When I was a child, the only Christmas books I had was Twas the Night Before Christmas and Bambi. I still to this day don’t understand what sugar plums are supposed to be. Back then, I thought they were prunes covered in sugar. Ick!

But I did like my Bambi book with all the graphics including the cover, which had a fuzzy texture. The story kept me captivated as my mother read to me Bambi’s adventures until I would fall asleep.

Today, I don’t have many childhood items left, and when my mother died a few years ago, my sister pulled the thin hardcover book with the frayed and torn book sleeve and handed it to me. Now, I have the story of Bambi and Thumper to enjoy as long as I want.

Nancy Nation

*****

Great Joy! By Kate DiCamillo

My favorite Christmas book. My introduction to this illustrated children’s book was a Christmas Eve service. The pastor read a bit of it to tweak our interest.

A little girl is looking out her apartment window on a cold and snowy evening. She sees an organ grinder on the street along with his little monkey. She is worried about them and says so to her mother (there is no father in the story, perhaps he is off at war, the illustrations seem to be from that era).

Her mom brushes the girl’s concerns aside she is trying to get her out the door to the Christmas Concert.

At this point, the pastor paused, and read scriptures and a few hymns are sung.Then he continues the story.

On the street, the little girl lags behind her mother and stops to say hello to the organ grinder and his monkey. She invites him to the concert telling him there will be hot cocoa and cookies.

“Hurry,” says her mother.

The pastor stopped the story again, More scripture. More Hymns. Finally, he resumes the story. The girl is on the stage, dressed as an angel part of the pageant. Her turn to perform is coming, but she can’t remember her lines. but hasn’t been following the play. She is watching the door at the back of the hall.

It is almost her turn, what was she supposed to say?
Suddenly, the door in back opens. The man and his little monkey walk in, covered in snow. The little girl remembers.

“Great Joy!” she shouts.

Donna Costley

*****

A Post Script: One member was totally surprised that everyone hadn’t picked A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Even more surprising some members choose Die Hard as their favorite.