Everything I Need To Know About Christmas

Everything I Need To Know About Christmas

Picture Book
I grew up with plenty of Little Golden Books in my personal
library. My kids did too. I think there's a very good chance you
enjoyed at least a few of these ubiquitous gold bound, cardboard
backed books. No matter what you think of the brand, they did a lot
of good, providing reading and read aloud experiences for the children
of parents who could not afford the pricier book store offerings or
find the time for library visits.
Diane Muldrow's Everything I Need to Know About Christmas I
Learned From A Little Golden Book is a real trip down Memory Lane.
It's almost more for parents than kids. Illustrations from Little
Golden Books are coupled with a narrative of seasonal hassles and joys
ranging from amusing to touching. A tousled haired baby faces a horde
of visiting relatives, probably intent on pinching little round
cheeks. Naughty Bunny demonstrates seasonal misbehavior. Santa holds
out a list of good boys and girls. A gleeful infant waves dimpled
hands at a decorated tree with a little pink rocking horse. My all
time favorite LGB character, the Poky Little Puppy makes a list for
Santa...
Then at the end when traditions have been lovingly examined
there is a touching reminder of the reason for the celebration.
Everything I Need To Know About Christmas is a very good sanity
saver for the days when everyone seems to be running around in a rat
race of conspicuous consumption, when, in the words of Pastor Steve,
it might be hard to find Bethlehem in all the bedlam. I'm keeping my
copy on my kitchen table for all of Advent.
On a personal note, we had a weather perfect Halloween. The day
before at Orono Public Library we were able to hold the children's
party outside. Hundreds of kids were out on the back lawn painting
pumpkins, making caramel apples, eating popcorn and drinking cider,
playing games, collecting candy, voting for their favorite
scarecrows... It was impossible to tell who was having more fun: the
little kids flitting from booth to booth or the college kids staffing
the booths. Halloween itself was that rare in Maine trick or treat
where kids didn't have to wear coats or worse over costumes. The day
after the rains came. Sunday the first snow of the season was well
underway, knocking out electricity in Old Town and Orono.
A great big shout out goes out to all who made the party a grand
success, the people including my husband called out on a Sunday to
plow or restore power, and the supervisor who let my Adam get off work
early and come home safely.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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