Monday, November 11, 2019

Christmas Book Advent Suggestions: 8 New Books From Simon & Schuster Sure to Delight Kids of All Ages! (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.



With only 17 days left until Thanksgiving, people are starting to gear up for this holiday shopping and decorating.  We held out as long as we could, but put the tree up and have already started watching Christmas movies and listening to holiday music.  In addition, my girls and are all starting to pull together books and DVDs to wrap and include in our annual book and movie advent countdowns, which we start December 1st.  Because December 1st is almost here -- only 20 days away, I wanted to share some new Christmas-themed picture and board books from Simon & Schuster that we will be including in our book advent, as we recently reviewed them, and loved them, and can't wait to read them again as we count down to Santa's arrival.

Here are just eight new Christmas-themed releases from Simon & Schuster that will delight kids of all ages, as well as parents, and help to get your family in the holiday spirit, as you count down until Christmas.  If you don't do a book advent, and are looking for a new tradition to start with your family, you should consider doing a book advent, as it is so much fun. We started a book advent a few years ago, and we all look forward to it every December.  



About this book:

A joyous puppy with a very twitchy tail is looking for the perfect holiday present in this rebarkable Christmas novelty book from award-winning creator Salina Yoon.

Christmas Puppy has a Christmas present under the tree...but which one is it? Help Puppy wag his tail whenever he helps open a new present! With a sturdy pull-tab that wags Puppy’s plush tail, this interactive novelty book is perfect for Christmas stockings.

My Thoughts:

If you have a little one, this is the perfect book to pick up and share with them as you get into the holiday spirit.  It also makes for a great stocking stuffer...but, I doubt you will be able to hold out in giving it until Christmas once you see this cute interactive board book up close.  Even though my girls are both older and beyond board books, my oldest was quick to grab this book as her own she is all about dogs, and thought it was so cute that you could pull the tab and make the puppy's plush tail wag.  She has been reading this to her stuffed animals, and just making the tail wag.  If a 9 year old likes this book, just imagine what a 2+ year old would think...they will love it, too!




About this book:

"Join Snoopy and the Peanuts gang for a day of playing in the snow in this adorable shaped board book with foil on the cover!




Snoopy loves winter! He loves ice-skating and playing in the snow with his best friend Woodstock. 






Inspired by winter-themed Peanuts comic strips, like the time Snoopy hilariously tried to make friends with a snowman, this giftable board book is a perfect stocking stuffer for Peanuts fans of any age!"


My Thoughts:

This is such a cute board book, that will get little ones excited about the first snow fall, and playing in the snow.  My girls were so excited when they saw the weather forecast the other day and heard snow in the forecast for tomorrow.  They are both crossing their hands a lot of snow falls so that they can make their first snowman of the season.  And, while they wait for the snow, they have been enjoying this super cute board book.



About this book:

"In this almost wordless picture book, a host of woodland creatures take a child's sled for a nighttime joy ride. Their whimsical ride is gorgeously depicted in bold watercolor, complemented by humorous expressions and pitch-perfect sound effects. With a timeless tone and classic characters, RED SLED will become a wintertime favorite."


My Thoughts:

I have shared a handful of reviews/feature about this children's holiday title over the years, so I will not bore you with another one.  What I did want to share is that "Red Sled" is now available in board book format, and would make a great gift idea and stocking stuffer for little ones.



(Also available in hardcover)

About this book:

"Celebrate the Christmas season with Snoopy and the Peanuts gang in this special Level 2 Ready-to-Read!




Christmas is finally here! This year, Snoopy just wants to spend a peaceful and quiet day with his best friend Woodstock, but people keep interrupting them. Find out how Snoopy gets into the Christmas spirit in this festive Ready-to-Read story!


My Thoughts:

It isn't the holidays, without enjoying a classic Peanuts movie on DVD or watching it when it airs on television.  Be sure you tune in the night before Thanksgiving as the Peanuts Thanksgiving classic movie to enjoy with your family. When my family isn't watching these fun holiday specials, we love reading the different Peanuts holiday books we have accumulated over the years, as well as pick up new ones to read and enjoy, for years to come.  This is one of two new Peanuts books featuring everyone's favorite beagle, Snoopy, from Simon & Schuster.  With this particular book, you can purchase it in either hardcover or paperback.  The paperback edition comes with two full pages of stickers.  My girls love when the books come with stickers, as they can make fun sticker scenes based on the story they just read, or fill their sticker book album with them.  My girls really enjoyed this book, and it got them even more excited about Christmas and Santa's arrival. I highly recommend this book, as kids of all ages will enjoy it, and want to read it year after after.




About this book:

"Roly Poly the polar bear gets a little brother he did not ask for, in this charming story about sibling rivalry and the bonds of family from the beloved picture book creators of Time for Bed, Mem Fox and Jane Dyer.




Roly Poly the polar bear loves being an only child. His bed is only his. The fish he catches are only his. And he doesn’t have to share his toy walrus tooth with anyone. 


But then along comes baby Monty. Roly Poly did not ask for a little brother and he certainly does not want one now! What is Roly Poly to do when Monty starts making him share his bed and fish and walrus tooth?"

