Coming Home by Michael Morpurgo & Illus by Kerry Hyndman

This book is lovely and gorgeous and.... you should just read it. 

I SO LOVE THIS BOOK.

The focus here is on the Scandinavian Robin's migration from Scandinavia to Britain during the winter. 

But the text---

Come, my heart, and come, my wintgs, 

Fly, fly before the cruel snows,             

Carry me, carry me home                     

I must be on my way                            

On my way.                                           

So gentle and measured.

Michael Morphugo is a rather famous poet who now owns farms that he and his family invite urban kids and their teachers to come live on to see how farms work. 

I want to be him when I grow up.

Out of the forest, into the daylight.

Over the fields, follow the valleys.

Find the river, my river will guide me.

Be strong, my wings, beat fast

Beat on.

Sweeping landscapes and birds eye views.

Kerry Hyndman is a must-see-more kind of illustrator. 

Shelter

Danger

Friendship 

Refuge

Refreshing

And finally, finally, home and familiy. 

These robin facts are on the copyright page, which confused me. My first read through I thought there were no robin facts, which was unfortunate since I wanted to know more about robin migration as soon as I read this book. 

They use the stars to navigate! How clever of them!

How ever you are coming home this year, I hope you journey brings you where you want to be.

The 12 Days of Christmas by Robert Sabuda

Robert Sabuda is an amazing pop up book artist. 

Because this is a pop up book, the binding was pretty thick already. So instead of a two page spread for each day, they had this little tiny flap over on the side to see the pop up for the next day of Christmas.

Very intricate work.

Four calling birds

Five Golden Rings

I have been singing a different version of this in my library with students this week and this particular phrase is the one they can ALL sing. They might not remember the six geese a-laying, but by golly, they remember the rings part!

Not sure what pie had to do with six geese a laying, but it looks cool! 

Oh for goodness sakes

I don't even know how pop up books work, to be honest. Which means I am perpetually amazed by the fact that they DO work. 

And then, the last page, a light up Christmas tree with decorations from all the different days. 

So not just a pop up, but a light-up pop up. Woah. 

Very fun version of this book! 

The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket & Illus by Brett Helquist

Another non-over-the-top holiday book!

A holiday book from Lemony Snicket is just as amusing and clever as you would think it would be. And under the grumpy and almost cynical facade is a reminder of the everyday miracles we encounter in life. 

And the writing--

...this is a holiday story and so takes place in the dead of winter, when the air is grey and wet shoes line up in hallways, shivering and crying tears of sleet.

I love the writing. 

This is a little-ish book, all square, which makes it even more intriguing and satisfying. 

Miracles are like pimples, because once you start looking for them, you find more than you ever dreamed you would see. 

Miracles and pimples. A winning combination.

The miracle we are looking for here is purpose in the life of a tuxedo wearing lump of coal.

 Like many people dressed in black, the lump of coal was interested in becoming an artist. 

The miracle beings with a fortuitous tumble from a bag of charcoal, which sets the lump of coal free. He can now wander around and look for a purpose on his own. 

He went first to a gallery, but no luck. They didn't think much of a smudgy bit of coal who left dirty footprints where ever he went. 

The lump of coal then tried a Korean barbeque. Because second best to drawing on paper, is drawing rough black lines on...a breast of chicken or salmon by participating in a barbeque.

But that didn't really work out either. 

Then the lump of coal crossed paths with a department store Santa. 

This Santa had a naughty stepson who needed a lump of coal. 

They exchanged thoughts and ideas and....

The lump of coal ended up in a stocking on Christmas morning. 

Not a very glorious position for someone with dreams and ambitions. 

But then, the miracle really kicked into high gear. And it turned out that the naughty stepson was delighted to meet this talking lump of coal and had all kinds of ideas of what they could do together. 

Mostly to do with art, which the gallery sold for an enormous fortune. 

All these things are miracles. It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough food to eat, and it is a miracle if you get to spend your days and evenings doing whatever it is you like to do, and the holiday season--like all the other seasons--is a good time not only to tell stories of miracles, but to think about the miracles in your own life, and to be grateful for them, and that's the end of this particular story. 

 I love this book. Keep looking for miracles. Every single day. 

The Little Reindeer by Michael Foreman

Christmas books. It is time. I don't actually celebrate Christmas with a lot of fanfare, so over the top books about Christmas aren't always my thing. I mean.... I love the north. I love winter. I love caribou. I love red. I love fairy lights. I love evergreens. But I love them all the time. I don't really want to just love them for a few weeks or a month. I feel like we should just celebrate winter all winter long, not just at the very beginning of winter!

