A Song for the King by Katrina Nannestad illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Day Twelve 12 Christmas Donkeys

"Oh, how Netta loved to sing. 

From dawn to dusk. 

In villas and vineyards. 

In stables and streets. 

In taverns and tents. 

In markets and meadows. 

And from the top of the hill that overlooked the town."

Publisher blurb: Netta the donkey loves to sing with her friends, Esther the sheep and Uzi the camel. They frolic around town from dawn till dusk, braying, bleating and gurgling. But sadly, not everyone likes to listen. Netta falls silent until something so wondrous happens that her song bursts forth once more.

Reviews:

This is a heart-warming story that will gladden the hearts of those who read it or listen to it. I loved how the narrative vividly described what was happening with the animals and how enthusiastic they are about singing and how despondent they are when they are taken to market. Blackwood’s soft water colour illustrations complement the text. The three baby animals are the focus of the story and I loved their expressions, the enjoyment they had in singing and working together. The illustrations also brought the countryside, the people and the markets to life, while adding depth with tiny details like chickens flying and a gorgeous little cat curled up on the stable. Read Plus

A book filled with love and joy to share at any time of the year. Story Links

I have talked about nearly every book by Katrina Nannestad on this blog - click on the label for this post. Read more about Freya Blackwood (our IBBY Australia honour book recipient for Banjo and Ruby Red and her book features in the IBBY Silent Books collections). Freya generously donated a postcard sized art work for our recent IBBY Australia mini masterpiece art auction - and YES I am now the proud owner.

The Christmas Donkey by Donna Thornton illustrated by Lynne Pryor

Day Eleven 12 Christmas Donkeys

Blurb: Druplet, a young donkey named after a juice bump on a raspberry, lived on a raspberry farm and his wish was to one day be as special as the prize horses in a nearby pasture. As Christmas rolled around Druplet went on an adventure that saw him standing next to a baby in a manger and a young girl in funny cloths. On returning to the farm Druplet inquired what this was all about, this is when the wise barn cat shared the story of Christmas. Druplet now felt special.

The Donkey's Christmas Song by Nancy Tarfur

Day Ten 12 Christmas Donkeys

Blurb from the author web page: Under a bright star, a long, long time ago... a special baby is born in a stable, and the shy little donkey wants to be the first of the animals to sing his song of welcome. But he is afraid his bray will sound too rough. Lyrically told, and illustrated with large, richly hued images a glow with starlight, this joyous picture book is the perfect way to welcome young children into wonder of the first Christmas.

Read the Kirkus Star review.

The Donkey’s Dream by Helen Berger

Day Nine 12 Christmas Donkeys

Bookseller blurb: A beautifully illustrated story of the Nativity.  He was just an ordinary donkey, but on his back he carried a miracle. He carried the Virgin Mary to Bethlehem on the night she gave birth. Along the way he dreamed he was carrying a city, a ship, a fountain, and a rose. He dreamed he was carrying a lady full of heaven–and he was.

Little Donkey's Wish by Udo Weigelt illustrated by Pirkko Vainio translated by Marianne Martens

Day Eight 12 Christmas Donkeys

"Tonight I got my secret wish. I flew with Santa Claus."

Through the Looking Glass review:  Josie is the smallest and youngest donkey in the barn. She is also the one who is ignored a great deal and because she is so small the other donkeys in the stable sometimes tease her saying that she might not even be "a real donkey" after all. It is Christmas Eve and the other donkeys are all telling one another what they would like to get for Christmas. Of course Josie also has Christmas wishes and one of them is very special and very secret. Poor Josie does not expect any of her wishes to come true though, especially the secret one.Then something truly astonishing happens. A visitor arrives at the barn - a visitor wearing a red suit - and he is in need of help because one of his reindeer is too sick to work that night. Which of the donkeys in the barn is he going to choose to help him on this most important night of the year?

