Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”) is the last day of feasting before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. This year Mardi Gras is on February 24 – that’s this week!

In celebration of Mardi Gras, you may want to see if your local library carries Mardi Gras children’s books. One book you’d want to look for is King Cake for Cassius. It’s the story of Mardi Gras told by Cassius, a boxer (a dog – not a person):

The book begins with children discussing what they’re going to “be” for Mardi Gras. Cassius overhears that one of the children is unaware of the Mardi Gras tradition. She then explains that carnival season begins with the epiphany and ends with Mardi Gras. The dog also explains many of the traditions and terms associated with Mardi Gras including King Cake parties, parades, krewes and doubloons. She shares the name of her favorite parade which happens to be a dog parade named the Krewe of Barkus. The story concludes with Cassius stating that she’s going to be a wizard for Mardi Gras this year and asking “what are you going to be for Mardi Gras?”

The book contains a list of children’s Mardi Gras activities including a recipe for King Cake, instructions on how to make a shoe box float, and how to have a mini-parade.

If you can’t find it, no worry, because I have a recipe for King Cake from the National Honey Board for you.

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Cole Family Christmas tells the story of a special Christmas that happened to author Hazel Cole Kendle and her family in  the coal mining town of Benham, Kentucky.  When an unexpected snowstorm delayed Santa’s arrival, gifts were given and received that no one could have predicted. More than 80 years later, the story not only continues to bring this family together, but is now inspiring families across the nation to write down their own memories this Christmas.

Jennifer Liu Bryan, who co-authored Cole Family Christmas with her grandmother-in-law, based the book on a cherished story passed down through generations of the Cole family. Originally intended as a brief work to be distributed at the family reunion, the project evolved into a nationally praised children’s book, and involved more than 20 family members.

For more information on the book, check out the Cole Family Christmas website.

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So many wonderful new Christmas books have across my desk in the past few weeks that I want to share with you! Here are two wonderful additions to your holiday book basket.

More fun from Toot & Puddle

Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas – We already have Toot & Puddle: Let It Snow and Home for Christmas is a terrific holiday companion to it. For ages four to eight, Toot promises to be home for Christmas after visiting his aunt in Scotland. But ice storms and delayed flights threaten to spoil the holiday plans, until an unexpected fellow traveler with a handy sleigh (hint, hint) saves the day.

My daughter, Lucie thought that the pigs’ names were beyond hilarious since “toot” is a popular word for flatulence among the kindergarten set. I loved the illustrations and the sweet relationship between friends.

There is also a Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas DVD and a Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas Gift Set featuring a 7×7 hardcover edition of the book along with two plush pigs all in a red and green gift box.

Just ask Mrs. Claus

We have a few oddball Christmas traditions in our family. We tell the kids that Nana has Santa Claus’ phone number and all teachers and parents have his email address. We also tell our kids that any man who looks like Santa (white beard) is a spy for the real Santa, including Joel our postmaster, who recently grew his mostly white and grey beard out just before Christmas. (Coincidence? I think not!)

Well, if you want to get the real scoop on Santa and what’s going on up there at the North Pole, check out Mrs. Claus Explains It All: (At Last) Answers to the Questions Real Kids Ask! by Elsbeth Claus. (Oh, you didn’t know Mrs. Claus’ first name was Elsbeth? Neither did I.)

This book is marvelous! It explains everything from what Santa likes to eat (cookies and mac-n-cheese!) to if she’s worried that Santa’s too fat. (He works out one hour a day in his state-of-the-art underground gymnasium.) Mrs. Claus also answers questions about the elves and how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night.

Mrs. Claus Explains It All: (At Last) Answers to the Questions Real Kids Ask! is a hoot and will come in handy when your little elves ask all those questions about the fat man in the red suit. For all ages, even the kids who are too old to believe in Santa.

Many parents are troubled by the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. If you are looking for books that show the “reason for the season” check out these two offerings by Zonderkidz™, a division of Zondervan, a leader in Christian children’s communications.

The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus’ Birth by Daley Mackall takes kids back to the origins of another Christmas tradition – the baking of Christmas cookies to share with friends, neighbors, and the less fortunate.

The Gift of the Christmas Cookie: Sharing the True Meaning of Jesus’ Birth shows kids that Christmas is about helping others and sharing the spirit of Christmas giving. The story is about a child named Jack, follows young Jack during a Christmas season during the Great Depression. Jack’s father has hopped a freight train West, hoping to find work, and wont’ be home for Christmas.

Jack is surprised to find his mom baking cookies to give away to needy people a church. Treats are a luxury his family has done without for  long time. While he helps his mother make cookies, she tells him the story of the Christmas cookie. He learns that the real gift of the Christmas cookie isn’t just sharing with a homeless man, but sharing the love of Jesus with him as well.

I liked this simple story because it explains to children the joy in giving during Christmas and how God gave us his only Son. It also shows that Christmas isn’t all about getting presents and stuffing your face, but helping others, too.

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So many books on the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. Which one to choose? Here are a few that stand out.

Sammy Spider’s First Hanukkah – For ages four to eight, Sammy watches longingly as Josh Shapiro lights another candle and receives a brightly-colored dreidel each night of Hanukkah. “Spiders don’t spin dreidels, spiders spin webs!” Sammy’s mother reminds him. Then on the last night, Sammy gets his own spinning surprise.

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins – For ages four to eight, every year the Hanukkah goblins snuff out the menorah candles, destroy the dreidels, and pitch the potato latkes on the floor. Hershel of Ostropol outwits the nasty beasties and saves the holiday!

Hanukkah! – For ages four to eight, this book by Roni Schotter won the

National Jewish Book Award. It follows one family’s celebration of the holiday, from eating latkes and spinning the dreidel, to singing prayers and lighting the menorah. With sweet rhyming text and warm illustrations, this is the perfect way to celebrate the festival of lights. 

The Golden Dreydl- For ages nine to 12, Sara finds Chanukah celebrations boring. When her Tante Miriam arrives and gives her a Golden Dreydl, everything changes. The dreydl, an enchanted princess in disguise, takes Sara on a journey to a magical world. This book by Ellen Kushner is a delightful holiday tale that weaves together threads of Jewish folklore and tradition with fantasy and humor.

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