Laura F. Nielsen

One of the best books that I have read about holidays so far, this story teaches children that there are many different cultures and types of people that celebrate different types of holidays and that that is okay. On a street where families celebrate different holidays that are the stereotypical ones, like Christmas, Hanukkah, etc., Mrs Muddle comes into town and shows the children of the neighborhood that holidays can be days that are used to celebrate anything. Mrs. Muddle spends the year celebrating holidays like "first day of summer" and "first fire of fall." The children appreciate Mrs. Muddle teaching them about these days so much so that they make a special day to celebrate Mrs. Muddle. This book can be a great introduction to teaching students about different kinds of holidays and where the origin of holidays comes from.… (meer)

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Appropriateness: Primary, intermediate
Media: pen and ink watercolors
Theme: There could be a couple of themes, but the one that really stands out is holidays. Throughout the whole book Mrs. Muddle and the kids and adults find out that there are more holidays than just the ones on the calendar. Mrs. Muddle introduces them to fun and creative ways to celebrate life embrace the community and show genuine love to one another.
Review: This is a good example of realistic fiction, because many people, children, families, communities celebrate holidays every year, but Mrs. Muddle introduces new holidays that bring these kids and neighborhood together. They don’t just have to celebrate and have fun a few times a year they can enjoy one another all year long.… (meer)