Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells

Kathleen N. Daly ~ J.P. Miller
Western Publishing, 1964

More Golden Book love to celebrate the season. Really, I just can't get enough. Ms. Miller took the traditional song and wove it into a super fun story about animals and sleighs, and as always, Mr. Miller delights with his cuddly characters and, here, an interesting use of overlapping snow that really makes the outdoor scenes come alive.

Dashing through the snow comes the Bear family, in a one-horse open sleigh. There's Papa Bear and Mama Bear and two Baby Bears. "O'er the fields we go!" shouts Papa Bear cracking his whip. And the sleigh glides over the snowy fields. Laughing all the way, the Baby Bears sing Christmas carols and nibble on cold plum pudding.

The Bears soon come across a town full of Bunnys, and the next thing you know, there's a whole slew of wildlife onboard for the fun. (Who can say no to an ostrich and a seal needing a lift, right?)

Well, when the revelers run into Santa and discover his reindeer have come down with a nasty cold, guess who helps the jolly old elf deliver his toys? Somehow the animals make room and what follows is pure Golden Book magic.

Precious books for precious times... On that note, if we make the commitment to get excited about the books we read our children, to seek out the books we ourselves enjoy, our little ones can't help but follow. If you give one thing to your children this Christmas, read to them, as much as you can. The investment is small, but the payback is quality time spent and a love of learning that will last them a lifetime. Not only that, but reading to children is the best way we ourselves can become young again, even if only for a few moments each day.

Also by:

Lucky Mrs. Ticklefeather
Little Peewee
The Around the Year Storybook
The Little Red Hen
Little Galoshes