Our Book-a-Day Advent Calendar

Ok, ok, "Quick Takes" is supposed to be a list of seven, but-- I'm bending rules here, because I really want to talk about my Advent calendar.  So, twenty-five Quick Takes...? Hey, at least it's a list, right?

A list of twenty-five books, wrapped and numbered... One for each day.

Inspired by Catholic blogger Elizabeth Foss, I did this for the first time last year, when my children were nearly 2 and nearly 3 years old.  Some books were hits, others not so much-- but a year can do a great deal, and I've been mom long enough to know that even last month's "meh" can be this month's obsession. We'll see what they make of the collection this time around....!

Its spine is several of Foss' selections (I'll buy pretty much anything that she recommends!), rounded out with other Christmas books that we were lucky enough to receive.  And I'd be so happy if you would comment with your suggestions, too!  I'd love to hear what your young children are reading this season...  For example, can anyone recommend a book for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe?  It's an embarrassing gap in my current plan!

1. Who Is Coming to Our House?  (Slate and Wolff)

2. A New Coat for Anna (Ziefert and Lobel)

3.  Christmas in the Big Woods (Wilder and Graef)

4. The Nutcracker (Balducci and Lanza; Little Golden Book)

5. [Feast of St. Nicholas]  The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale (Shepard and Edelson)

6. The Snowy Day (Keats)

7. Strega Nona's Gift (de Paola)

8. [Immaculate Conception] The Story of Christmas (Brundage)

9. The Little Tin Soldier

10. The Birds of Bethlehem (de Paola)

11. The Mitten (Brett)

12. [Our Lady of Guadalupe]  The Legend of the Christmas Rose (Hooks and Williams)

13. [Feast of St. Lucy] Lucia Morning in Sweden (Rydaker)

14. Bob and 6 More Christmas Stories (Boynton)

15.  Christmas in the Manger (Buck and Bond)

16. Baboushka and the Three Kings (Robbins and Sidjakov)

17. The Little Fir Tree (Brown and LaMarche)

18. The Perfect Tree, and Favorite Christmas Carols (Bivens)

19. Merry Christmas, Strega Nona (de Paola)

20. All for the Newborn Baby (Root and Bayley)

21.  The Snow Queen (Anderson and Cavendish)

22.  The Friendly Beasts (de Paola)

23. The First Night (Hennessy, Johnson, and Fancher)

24. The Night Before Christmas (Moore and Birmingham)

25. Good King Wenceslas (Cavendish)

[Images: Open Library Covers]

Happy Friday!  Thank you for visiting, and please check out This Ain't the Lyceum for more Quick Takes!