Holiday Childrens Books

Here are three children's books for various ages between 2 and 8 years old. They would be great Christmas and Holiday gifts,

Shall I Knit You a Hat? - a Christmas Yarn

• Kate Klise. Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
• Square Fish: Henry Holt and Company

A horrible winter blizzard is coming their way for Christmas. It alarms the rabbit family no end to hear it on the nightly news on TV.

Mother Rabbit asks Little Rabbit if wants her to make him a hand knit hat and he days yes, it would be just dandy with him. After receiving his warm and delightful gift, Little Rabbit is most happy and suggests that all of the Rabbits' friends need hats, too.

Mother and Little Rabbit plot hat designs in their cozy bungalow and make a series of odd-looking but practical warm gifts for their friends for protection in the forthcoming blizzards. "Little Rabbit" hats go to town on a sled with the Rabbit Family. The Rabbits pass out hats and accessories to all the citizens, but they have funny looks on their faces, like they don't like their presents.. The townsfolk look in the mirrors as they put on their hats and cringe, but that say Thank You.

When the snow flies, Horse really does appreciate his blanket-hat. Goose falls in love with her scarf-hat. Deer admires himself in his antler-covers that keep his head warm. The high-falutin' lady cat likes hers, because now she looks like a lion. The characters all heap sincere thanks and praise on the Rabbits!

Back at home in the hutch in the hurricane of snow, Mom and Son Rabbit forgot gifts for each other. They are just happy to help the needy with hats. They have a nice nigh carrot cake by the fire for Christmas.

Shall I Knit you a Hat? is charming. It comes with Rabbit Hat patterns for infant through age 3.

Tracks in the Snow

• Wong Herbert Yee
• Square Fish: Henry Holt and Company

The cover illustration of Tracks in the Snow shows a small child bundled up in the winter snow. A friendly squirrel and blackbird and a small fox tag along with her wherever she goes and look for every opportunity to get her to play with them. Snow footprints surround them, the kind made by tiny boots. It is not too cold out and the snow is soft and light, just fine for exploring.

The child goes out with the animals and searches for the maker of these foot steps. She wonders who she will find at their end.

The illustrations are soft and warm-looking. Blackbird, squirrel and fox accompany her, but she simply cannot see the animal of the foot prints in the snow. Blackbird seems to coach her onward and seems to be laughing with upraised wings. The tiny girl finds a lost mitten that matches her own scarf, but no footprint maker. Blackbird takes her home as a light snow falls and it is tea and cookies time. Following the same tracks back to the house, the young girl finally sees that she made the tracks - yesterday. This storybook would be great with a snack at the end, just like in the story. For ages 2 - 4.

The Cat on the Mat is Flat

• Andy Griffiths. Illustrated by Terry Denton.
• Feiwel and Friends, New York.

Mice are chasing cats with baseball bats on the cover. In one corner is a rhyme ringing clamors: "Crash! Bang! Pow! Kersplack! This book may cause a laugh attack!" The catchy rhymes in the storyline are like a Dr. Seuss tale, like The Cat in the Hat - without ball bats.

The stories are fun, but full of attacks. The smashed cat on a mat is cuckoo with a concussion form as ball bat wielded by a mouse. In "Ed and Ted and Ted's Dog Fred" there are a hundred rhymes, a dead end road, and a whale - a happy ending, too. "Frog on a Log in a Bog" is funny and about power-driven riding logs and a race with the frogs' landlord. The landlord warthog drives one of the logs like a Harley.

All the stories:

• The Cat, The Rat, The Mat and the Baseball Bat
• Ed and Ted and Ted's Dog Fred
• Pinky Ponky the Shonky, Wonky Bonky Donkey
• Frog on a Log in a Bog
• Harry Black, the Sack, the Snack and a Sneaky Snack Stealing Yak called Jack
• Duck in a Truck in the Muck
• Unlucky Lou, a kind Kangaroo, a hole in a Shoe and some Extra-Super-Fast-Sticking Super Roo Glue
• Bill and Phil and the Very Big Hill
• Andy G, Terry D, The Brave Tea Lady and the Evil Bee

The Cat on the Mat is Flat provides nine rhyming stories with yaks and snacks and trucks and ducks, kangaroos and superglue. The ducks may cause kids to rhyme their "ucks" by beginning them with every letter alphabet, so look out. This book could be a questionable influence for some children. For ages 6-8, if you dare.