A Greener Christmas by Sheheerazade Goldsmith. Dorling Kindersley, 2008. 350 pages.

A Greener Christmas was not exactly what I expected-- it is a holiday craft book-- a good one-- but not all that different from countless others. A great book for someone who needs a holiday craft book, but if you have a few already there is no reason to purchase it.
Now- if you ARE in the market for a holiday craft book, this one has lots to recommend it. The photos are gorgeous and because this is a british import, it has a little something many domestic books do not. The crafts are simple and mostly easy to do, the traditional british recipes are very simple and lovely and appropriately old fashioned christmassy. The recipes and craft and decorating ideas are interspersed throughout the book. There are some green ideas in the book-- recycle your tree, reuse wrapping paper, buy organic, etc. and, of course, the simpler more down to earth things do leave less of a carbon footprint, but in general you a getting a holiday craft book, albeit a well done one. i would recommend it to the right person...but i still can't get my dried orange and lemon slice ornaments to look the way hers does!

The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle. Scholastic, 2000 112 pages.

When Mr. Mack punishes his children unfairly, he gets 'The Treatment'-- that is, tiny, gremlin like creatures called Gigglers must find a fresh dog poop and make him step in it. This is the story-- told with lots of reference to poo, bums, rudies, etc. A favorite of my own daughter Rose for several years, the book is funny and irreverant and much loved by kids. Definitely for the "The Day my Butt Went Psycho" and "Captain Underpants" crowd---which is virtually every 3-5th grader, I believe. In addition, since the author is Irish, the book comes with a glossery of the Irish/Anglo expressions used in the text. Cheeky and loads of fun!

The Story of Babar by Jean De Brunhoff. Random House Books for Young Readers (1967), Library Binding, 56 pages

A french classic i never read until today! A sweet tale of a young orphaned elephant who finds friendship and adventures in the city and then returns home to the forest to be crowned King. Lovely in its simplicity, Babar feels like a bedtime story created by a favorite aunt or uncle. The illustrations are exquisite-- both old fashioned and timeless. One warning though--while the script style font is charming, early readers may have trouble reading the text. Still, a lovely and charming tale loved by generations of children around the world.

The Jumping-Off Place by Marian Hurd McNeely. South Dakota Historical Press, 2008 (1929) 321 pages

After the death of their beloved uncle, four orphaned siblings settle a homesteading claim in South Dakota in 1910. Led by their older teen sister, Becky, they spend their first year on the prairie. Originally published in 1929, this is definitely an old fashioned children's book, and it is very reminiscent of the Little House series. The book starts off a little slowly, but Hurd McNeely develops her characters very well-- quietly but quickly--and i found my self pulled deeper into a story that is quiet but consistent-- chronicling events --not adventures, exactly-- that occur during the family's first year on the claim. The story ends when the year finishes, and while the ending is certainly predictable, it is also satisfying-- and in keeping with the quiet nature of the work itself. I really enjoyed the book --- it is very well written and full of subtleties that enhance the story without hitting you over the head-- for example, the seasonal weather on the prairie mirrors the mood of the narrative as it progresses. i knew little about South Dakota or the prairie experience before The Jumping-Off Place and i did not expect to like the book anywhere near as much as i did, and i have a new found understanding for the settler experience. When i talk about this book and this period, however, I do feel compelled to point out that this was the last of the large native american land thefts, and this land ----that the Linville kids and other prairie families so loved-- was stolen from native people as part of US policy to decimate the Indian population, separate the people from their ancestral lands and destroy native culture. I believe the book's afterward, by Jean L. S. Patrick, should have made this point more clearly. So....that being said, I clearly liked the book quite a bit, and while it is not for every child, i think that for upper elementary and middle school kids with a taste for the Little House series, or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, or Secret Garden, etc. I would recommend it. Also, a great Read-A-Loud for a younger group. Recommended-with historical notes--

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Penguin, 2003. 336 pages

It is Georgia, 1964, and 14 year old Lily Owens hates her life. She has vague, ominous memories of her mother 's violent death, lives with a cold, abusive father (physical and emotional abuse) and is a social outcast among her peers. The only stable figure in her life--Rosaleen- is-a middle aged black farm worker employed by her father to watch over Lily while he operated his peach farm. One day, Rosaleen goes into town to register to vote --it is 1964-- and insults the biggest racists in town and Lily and Rosleen are forced to flee. They end up in Tiburon SC, at the home of 3 sister bee keepers--the first real home Lily and Rosaleen have ever had. All goes well until one day, when the past catches up with them. i enjoyed the story, told from Lily's point of view. The characters, who continue to develop as the story unfolds, are fun and interesting, quirky and sad. It feels very southern, full of strong, colorful women who are both in conflict and bonded together and like family. The book is well written, holds your interest and moves along rapidly. I do want to note, however, that the backdrop is Georgia and South Carolina, 1964-- big events from the civil rights movements frame the story, but it is not a work of historic fiction--and the sensibility is completely 21st century-- as a historian, i cannot let this go and it did mar my enjoyment of the book. For example, the interraccial love affair between Zach and Lily is treated by the church ladies with knowing smiles and cute asides-- which certainly does not ring true because in that historical time and place, Zach's life would have been in real danger; young black men were murdered for a lot less than that. Still i enjoyed the book immensely-- a fun, fast read with lots to talk about for book groups. i recommend it with the above disclaimers.