This book fits nicely into my not over the top category. 

This little reindeer, that looks rather like a goat notices things are hopping over in the human world. 

So he heads over to check it out. 

I love these illustrations. Rustic and northern-y. 

The little reindeer gets on the toy packaging belt by accident. 

Okay, these elves are dressed like Sami people and that makes so much sense. Reindeer herders really should have a more prominent place in Christmas stories. Because.... duh! Who do you think is wrangling the reindeer all year long? 

I adore the colors the rich colors of the Sami clothing. 

The wrapped up little reindeer is bundled into somewhere else and feels himself moving through the air. And then he falls out. 

Turns out he was delivered to a city rooftop and a little boy who is thrilled with such a marvelous present. 

Kids and animals--a magic combination.

The little boy makes a little place for the reindeer to live on the roof and brings him bread and four different kinds of cereal to see what he likes. 

I love this kid! 

Even the pigeons eventually accepted their new roof dweller. 

The boy cares for the reindeer very carefully. By early summer, the reindeer is able to take the boy flying through the city, passed the giant cowboy billboard. 

Oh the delight! 

But then, winter comes back. And around Christmas, the reindeer begins to get the urge to head north to see what he can do to help. And the boy has to decide if he will let the reindeer go or demand the homesick reindeer stay with him. No surprise about what happens, but that generous, self-sacrificing theme is always so inspiring to kids. And features in Christmas stories quite regularly. 

A cute little story that focuses a little more on reindeer (caribou) than Santa and the elves. 

A House that Once Was by Julie Fogliano & Illus by Lane Smith

This book... I have seen it on several potential 2019 Caledecott lists. Which doesn't mean a whole lot to me, since several Caldecott books leave me cold. But then, I am not an artist, so I don't totally understand the progressive techniques illustrators might be using. However, being a potential Caldecott winner proves that the art is pretty snazzy. 

And the words? Oh my. 

Deep in the woods

 is a house

just a house

that once was

but now isn't

a home.

First read through, I tripped and tumbled over several words. My brain has certain expectations of the next word--like the predictive text feature on a smartphone. So my brain is jumping ahead at a fast clip and before the first page was done, I realized I needed to slow down or I would mangle the story. 

HOW CAN AN AUTHOR CONTROL HOW FAST I READ?

But somehow, Julie Fogliano does it. This is a slow and savoring read. 

(Having just sold a house we lived in for 9 years, a house that saw two new babies, a lot of growing up, and a lot of living, this book seemed perfect. A house that once was, but now isn't a home. I had a hard time letting go of our sweet little house. We wanted more land, but we loved that house. I full on sobbed, just thinking about seeing the house empty, without us. Seeing our house lonely. But somehow, when I walked into the empty house to do a quick check before the buyer's final walk through, it was just a house, it wasn't our home anymore. And I loved it for what it gave us, but I can let it go. Because it is a house that once was.) 

So this book? It might just be a timing thing, but it hit me pretty deep. 

Tiptoe creep 

up the path

up the path that is hiding

A path that once welcomed

A path that is winding

A path that is now covered in weeds. 

The last Julie Fogliano book that I loved was When Green Becomes Tomato, a book of poetry. So it should come as no surprise that the text here is lyrical and poetic. 

These two exploring friends find an abandoned house in the woods. A house that once was, but not isn't, a home. 

 Inside the house            

 it is silent but creaking. 

 We're whispering mostly

 but not really speaking. 

                                            We whisper though no one would mind if we didn't.

       The someone who once was

is someone who isn't.   

       The someone who once was

is gone.                        

The children look around the house and try to imagine the people who once lived in the house. 

 Who was this someone   

           who walked down this hallway

    who cooked in this kitchen

   who napped in this chair?

Who was this someone   

  who left without packing 

someone who's gone      

but is still everywhere?  

Was it someone with a big beard and glasses who would look out the window and dream of the sea?

Was it someone who liked to paint squirrels in the garden?

Or a girl who liked to dance and sing to records?

Where did they go? 

Or what if they're lost and they're wandering lonely? Maybe they can't find their set of house keys?

Does the house miss these people? Does it wish it were filled up with noise and with laughter? Is it lonely?

  Or maybe is loves to just sit and remember

Stories of someone who we'll never know

  And maybe it likes it out there in the forest

              with the trees coming in where the roof used to go.

And after their adventuring, our two explorers head home to their house that is very much a home.