she waited for her Uncle Ambrose. They couldn’t start the Christmas feast without him, and he hadn’t arrived yet. She waited at the window, but there was no sign of him. Every Christmas, he would tell her the story of Christ’s birth, bringing it to life with his beautiful voice. He told her of the angels that came to herald the newborn king, and she could almost see the angels in the … Continue reading →

Week in Review – Media Reviews

This week we’ve covered special stories for Christmas, craft books, and even an author interview. What does a dump truck have to do with Christmas? Read Dumpy Saves Christmas to find out! A Doll’s Christmas by Tasha Tudor tells a charming story of little girls throwing a Christmas celebration for their dolls. Lauri shares another favorite Christmas picture book in Christmas Tree Memories the story of a family sharing the memories their ornaments bring back to them. Tristi interviewed Shelia Roberts author of On Strike for Christmas. What would happen if all the women went on strike for Christmas and … Continue reading →