Author: TCBR Contributor

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by one of TCBR's regular contributors.

Mrs. Claus Explains It All is a must-have for any family with kids that are puzzled by the magic behind Santa’s skills, or, for the kids who are on the verge of becoming non-believers. Its question-and-answer format is attractively presented with illustrations by DavidWenzel. Each question is illustrated as a hand written note by a child— Dear Mrs. Claus, I saw Santa on T.V. and he didn’t look the same!—and each response is answered in a grandmotherly way: This must be confusing, with all the many versions of Santa Claus and the North Pole on screen and on stage, but that’s the price of popularity. …

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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review Published: December 14, 2009 Star Wars is everywhere: t-shirts, Legos, figurines, table sets, bedding, posters … the list goes on … babies are dressed-up as Yoda for Halloween, and 4-year-old kids (sometimes younger, often older) are waving their pretend light sabers in a pretend battle in the yard at preschool. The commercialization of Star Wars can not be escaped; sooner or later your kids are going to ask that all important question, “Can I watch Star Wars?” Now comes the hard part: how old should your kids be before you let them watch…

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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review Published: December 10, 2009 Here is the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases, and, of course, the bestsellers. THE TRENDS And so this is Christmas … Hanukkah … Kwanzaa … A party here, a Christmas card there, and still a little lot of shopping to do. These are our most popular pages, of late—hopefully we’ve provided you with some holiday gift ideas: 20 of the Best Kids Christmas Books Holiday Gift Guide: Best Children’s Books & Toys Christmas Gifts for Kids: Book…

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Manners, manners, manners. The oh-so important skill: manners! We need them all year round but somehow they seem extra important during the holiday season. Here are a couple of books that have a encouragingly humorous take on sociallyacceptable behavior . I have read each one and give my complete seal of approval. I’ve included the publisher’s synopsis for your benefit, thank you!

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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review Published: December 4, 2009 Truce by Jim Murphy Reading level: Teens/Young Adult Hardcover: 144 pages Publisher: Scholastic Press (October 1, 2009) Source: Publisher What to expect: Christmas Truce, World War I, Western front Moving and empowering … War in the Western Front region pauses—if only briefly—to honor the true spirit of Christmas, with a Christmas Truce. Two-time Newbery Honor Book author Jim Murphy’s bold and brave narrative reveals the power of communication and shows us that peace is possible—even in the hardest of times. Although Truce makes a worthy holiday book, its message…

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