New Christmas books…

Once again the Christmas season approaches with its special messages of love, family togetherness, joy and rejoicing in our many blessings.  It is also the time to remember others less fortunate and to share ourselves, our time and, where possible, our gifts.  Christmas books are surfacing from near and far with varied stories of both the past and present, beginning with the first Christmas and its message of love and hope.  Other books are full of humour, memories, quirky tales and, in many cases, surprises.

Walker Based on a traditional legend from the first Christmas is The Christmas Rose Wendy Blaxland/Luke Hennessy; then with both nostalgia & sentiment is Little Dog and the Christmas Wish Corinne Fenton/Robin Cowcher (A$24.95/NZ$27.99); with a countdown to a baby’s first Christmas is Hey Baby, It’s Christmas Corinne Fenton (A$18.95/NZ$21.99)

Scholastic have a lovely retelling of an old Christmas folktale about how every Christmas Eve at midnight the animals can speak and they relive the first Christmas Eve when Jesus was born, One Night Penny Matthews/Stephen Michael King ($24.99); with humour, counting and more Santa’s Busy Reindeer Ed Allen/Nathaniel Eckstrom ($16.99), a new edition Where’s Santa? Around the World Louis Shea ($15.99) plus There was an Old Bloke who Swallowed a Present P. Crumble/Louis Shea ($15.99 pbk); Koala has a visual feast with a favourite The Twelve Days of Christmas Alison Jay ($19.99); 24 Classic Stories to Read Aloud – The Nights Before Christmas illustrated by Tony Ross ($29.99)

Random House with a special Australian slant on Christmas letters Santa’s Outback Secret Mike Dumbleton/Tom Jellett ($19.99) as well as Lulu Bell and the Christmas Elf Belinda Murrell/Serena Geddes ($12.99 pbk)

HarperCollins/ABC have a special holiday-themed counting book for the young Count My Christmas Kisses Ruthie May/Tamsin Ainslie ($19.99) as well as the return of trouble in There is a Monster Under My Christmas Tree Who Farts Tim Miller/Matt Stanton ($24.99)

National Library of Australia (NLA) step into history, 1915-1996, with The Tea and Sugar Train and it’s special first Thursday in December Tea and Sugar Christmas Jane Jolly/Robert Ingpen ($24.99)

Penguin/Viking have a special yet humorous version of Christmas in Australia John Williamson/Mitch Vane ($19.99)

Hachette/Lothian with a colourful countdown to an Aussie Christmas to the tune of Ten Green Bottles in Ten Christmas Crackers illustrated by Karen Erasmus ($14.99 pbk+e)

Christmas Press is proud to present a special mix of stories, poems, memoirs and illustrations from some of Australia’s favourite children’s authors and illustrators, as well as emerging new talent and some special overseas guests in Once Upon A Christmas compiled & edited by Beattie Alvarez ($24.99 pbk)

HGE/Chirpy Bird based on the Winnie-the-Pooh works by A. A. Milne/E. H. Shepard and illustrated by Andrew Grey is Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Stories ($27.99)