by Laura Falin posted in Products

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is snuggling up with kids in their pajamas (and more often than not me in mine, too!) under a thick blanket on the couch and reading to them before bed. Even my older kids will wander in and pause to hear these stories I've been reading since they themselves were little. We may plan exciting trips to get trees or ice skate or visit Santa, but these quiet reading times at the end of the day are the ones I secretly hope stay with the kids when they're grown.

1. Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Tanya and Richard Simon, illustrated by Mark Siegal  
Oskar arrives in New York City in 1938, a refugee from Nazi Europe who has only a photo and an address for an aunt he's never met. On this, the seventh day of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve, Oskar travels through Manhattan to his new home, and each person he encounters on his way shows him an act of kindness, helping him to figure out his new surroundings. (Oscar and the Eight Blessings; Amazon, $9.57)
2. The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler, illustrated by Jill Weber
Beautiful paintings help tell the story of the Hanukkah miracle that took place in the Temple in Jerusalem. After reading about Hanukkah, children can also help make latkes, following the recipe in the book, and learn to play dreidel by following the directions at the end. (The Story of Hanukkah; Amazon, $6.99)
3. The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
The procession of Las Posad...