My Thoughts:

OMG!, this is just the cutest book!  Not only are the little polar bears cute, but the story is so much fun to read.  This book is great for kids expecting or recently welcoming a sibling at home, as well as for siblings to sit and enjoy together.  My girls really enjoyed this book, and now want to make their own cute Roly Poly polar bears as a craft, along with their own little scenes. :-)




About this book:

"In this stunning follow-up to the bestselling The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, the New York City Ballet presents another timeless tale for a modern ballet lover with Swan Lake.



This lavishly illustrated book follows the storyline, choreography, costumes, and sets of the New York City Ballet’s production of Swan Lake


With beautiful art illustrated by Valeria Docampo, this magnificent retelling is a perfect gift for an aspiring ballerina or any family who wants to add this enchanting and classic tale to their library."

My Thoughts:

Who doesn't love the Swan Lake, especially when the holidays roll around.  I was so excited to read and share this new picture book with my girls, after seeing the illustrations I shared above.  Simply stunning and breathtaking is all I can say about the illustrations that fill the pages of this book that tells the classic tale.  My girls really enjoyed this book, and we found ourselves lingering on each page to take in all the detail of the full color illustrations.  This will be the first book we will read as we kick off our Christmas advent book countdown this year...and, I can't wait for to read it with my girls again.




About this book:

"A kindhearted mouse becomes Santa’s littlest helper in this heartfelt, joyful story that’s a true Christmas classic.




Sometimes giving is the best gift of all.



In this charming holiday story, meet a tiny mouse with no name who is blessed with a large imagination and a generous spirit. He lives a very lonely life in a very big house. Yet he dearly loves Christmas and one Christmas Eve he surprises Santa Claus with a most unusual present.

How does this small mouse with a big heart become Santa’s special helper?



Written by Michael Brown and illustrated in a timeless style by Elfrieda De Witt, Santa Mouse is a Christmas family favorite that parents and grandparents are sure to share with their little ones."

My Thoughts:

Come on, after looking at the illustrations from the book I shared above, you can't tell me that the little Santa Mouse isn't so gosh darn cute?!  When I saw the cover art for this book, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy of it, not just to share with my girls, but to also put out on our coffee table for friends and family to enjoy when visiting this holiday season.  The story itself is a quick read, but you will find yourself lingering on each page to admire the cute Santa Mouse.  My girls both give this holiday book two thumbs up! :-)



About this book:

"Now an Emmy-nominated film streaming on Netflix!


Pulitzer Prize recipient Frank McCourt shares the story of his mother’s childhood Christmas in this tender and heartwarming picture book, previously published as Angela and the Baby Jesus.




Angela is six-years-old and worries for the baby Jesus on the altar of St. Joseph’s church in Limerick. December nights are damp and cold, and the church is dark at night. How can the baby Jesus’ mother leave him in the manger without even a blanket to cover him? The baby Jesus surely needs Angela’s help, even if she is not allowed to go on the altar, especially by herself.



Filled with the characters, incident, and detail that have made Frank McCourt internationally renowned and beloved, Angela’s Christmas is a timeless story of real life—in all of its joy, innocence, and incongruity. A story for all generations to enjoy and cherish."

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to learn that Simon & Schuster were releasing a picture book for Angela's Christmas.  If the names sounds familiar, it is because, like my family, you have probably watched this holiday movie streaming on Netflix last Christmas. I lost count of how many times we watched this movie...but, it never got old.  Even my girls found themselves making clothes to dress our baby Jesus in the Nativity we had set up in the bay window, jut like Angela did in the movie.  

We just got the movie on DVD to review from the folks at Mill Creek Entertainment (stay tuned for my review and link to purchase this wonderful heartfelt holiday movie soon), and I am so happy I have a book to go along with it, so we can enjoy both as we count down to Christmas this year, and many more years to come!



About this book:




"Danny and Dino celebrate Christmas in the latest Dinosaur That Pooped story by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter of the English pop punk group McFly.


Danny wants everything for Christmas. But what he gets is a dinosaur, a very hungry dinosaur. Danny’s new dino eats up all of Christmas, but as we all know, what goes in must come out. Danny is about to have the most explosive Christmas of his life! 



There’s poop, presents, and prehistoric creatures in this festive feast! With a strong moral about the dangers of being greedy, The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas! is sure to be become a modern Christmas classic."

My Thoughts:

The title alone of this book had my girls giggling and wanting to read this book.  As I was gathering information on the book to share, I saw that there previous "Dinosaur that Pooped" books released including one about a bed, another about a planet, and a few others.  Seeing just how much my girls loved reading this Christmas-themed books, I shared the others, and told them we will have to pick these up and have a little "Dinosaur that Pooped" collection of books to read.  

While this story will make you laugh, it also shares an important message that older kids will pick up on, and that you can share with the younger ones, about the dangers of being greedy.  Kids need to be reminded that it is better to give than receive, and that they can't everything they right down on their wish lists to Santa, as there are so many other children hoping for gifts, too.  We really enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read the previous releases. 

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Like I mentioned above, these are just eight of the newest Christmas-themed books released from Simon & Schuster.  You can check out all the new and upcoming releases here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/.

Disclosure:  I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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