Our book at bedtime this evening was perfect after a very busy day.

A Christmas Journey, by Brian Wildsmith, is a beautifully illustrated, simply written retelling of the Nativity story.  It opens with the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary, to tell her that she will give birth to a child who will be the Son of God.  When Mary and Joseph find, some time later, that they will have to travel to Bethlehem, Mary leaves her cat and dog with a neighbour who will look after them.  (“I don’t remember that bit in the Bible,” says Owl!)  The cat and the dog miss Mary so they run away to try and find her.  On the way, they meet other animals who join them on their journey.

This is a very appealing way to tell the Nativity story to young children, and we all enjoyed it.  The illustrations are stunning, and so full of interesting details that every time we read it I think we will find something new – and lots of inspiration for our own artwork too.

After a busy afternoon at the church fair, then home for supper, bath and Strictly, we only had time for one story this evening.  I didn’t manage to find any Christmas books at the fair, but I do have a little stash of new ones.  I knew that The Very Snowy Christmas would appeal to my children, who are eagerly awaiting the snow now it is Winter, and are asking me to check the weather forecast every day.

It’s Christmas Eve, and Big Mouse and Little Mouse are decorating their Christmas tree.  Little Mouse goes out to look for some holly, but just as he finds some, soft white flakes start falling from the sky.  “Goodness me!” he says.  “The sky is coming undone!”  As he set off home, strange things start to happen.  A Mouse Ness Monster looks up at him from the water, the footprints of an Invisible Monster follow him, and in his own garden there is a huge White Mouse.  Luckily Big Mouse is there to explain all the mysteries, and in the end he discovers that “Snow is Magic!”

We all liked this book, from its glittery cover to its warm and comforting ending.  It’s a lovely addition to our collection of Christmas stories, though I’m afraid it is only adding to the children’s expectation that it will snow on Christmas Eve if not sooner!

This was another good find in the charity shop on Tuesday.  Spot’s Magical Christmas Puffin Picture Book and CD Set.

It’s Christmas Eve and Santa’s sleigh has gone missing.  Spot and his friends help to look for it, leading to a magical adventure.

We listened to the CD first, at supper time, then Rabbit listened to it again afterwards and followed the story in the book at the same time.  This is really good reading practice for her, so I think this book might be one that doesn’t make it back into the loft after Christmas.  Tiddler loved it too, especially when I read it to them at bedtime.

So far we’ve done well for Christmas books at the charity shop.  Church fair tomorrow, I wonder if we’ll find any more…