Companion book:

Truffle's Christmas

Listen, Said the Donkey by Jean Little illustrated by Werner Zimmermann

Day Seven 12 Christmas Donkeys

Book review: After the visit of the Wise Men, there is, at last, room in the inn for Mary, Joseph, and

Baby. The animals, alone in the stable and missing Baby, begin to talk and share their stories. Gentle Donkey, who was rescued from a cruel master by Mary, tells how he repaid her kindness,

carrying her safely to Bethlehem and protecting Baby from the cold. Lamb’s story is next, told with the simplicity and enthusiasm of the very young. Camel has waited impatiently for his turn, frequently

interrupting the others. He brags about Melchior, his wealthy and wise master, and boasts about his own importance on the long and arduous journey following the star. Then Cat begins her story. She, too, belongs to Melchior, travelling in the folds of his robe. However, her account of the journey differs greatly from Camel’s. Finally, it is Dog’s turn. Dog, having escaped from an abusive mistress, has taken refuge in a dark corner of the stable. Only Baby knows he is there. Warned in a dream of impending danger, Mary, Joseph, and Baby, accompanied by Donkey and Cat, flee to Egypt. Timid little Dog, heedless of his own safety, distracts the pursuing soldiers, allowing the HolyFamily to get away unharmed. Dog himself is caught and returned to his cruel owner. Lamb goes back to his shepherd boy. Only a greatly changed and humbled Camel is left in the stable along with a tiny, very relieved (now that Cat is gone) mouse. “What was it you were all talking about?” asks the mouse. “Listen,” said the camel. “I have stories to tell you.”

This is a Canadian book. 

One Small Donkey by Dandi Daley Mackall illustrated by Marta Ivarez Miguens

Day 6 12 Christmas Donkeys

Bookseller blurb: This is the story of Jesus' birth from an unlikely perspective: a donkey carrying Mary to Bethlehem. The donkey is not the biggest, fastest, or strongest of all the animals, but he had a very important job all the same. With an exciting message to teach your little ones about God's plans for their lives and beautiful, inspiring artwork by Marta lvarez Miguéns, One Small Donkey is a Christmas story children will love.

The Donkey who Carried a King by RC Sproul

Day Five 12 Christmas Donkeys

Blurb: Davey was a young donkey who was bored and unhappy because he was never given anything to do. Then one day, some strangers came to the gate - and Davey's master picked him for a very special task. Davey carried the King, Jesus, into Jerusalem. A few days later, Davey saw some angry people making the King carry a heavy beam of wood. Davey could not understand it - until another donkey helped him see that the King was being a Servant on behalf of His people.

Read more here.

Father Christmas and the Donkey by Elizabeth Clark illustrated by Jan Omerod

Day Four 12 Christmas Donkeys

Blurb: It's Christmas Eve and it's cold outside. A lonely old donkey limps through the frozen grass, searching for food. There are no Christmas treats for him. Then suddenly in the distance, he hears the sound of sleighbells and galloping hoofs. Who could it be but Father Christmas. And who else could he be looking for on this cold Christmas Eve but an old donkey in need of a special friend and a special Christmas present.

This book is from 1992 but if you can find a copy you will marvel over the way each page is designed. I hope one day I can find a copy of this book to add to my own collection (I borrowed this one from a school library).

I found this alternate edition with a different illustrator, but it doesn't look quite as special:

My true love gave to me illustrated by Scott McKowen

This small velvet covered book caught my eye at a recent charity book sale. The title is a little misleading - the real title is My true love gave to me: Twelve Days of Christmas. I have already talked about a number of versions of this famous song.

Book seller blurb: From a partridge in a pear tree to 12 drummers drumming, a beautifully illustrated celebration of the most festive time of the year. One of the most popular holiday songs of all time, The Twelve Days of Christmas probably originated in France during the late Middle Ages and became popular in England as a chant sung without music. The 12 days are traditionally those following Christmas, with the last day being the end of the season. Over the years the lyrics have changed but the song remains a perennial favourite, recorded by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Alvin and the Chipmunks. My True Love Gave to Me is an exquisitely illustrated edition of the song's famous lyrics, featuring the art of Scott McKowen, an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer. Each day is accompanied by a richly detailed-and often whimsical-full-page scratchboard illustration of its grand and unusual gift. Populated by a partridge, turtle doves, French hens, calling birds, golden rings, geese, swans, maids a-milking, ladies dancing, lords a-leaping, pipers piping and drummers drumming ...

You already know the words but here is some of the scrumptious art. This book was published in 2014 but it is still available. [9781770852310]

Five Gold Rings

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eleven Pipers Piping

Twelve Days of Letters to Santa - Christmas Day

Dear Father Christmas by Alan Durant illustrated by Vanessa Cabban

Dear Father Christmas was published in 2005 and the paperback in 2013. I picked up a copy at a recent charity book sale for just 50 cents! This book is out of print but I am sure it will be in many school and local libraries and hopefully the final (vital letter) is still in the envelope on the last page.

