Burris's Blog for Bibliophiles

I love this time of year! As we head into the holiday season (which seems to come earlier and earlier) I think about special books that I love to read year after year. Many families I know have traditions that involve literature, from reading aloud A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve to seeing movies based on books like A Miracle on 34th Street.

Our family tradition started when I was in elementary school. My father, who was at one time a radio announcer and has a lovely voice, would read How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Theodor Geisel to us each year on my birthday, which was a week before Christmas. This tradition carried on even as my brothers and I became adults. I even convinced my father to come to school and read the story to my class for a few years. He was a better Grinch than Boris Karloff, who did the voice in the cartoon version seen on television each year! I always played the part of Cindy Lou Who (who was no more than two!)  She only has one line, but I would chime in on cue.

If you don’t have traditions that center around books, consider adopting one. There are so many from which to choose! Here are some possibilities:

• A Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies is wonderful. If you have only seen the movie and not read the book, this is a must-read.
• Nine Spoons by Marci Stillerman is a lovely Chanukah story.  Based on a true story, it tells of how a group of brave individuals managed to keep their faith alive during the Holocaust.
• A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote is a beautifully written short memoir. Illustrated by Beth Peck, it is a wonderful example of descriptive writing. I use it as an example of how to “show, not tell” when writing personal narratives. If you want to start earlier, there is a companion book by Capote called The Thanksgiving Visitor, also illustrated by Peck. They are both full of humor, pathos, and wonderful images. (However, you might want to pre-read or pick excerpts as there is some language you might find inappropriate.)
• The aforementioned How the Grinch Stole Christmas is obviously a favorite of mine.  I love his use of rhythm and rhyme and appreciate hearing the words without the television cartoon’s music and animation getting in the way.
• O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi is another beautiful short story, and one to read if you appreciate Henry’s clever endings that always have an unexpected twist to them.
• By the Hanukkah Light by Sheldon Oberman is a “story within a story” that tells of the battle of the Maccabees and relates it to the narrator’s experiences as a Jew during World War II.
• In An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, Louisa May Alcott demonstrates her ability to create distinct characters and helps you to see them through well-written dialogue.
• If you are looking for something a little lighter, another favorite of mine is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.  One in a series of books about the infamous Herdman family, it tells of a school’s Christmas pageant and the sometimes disastrous events leading up to it.  It is funny, exciting, and touching all at once.
• One last book – a beautiful picture book that would be perfect to read as a Thanksgiving blessing or reflection.  The Circle of Days by Reeve Lindbergh (daughter of Charles Lindberg) is a lovely adaptation of Saint Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Sun, a hymn of praise for all that is in our world.  Illustrated by Cathie Felstead, it is perfect for all ages – even young children will understand the simple text and gorgeous illustrations.  I highly recommend this simple, but uplifting text.

I hope this gives you some ideas for adding a literature-related tradition for your family this year.  If you have more suggestions to add to the list, please comment!

Happy Holidays and happy reading!