Christmas is right around the corner and books rich with the meaning of this special holiday helps to celebrate Christ’s birth. Here are some stories that are meant to be read aloud to your families during the month of December.

Let’s begin with a most amazing story that demonstrates the human spirit during the worst of times: war. Truce, by one of my favorite non-fiction authors – Jim Murphy – is a true account about a miracle that occurred one Christmas eve during World War I. Murphy begins this fascinating event with a quote from Sir Winston Churchill, given to his wife, which embodies the essence of why not to have war. “What would happen, I wonder, if the armies suddenly and simultaneously went on strike and said some other method must be found of settling the dispute?” The book begins by giving an interesting summary of Europe and the mounting distrust of several powers, especially Germany.  Germany is becoming a threat to not only their bordering countries, but also to the United Kingdom. The tensions build as the leading countries begin to defame their enemies by giving their people false or exaggerated negative information which helped to bring about the war. The world war that ultimately followed, became an intense and bloody war. It was a war that blended fighting from the trenches as well as current 20^th century weaponry. But throughout all the loss of lives and bloodshed leading up to Christmas Eve, it was all about to stop for a short time as soldiers from both sides took neutrality and came together on “No Man’s Land” between the trenches and exchanged gifts, sang Christmas carols and peacefully shook hands to form a truce. This wonderful miracle is beautifully highlighted as Murphy builds the history leading to the conflict, as well as this event two thirds into the story. There are actual photographs of this special event, along with drawings and maps found throughout.  History shows that this war could and should have been avoided, and Murphy’s book demonstrates this extremely well. You’ll also find a time-line located at the back of the book. This book is perfect for educating ages 11 through adult.

The True Gift: A Christmas Story, by Patricia MacLachlan, conveys the simple joy of Christmas.  A girl, the first person protagonist in the story, is heading to her grandparents’ house in a rural town. She, along with her younger brother Liam, enjoys everything about their grandparents’ house and the small town nearby, especially the walks to the country store and the library.  But there is a lone and lonely cow in their grandparents’ pasture and Liam senses that she needs a companion. It’s Christmas and both siblings have been saving money to buy gifts for their family. But Liam is concerned for “White Cow” and takes matters into his own hands to help her. The story, as the author tells so well, has the wonderful descriptions, similes and anecdotes that mirror snowy scenes and crisp cold mornings. The pencil drawings sprinkled throughout, by Brian Floca, convey the icy winter atmosphere perfectly. The true gift here is quite simply this book that begs to be read aloud for all ages.

Now for some meaningful picture books for ages three to eight. The Christmas Baby, by Marion Dane Bauer, and illustrated by Richard Cowdrey, is a beautifully painted book about the Christ Child being born amongst barn animals and ending with the celebration of a newborn baby. On This Special Night, by Claire Freedman, and illustrated by Simon Mendez, carries a similar theme with barn animals, only this time these sweet young animals follow a star to the manger where it illuminates the sky above the barn. The vivid watercolors of the kitten and lamb almost seem alive.  The Little Fir Tree, by Margaret Wise Brown, and illustrated by Jim LaMarche, brings love and life to a disabled young boy who cannot walk during the Christmas season when a father digs up a forlorn small pine tree growing all alone in a meadow. After the season is over, the father takes the tree back to the meadow only to dig it up again the next Christmas. But a miracle is about to happen in this sweet story of miracles. But, my favorite of the bunch is I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, by Lloyd and Karmel Newell, and illustrated by Dan Burr. This beautiful story tells how Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was inspired to write his famous poem. You begin to understand his inspiration behind the poem after reading the background to his suffering by losing his wife and then almost losing his son to severe wounds from the Civil War. The story, the pictures and the CD included with the narration by Edward K. Herrmann and music by the Tabernacle Choir, is inspirational and brings out the poignant reason for this holiday: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men.”