Waiting-For-Christmas Stories - Hardcover

Bethany Roberts has written several popular books for children. Her Clarion titles include THANKSGIVING MICE!, VALENTINE MICE!, HALLOWEEN MICE!, MONSTER MANNERS, CAT PARADE, and WAITING-FOR-CHRISTMAS STORIES. As a teacher and a children's librarian, she has always been an avid reader of children's books, especially to her own children. She teaches creative writing at a local college Hamden, Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and two daughters.

Ages 5-7. Roberts uses the technique of a story-within-a-story as, on December twenty-fourth, Papa Rabbit reads seven short holiday tales that reflect the traditions of Christmas--writing letters, baking cookies, wrapping packages, decorating trees, hanging stockings, singing carols, and presenting gifts. The voices of the unusual minor characters, such as a mailbox, a rolling pin, a gift box, and a treetop star, provide a refreshing tone to these gentle episodes about an extended family of bunnies. Delicate, watercolor paintings in rich hues, featuring long-eared rabbits, aptly carry the Christmas sentiments across the pages. This small volume is nice for sharing one-on-one. Deborah Abbott