Though our three sons are sadly past the age where they want us to read to them, each Christmas, we continue to enjoy several picture books together. The following three texts rarely make any top ten lists but have been favorites of ours for many years.
Prolific author Tomie dePaola wrote and illustrated Clown of God back in 1978. Set in Renaissance Italy, his rich drawings tell the tale of a young boy named Giovanni, who in worldly standards, had nothing. Nothing except an extraordinary talent to juggle. As his skill grew, so did his pride. I won’t spoil the story but it ends with his final, miraculous performance in a cathedral on Christmas Eve. (Published by Harcourt Brace & Co.)
We stumbled upon Miracle in a Shoe Box the first year we participated in the Samaritan’s Purse holiday gift project. Though the book starts out a bit clunky, press on! It served to open our boys’ hearts to children around the world who have so much less than they do. Franklin Graham (president of Samaritans’ Purse) sets this story in Bosnia during the ethnic conflict of the 1990’s. It contains no violence but you will need tissues by the conclusion. (Published by Thomas Nelson)
The first time my husband read, or tried to read, An Orange for Frankie to all of us, he was convulsed with sobs and had to pass off the book to someone else. Patricia Polacco is an incredibly gifted writer and this one will not disappoint. From the introduction, “Every time I peel an orange and inhale the scent of it and feel the mist that sprays from its skin, I think of a very special Christmas and a flaxen-haired boy who lived many years before I was born.” This flaxen-haired boy is Frankie, the hero of An Orange, set in Michigan during the Depression. As with many of her books, Polacco writes from her personal history. This true story will charm, engage, and deeply move you. No sentimentality here—just great story telling with a profound message about sharing. (Philomel Books)
All three of these are available on Amazon and might be in your library.