After the children visit Santa in a big store Holly leaves him a letter above the fireplace:

Dear Father Christmas,

I hope you are well. Is it snowing in Lapland?

It is cold here. I saw a man in a shop today who said he was Father Christmas.

He was dressed like you, but was it you? Really?

He told me to leave my Christmas list by the fireplace, but I wanted to make sure it really was you.

Please answer.

love Holly

Father Christmas writes back to Holly. She finds his letter on her mantle. It is typed and has been sent from Lapland.

Dear Holly,

Thank you so much for your letter.

What a lovely Christmassy name you have!

"The Holly and the Ivy" is one of my favourite Christmas carols. 

I am also very fond of "Jingle Bells." I often sing it on Christmas Eve when I ride the sleigh

with my reindeer to deliver the presents.

Santa goes on to ask Holly to write her Christmas list. 

Holly wants something very special for Christmas, but she does not feel brave enough to ask so instead she writes back and asks about the elves. Once again Holly finds a reply on the mantle and once again she is not able to ask for her gift instead this time she asks about riding in the sleigh and Billy wants to know how Santa can fit down the chimney. The letters continue back and forth and Santa also gives Holly a decoration for her tree and a special guide explaining how to care for reindeer. On Christmas Eve Holly finally writes her Christmas list - you will never guess the one thing she wants most in the world but the envelope on the final page contains something so wonderful you are sure to sigh with happiness.

Here is a good idea - this reviewer suggests you treat Dear Father Christmas a little like an advent calendar - opening one letter each day in the lead up to Christmas. I would share this book with children aged 6+. Please don't use this with your child but if you need to see inside this book here is a video - it is read way, way too quickly. 

Meerkat Merry Christmas by Emily Gravett

Meerkat Christmas was published more recently in 2019. The paperback edition [9781509857302] from 2020 is still available. The publisher suggest this book for readers aged 3+ but to my eye this one is for an older child especially one who has enjoyed the other book from this series - Meerkat Mail (see below).

Bookseller blurb: A young meerkat travels the world looking for Christmas in this festive card-packed picture book, ...  Sunny isn't quite sure if Christmas in the desert with his meerkat family is the right sort of Christmas - there's no snow, no fir trees and no figgy pudding! So, he heads off on a journey round the world looking for the picture-perfect Christmas . . . before realizing he might have left it at home after all.

Begin with the cover - you need to stretch it right out.

Sunny reads a magazine article - How to have the Perfect Christmas. 

1. THE PERFECT WEATHER Must be snow. Crisp and deep.
2. THE PERFECT TREE Must be tastefully decorated
3. THE PERFECT PRESENTS There must be a huge pile.
4. THE PERFECT DINNER Must include well-boiled sprouts.
5. THE PERFECT MUSIC Christmas carols.

So Sunny packs his bag (which looks a little like a Santa sack) and he heads off - leaving the Kalahari - in search of a place that is more Christmasy than his desert home. 

First stop Australia and his friend Kev. But oh no they are having prawns and there is no snow and everyone is at the beach. Only one thing on his check list of five criteria receives a tick. 

Next stop Trevor's in the Philippines. Again, only one tick on the list although Sunny does enjoy eating crickets so this food be part of his Christmas dinner. He travels on to visit Robin, but it is raining and very gloomy. The birds are singing carols but there is no snow and the food on offer is worms! The weather is way better in Antarctica - snow tick, presents tick, but no trees, no dinner and no singing. Sunny travels on to the north. Snow tick, trees tick, but no presents, no dinner and no music. 

Finally "on the night before Christmas Sunny arrives somewhere perfect. The snow is falling (outside), everyone is singing, there is a beautifully decorated tree, plenty of presents and a HUGE Christmas dinner with all the trimmings (even sprouts).  It should be perfect."

It should be perfect but something is missing! Santa has the solution, and a wonderful present arrives on Christmas morning in the Kalahari. Oh, and remember Sunny had a sack - wait until you see what he has inside. And make sure you spend some time enjoying the brilliant end papers which are different front and back and contain some wonderful images to make you smile. 

Then re-read the book and find all the fun and corny Christmas cracker jokes. Here is a video of the book which is well done - good pace and full screen images but please only view this after you have enjoyed exploring the real book with your young reading companion or library group. 

