SSD Public Website: Booklists: December

December

Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root; Beth Krommes
All through the spring, summer and fall, Grandmother Winter tends her geese and gathers their feathers. Why? To bring snowfall, of course-snowfall as soft as feathers and bright as a winter moon.
Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows; Kurt Cyrus
Everybody at the station! It's time for winter hibernation! The sweet rhyming text of this book will calm even the most rambunctious kids and have them dreaming about what it's like to hibernate. The perfect book for pajama day!
The Mitten by Jan Brett
When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing. One by one, woodland animals find it and crawl in; first, a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse and what happens next makes for a wonderfully funny climax.
Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! by Maureen Wright; Will Hillenbrand
It's time for Big Bear to hibernate, so Old Man Winter keeps telling him: "Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep." But Big Bear doesn't hear very well. He thinks Old Man Winter has told him to drive a jeep, to sweep, and to leap. Big Bear just can't seem to hear what Old Man Winter is saying.
Snowmen All Year by Caralyn Buehner; Mark Buehner
Our young narrator dreams of a non-melting snowman friend who joins him for all of the year's events. They ride a roller coaster together, dive into a swimming pool in the summer, watch the Fourth of July fireworks, and trick-or-treat on Halloween. It's hilarious, happy wish fulfillment that kids will adore.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost; Susan Jeffers (Illustrator)
A richly illustrated version of Frost's most famous poem.
Winter Is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer
Winter Is the Warmest Season celebrates all the wonderful things that make winter the coziest time of the year.
Winter Lights by Anna Grossnickle Hines
Rich, luminous fabrics. Eleven miles of thread. An uncountable number of stitches. Clear, sparkling words. With these ingredients Anna Grossnickle Hines celebrates the lights that brighten the darkest season of our year.
Winter Poems by Barbara Rogasky; Trina Schart Hyman
ISBN: 0590428721
A collection of winter poems ranging from late fall to early spring, by such authors as Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and Wallace Stevens.

The Christmas Boot by Lisa Wheeler; Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator)
Wishing for the partner of a lovely warm boot she discovers in the forest, a poor woman is delighted when her wish, as well as other hopes for comfort, begin coming true before a red-suited, one-booted new friend arrives at her door.
Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett
There are many more Jan Brett books that are perfect for winter reading!
Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Christmas by Deborah Heiligman
With dazzling photographs and lively, lyrical text, this book introduces young readers to historical and cultural aspects of the Christmas holiday. Kids will get diverse and unique viewpoints about this very special day. With fascinating facts, a recipe, and Common Core-alignment activities, reading and learning about Christmas adds to the excitement in preparing for it.
Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares
A heart-tugging story combining the cheer of Christmas, the magic of New York City, and the real meaning of the holiday season: how important it is to be surrounded by love.
Shooting at the Stars by John Hendrix
Shooting at the Stars is the moving story of a young British soldier on the front lines during World War I who experiences an unforgettable Christmas Eve. In a letter home to his mother, he describes how, despite fierce fighting earlier from both sides, Allied and German soldiers ceased firing and came together on the battlefield to celebrate the holiday. They sang carols, exchanged gifts, and even lit Christmas trees. But as the holiday came to a close, they returned to their separate trenches to await orders for the war to begin again.
A World of Cookies for Santa by M. E. Furman; Susan Gal
A World of Cookies for Santatakes readers across the globe to see all the treats that await Santa on Christmas Eve.

Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah by Deborah Heiligman
With dazzling images and engaging text, readers learn about the historical and cultural significance of Hanukkah and why it is celebrated around the world. From the lighting of the menorah to the special foods that are shared to the spinning of the dreidels, they'll get insights about this holiday's traditions and the Jewish faith. This book also offers fascinating facts, a recipe, and a Common Core-aligned activities. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel (Retold by); Trina Schart Hyman (Illustrator)
A traveler rids a village synagogue of goblins by outwitting them. A Caldecott Honor Book.
Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel; Mike Wohnoutka (Illustrator)
Bubba Brayna's legendary latkes lure an unexpected visitor into her home in this playful Hanukkah tale from a master storyteller.
Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg
Imagine James Marshall's The Stupids celebrating Hanukkah, and you'd get the Latke family! Lucy Latke's family is just like yours or mine. Except that they're potato pancakes. And also, they are completely clueless.

Celebrate Kwanzaa by Carolyn Otto; National Geographic Kids
With succinct, lively text and beautiful photographs, this book celebrates African-American culture and helps us to understand and appreciate this special holiday. Over the course of seven days, families and friends come together to light the candles that symbolize past and future-and African-American unity. We gather as a community to make music and to dance; to feast on harvest foods and the good things of the earth; and to exchange simple, often homemade gifts. Readers are introduced to the symbols of the holiday, such as the mkeka (a special placemat), kinara (candleholder), and kikombe cha umoja (unity cup). Important concepts, like the seven principles, are explained.
Kevin's Kwanzaa by Lisa Bullard; Constanza Basaluzzo
Kevin's family is celebrating the seven days of Kwanzaa! Kevin helps his mom decorate the Kwanzaa table. They light candles with Grandma and Grandpa and learn a special word each day. They talk about working together and solving problems. On the sixth day, everyone eats and dances at a big feast!
Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney; Brian Pinkney
This book describes the origins and practices of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival during which people of African descent rejoice in their ancestral values. The Swahili word means "first fruits of the harvest", and for each day of Kwanzaa, a new candle is lit from December 26 to January 1.
Seven Spools of Thread by Angela Shelf Medearis; Daniel Minter
IN AN AFRICAN VILLAGE live seven brothers who make family life miserable with their constant fighting. When their father dies, he leaves an unusual will: by sundown the brothers must make gold out of seven spools of colored thread. If they fail, they will be left with no inheritance and turned out as beggars.Using the Nguzo Saba, or "seven principles", of Kwanzaa, Angela Shelf Medearis has written an unforgettable story that demonstrates how family members can pull together, for their own good and the good of the entire community.