Christine FordBesprekingen

Illustrator Study: David Diaz

"Ocean's Child," was an adorable book that shows how a child leaves and loves the nature. The book shows all of the different animals and the way that life is on the ocean. This book is a poem book and the poem is like a lullaby to me. It shows the gentle and calmness of the ocean and the peace that one feels from it. The book is wonderful and simply beautiful. It would be a great book to read to children to calm them down right before nap time.

This was a very sweet poem book about a man named McClaus and how he brings Christmas gifts to the sleeping soldiers. I think this poem did a good job of mimicking the well know poem A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. The book begins with all the soldiers sleeping in their beds, dreaming about spending Christmas with their families, when all of a sudden there is a noise that awakes one of the soldiers. The soldier watches as sergeant McClaus and his men come in with gifts from families back home for the soldiers. McClaus then comes in and places the gifts at each soldier’s beside, later mimicking Santa Claus’s laugh. I think this poem was very sweet in the sense that it can teach us how hard it may be for soldiers to be away from their families during holidays. I also think that the illustrations are very cartoon like which I think was a fun touch. The rythme of the poem was done very well also, which one would hope so since it is mimicking A Visit from St. Nicholas.

A very cute and colorful bedtime story about a mother and child saying goodnight to various animals that live in the arctic. This would be a good book to read to an elementary classroom when learning about biomes and different animals that live in them. My love for this book might be a little biased because of a majority of my favorite animals are featured in it.½

In this short picture book, you are given a soldier's version of the ever so famous "Twas the Night Before Christmas." While all the other soldiers are sleeping, one awakes to a pleasant surprise on Christmas eve. There were Blackhawks, Humvees, and a jeep full of men. Along with them, was Sergeant McClaus, who came to deliver gifts from back home, to all the soldiers at the base who could not go home to enjoy Christmas with their families.
The book is written in an AA rhyme scheme, which makes it more enjoyable for children to read. The illustrations are full of color and lively. It would be a perfect book to teach young readers about couplet poetry and military appreciation.

This book is all about a soldier's Christmas. The story tells readers how soldiers leave a boot and helmet at the foot of their bunks for Santa to leave presents. On the night before Christmas, Sergeant McClaus paid the lucky soldiers a visit with presents from their families.½

With its own take on the famous poem, this story takes you inside a military base and shows the soldiers the night before Christmas. It is a cute, funny, and beautiful story to share with everyone.

I would defiantly read this story with my class during Christmas time or even Veterans' Day. Although I have no connections to the millitary personally, I find it very important to show my appreciation to the women and men serving our country. This book would be a great recommendation for any students who have parents away at war during the holidays.

This book was written in the same rhyming form as the original Night Before Christmas. It takes a cute twist by making it a military version. I felt connected to this book because my brother is a soldier. He was recently deployed to Afghanistan. The military terms are familiar to me from experience, but others may not know what certain terms are. I would love to read this to soldiers this Christmas. I would read this to my class during Christmas time. We could send a video to the troops reading the book and include pictures and drawings. The troops appreciate any mail they recieve.

This was a delightful story to read. I personally do not have any family in the military, but I have close friends who are. This was a touching tribute to the men and women who can't be at home with their families during the holidays. This is a great book for children who have a family member who won't be home for the holidays. I would read this to my students before Christmas break. The pictures are absolutely stunning. The illustrator did a great job.

The night before Christmas everyone is in bed waiting on Santa Claus to bring their gifts. "Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse" well for soldiers, "Only sentries were stirring--they guarded the place." I think that this poem is to show children that if they have family members who are soldiers they don't always get to come home for Christmas. This shows that Santa comes for them to in army trucks with Sergeant McClaus. Really cute poem.

This is such a precious take of "The Night Before Christmas" for children whose parents serve in the military. It offers a realistic look at soldiers missing their families on Christmas Day. However, with the aid of good leaders and care packages from home, the soldiers are able to have a little piece of the things they love with them while they are away. Although my children and I have lived through this type of sad Christmas separation from our Marine, this book really made us smile as we all read it together. It is nice for my children to think of daddy having as normal and happy of Christmas as possible.

Color illustrations teach young readers about animals you would find in the ocean, this is a very peaceful book during a transition into nap time.
Source: DuPont Library
Age : 3

Rhyming is always fun to read. It teaches children how words and their meanings can be played with. This is a poem about soldiers, and how they may celebrate Christmas. They have their own unique Santa who brings them joy and gifts from home. This also shows children that soldiers are not always sure if they will get a Christmas any year they are on duty; that is where the surprise comes in because they actually did get a Christmas, but did not expect one.

This is a story about the night before Christmas for the soldiers on base. They left their boots and helmets for Santa to come. They woke up to things from home, such as pictures from their children, candies. cookies, and cakes which were all homemade. There were even pictures and phone cards for them to call the ones they love. This is an amazing book to read to children especially if they have loved ones in the military to let them know that they do get everything we send them and that Santa still goes and brings them gifts to.

This story is about the night before Christmas. It has a big twist due to it is for soldiers. It is about soldiers who are "deployed" who hang stocking at the foot of their beds, hoping Santa will come. Santa comes during the night, but it is not no ordinary Santa, it is a "Santa" with military equipment. He is sad to see all those soldiers laying in their beds, away form their loved ones.

I loved this story. It is a cute, but very sad story. It makes the realization that the military families are not the only ones who are alone during the holidays. I can relate to this story, by growing up with my Dad gone all the time due to the military. He missed quite a few Christmas. I was not read this story as a child, but since my husband is in the Army, this is a book we read yearly to our children during the holidays.

I can use this story in my classroom, by reading it to the class, to help those children of deployed soldiers cope with their Mommy or Daddy being gone. I could also have the student's make Christmas cards for deployed soldiers.

Sergeant McClaus arrives at the army camp with presents for all the soldiers from those who love them safe at home. Best part: The last line: ‘As the camp radar lost him, I heard this faint call: “Happy Christmas, brave soldiers! May peace come to all.”’ Ages 5-12.

I love this one! Sergeant McClaus comes by Humvee and Jeep to bring Christmas to some homesick soldiers camped in an unnamed desert. It is a worthy companion to it's original inspiration - the illustrations are lively and authentic looking as to uniform and equipment. Sarge is a rough-tough noncom with a heart of gold (of course) in a Jeep proceeded by 8 Humvees. I especially loved the soldier asleep in his rack with his laptop on his chest.

This is a book that every American child should read at Christmas. It especially makes a good gift for children who may have or had loved ones over seas. My only complaint is that the general is smoking on just about every page, then again, so is Santa in the original TNBC, but I do feel like it could have been avoided.
I recommend reading this book with your child in conjunction with sending a care package to soldiers over seas during the holidays.½