This book is a joy, from Sunny’s Christmas jumper to the excitement of opening the little cards. A fitting follow-up to a popular book and a timely reminder that sometimes we have to look a little closer to home – at what matters to us – to find perfection. Book Murmurmation

Twelve days of Letters to Santa Day eleven - The Lighthouse Keeper's Christmas

Dear Father Christmas,
I will be at the Grinlings' house on Christmas eve.
They have a chimney.
Your friend, 
George

Dear Father Christmas,

Uncle ways that he would like something for Christmas that's fun to wear.

No boring slippers.

Your friends

Mr Grinling and George

PS Hamish would like another toy mouse

George is the great-nephew of the lighthouse keeper Mr Grinling and he has come to stay. This will be the last Christmas, as lighthouse keeper, for Mr Grinling. On Christmas eve Mr Grinling, George and Hamish row out to the lighthouse. At the end of their busy day a storm whips up and their small dinghy is tossed out into the waves. Mrs Grinling had packed a delicious lunch but what will they eat for their tea? Mrs Grinling packs a new basket (just as she did in the very first book) with cake, pies, sandwiches, and fruit BUT yes, just as we have seen previously, those pesky seagulls attack the basket and everything is either eaten or lost into the sea. Luckily Mr Grinling is able to find a tin of baked beans, some sardines, an old potato and a packet of chocolate biscuits. They are snug and safe inside the lighthouse and everything is okay BUT then George remembers his letter to Santa. He needs to write a new one!

Father Christmas, Father Christmas

We are at the lighthouse tonight. Please ask the reindeer 

to bring the sleigh to the door because there isn't any chimney.

Your friends

George and Mr Grinling and Hamish

They attach this note to the top lighthouse window and Mr Grinling finds two enormous socks that Santa can use as Christmas stockings. 

"They left the socks and a chocolate biscuit by the lighthouse door, then Mr Grinling tucked George back into bed."

Over night it snows, and they wake up to a perfect white world AND stockings full of presents! And later Mrs Grinling sends their Christmas dinner over in the basket - but will those pesky seagulls attack the food again? Oh and Mrs Grinling also finds a way to reach the lighthouse and she has a special card for Mr Grinling from all the people of the village. A perfect happy ending.

Bookseller blurb: Once there was a lighthouse keeper called Mr Grinling. At night time he lived in a small white cottage perched high on the cliffs, and in the daytime he rowed out to his lighthouse to clean and polish the light. Mr and Mrs Grinling are looking forward to an extra-special Christmas with their great-nephew, George. But on Christmas Eve, Mr Grinling and George get stranded in the middle of a storm! Can Mrs Grinling reach them in time for Christmas dinner?

The Lighthouse Keeper's Christmas was published in 2002. The paperback edition was released in 2014 - that's the good news. It is still in print (I think) but the online bookseller price is over AUS$25. I was lucky to pick up my copy at a recent charity book sale for just 50 cents and it is in mint condition.

I have been a fan of the Lighthouse Keeper's book series since the first book was published back in 1977. In one of the schools where I worked as a Teacher-Librarian one class spent the whole term on work inspired by this book and all the sequels and as a result I made this Pinterest and now my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything adds books too. My love of lighthouses does go back even further than 1977 though - back to 1968 or 1969 when my family rented a tiny garage which was used by the owners as a make-shift holiday house at Port Macquarie on the New South Wales coast. The address was Lighthouse Road and so as expected there was a glorious lighthouse right the end of the road and this became by regular bike riding expedition and book reading nook nestled under the tower of the lighthouse. 

Christmas and lighthouses - a perfect combination. Here are a couple of other Christmas books set in Lighthouses!

It's day eleven of my twelve days of Christmas letters to Santa - I wonder which book will appear tomorrow - actually there might be a Christmas surprise - TWO books!

Twelve days of Letters to Santa Day Ten - Santa Post

Publisher blurb: Santa receives post from children all over the world. But when Amy sends him a letter, he just can't work out what she wants as her gift. Will Santa manage to find Amy the right present in time for Christmas Eve?

Can you see the burn marks. The vital words from the letter are ruined. How can Santa find the perfect gift for young Amy?

First he asks the elves but they are SO busy so the chief elf who has the delightful name of Elfalfa Higglesbottom Senior, asks Boggins to help. All that is left in the toy cupboard is a box of coal. But Amy was on the 'nice' list - this cannot be the right gift. So next Santa writes to Mr Polar Bear but this gift is enormous - perfect for a polar bear but not right for Amy. Surely the reindeer will know. All of the reindeer 'put their antlers together' and decide the perfect present is a carrot! I love the tone of their letter to Santa:

Howdy Mister S
So good to hear from you dude. We've just been surfing some clouds ready for the big night. Dancer dinged her antlers on a star doing an epic dive. It was so awesome. ... Wish I could see your face when you open this parcel. It's gonna blow your mind (and beard).

