Drummer Boy

TITLE:  Drummer Boy
AUTHOR:  Loren Long
ILLUSTRATOR:  Loren Long
PUBLISHER:  Philomel
COPYRIGHT:mm2008

A boy finds a little drummer boy on his door step one day.  He enjoys hearing the drummer boy play his drum until one day it accidentally gets knocked into the trash can. This leads to a cold journey for the drummer boy through the community where he is able to make a difference for others he encounters.

I know this is a Christmas book but I enjoyed reading it and wanted to share it here with you.

This picture book is AR level 4.5

Peace on Earth

TITLE: Peace on Earth A Christmas Collection
AUTHOR:  Mary Engelbreit
ILLUSTRATOR: Mary Engelbreit
PUBLISHER:  Zonderkidz
COPYRIGHT: 2013

About the book:  
I surely wish with all my heart, This day of Jesus' birth, That peace and love and happiness Soon cover all the earth. Mary Engelbreit rings in the holiday with a Christmas collection that includes many of her favorite carols, the story of Jesus' birth, and beloved poems that touch the heart and celebrate the miracle of the season.

My thoughts:
If you enjoy the beautiful illustrations of Mary Engelbreit, you will want to check out this book to add to your collection this Christmas season.  This hardback is full of bright colored holiday scene illustrations.  This book has favorite Christmas songs and poems of the author as well as the text from the book of Luke of the birth of Jesus.  I like the size of the book, the layout of the pictures with the text, and how it is a variety of Christmas memories.

This book would make a nice gift or add it to your own collection of Christmas books for your coffee table.  
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

Natalie Really Very Much Wants to Be a Star

TITLE: Natalie Really Very Much Wants to Be a Star
AUTHOR: Dandi Daley Mackall
ILLUSTRATOR: Lys Blakeslee
PUBLISHER: Zonderkidz
COPYRIGHT: 2009

In this second book about Natlie, she finds out her Sunday School class will be performing a Christmas play. She desperately wants the part of Mary. What will Natalie's attitude be when she doesn't receive the part?

I enjoyed this book. One part I did have a problem with though, which was Natalie's use of the word "stupidhead." I can see the author is trying to make her a realistic little girl who has a bad attitude about things sometimes. What I didn't like though was that the "stupidhead" was something she mumbled under her breath and she knows no one else hears her when she says it...like she knows she isn't supposed to say it but says it anyway. I just didn't like that attitude of Natalie. This is a cute story about Christmas and the true meaning of the holiday. Young girls who are early readers will enjoy this book.