See ya later!

Peace out

Chief

The Chief Reindeer

Amy does receive a present at Christmas and I know the final letter will give your young reading companion a huge smile.

Emma Yarlett has done it again with another brilliant book featuring beautifully fold-out letters that are a joy to discover. This time, it's the clever use of letters to Santa - and letters to and from Santa and his team of experts - that help the story develop, and as the gifts for Amy multiply (a scarf, a carrot, some coal) young readers may be able to guess what might happen in the end. A heartwarming picture book with a special interactive element that makes it all the more fun. BookTrust

This book was published in 2020 and a new paperback edition was published in 2023. The best thing about the book design, apart from the fire singed letter, is the way the letters open as flaps. This means the precious letters cannot be lost by young borrowers as can be the case with a book like The Jolly Christmas Postman. Here is the book trailer. You can see inside this book on the author web page.

The companion volume to Santa Post is Dragon Post. You should look for this book because 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. 

Twelve days of Letters to Santa Day Nine - Alfie's Christmas

 

I have a friend who read all the Alfie books to her young children and many aspects of the lives of these children became part of their family vocabulary and nostalgia. This means I was not surprised when she suggested I add Alfie's Christmas to my series of Christmas Letters posts.

"Mum helped Alfie to make a list of all the presents he wanted. It was quite a long list. Then she helped him write a letter to Father Christmas. Alfie drew a picture of himself to go with it and they put their address at the top. Then they put it in an envelope with 'To Father Christmas' written on it and Mum helped Alfie post it in the pillar box at the end of their street."

In the illustration of Christmas morning, we can see Alfie surrounded by his presents - coloured pencils, a toy car, a windup mouse, an orange, a torch and a small Santa hat for his toy Flumbo. Under the tree Alfie finds a bright orange scooter with a red and blue helmet. He also receives a remote-control space buggy but, typical of presents like this, it needs batteries! I love the way Shirley Hughes includes a relative visiting from Australia. Great Uncle Will tells Alfie about Christmas 'down under' - summer, swimming, barbeques, beach visits, colourful parrots and once Uncle Will even saw a koala!

Here are all the Alfie books by Shirley Hughes:

Book 1: Alfie's Feet (1982)

Book 2: Alfie Gives A Hand (1983)

Book 3: An Evening at Alfie's (1984)

Book 4: The Big Alfie and Annie Rose Storybook (1988)

Book 5: Alfie Gets in First (1991)

Book 6: The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook (1992)

Book 7: The Alfie Collection (1992)

Book 8: The Alfie Treasury (1994)

Book 9: Rhymes for Annie Rose (1995)

Book 10: Alfie & The Birthday Surprise (1997)

Book 11: All About Alfie (1997)

Book 12: Alfie's Alphabet (1997)

Book 13: Alfie's ABC (1982)

Book 14: Alfie Goes Camping (1999)

Book 15: Alfie's 1 2 3 (1999)

Book 16: Alfie's Numbers (2000)

Book 17: Alfie's Weather (2001)

Book 18: Annie Rose Is My Little Sister (2002)

Book 19: Alfie Wins A Prize (2004)

Book 20: Alfie's World (2006)

Book 21: Alfie and the Big Boys (2007)

Book 22: My Alfie Collection (2011)

Book 23: Alfie's Shop (2013)

Book 24: Alfie's Christmas (2013)

Book 25: Alfie Gets in First ad Other Stories (2015)

Book 26: Alfie & Grandma (2015)

Book 27: Alfie Outdoors (2016)

Book 28: Alfie and Mum (2016)

Book 29: Alfie and His Very Best Friend (2016)

Book 30: Alfie and Dad (2017)

Book 31: Alfie at Nursery School (2018)

Book 32: Alfie on Holiday (2019) 

Twelve days of Letters to Santa Day Eight - Maisy's Christmas Letters by Lucy Cousins

It is day eight. Time to read a book which features the popular preschool character Maisy. 

Maisy is throwing a Christmas party, and all her friends are invited! When her guests RSVP, they send other Christmas surprises including an advent calendar, festive decorations, a gingerbread recipe and more. This story includes six real envelopes containing Christmas cards, gifts, decorations and a special letter from Maisy herself. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Check out my post - Meet the illustrator Lucy Cousins.