Purpose of this Blog...

You may have noticed that not all books are equal in capturing children's imaginations and in cultivating those innocent, tender souls. My goal is to help you find the ones that do!
(Painting by Mary Cassatt: "Mrs Cassatt Reading to her Grandchildren" -1888)




Friday, November 14, 2014

An Advent Giveaway: "Can It Be True?" YES!

Just like opening windows on an Advent Calendar, your children can open books each night during Advent until December 25. Advent is, after all, about anticipation - it's a time to prepare our hearts and draw nearer to God in anticipation of His coming.
source:  Valerie Greeley
My Eastern Orthodox tradition observes Advent for 40 days before Christmas, with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  That's why I start blogging about Christmas books in November. Hopefully it helps give you a head start in planning a Book Countdown to Christmas for your children (whether you do a 40-day countdown, or just the 25 days of December). 

~~Go here for my recommended Christmas book list Resource Page. (And watch for my daughter's guest post tomorrow - she'll be sharing about the Advent Book Calendar she's making for my grandson.)~~

My Advent Book Giveaway offering this year, Can It Be True (by Susan Hill, with illustrations by Valerie Greeley) is, like Advent, full of anticipation.  And it's just the right size for little hands to (carefully) hold!  
It's small  - only 4 and 3/4" x 5 and 1/4" - and perfect as a stocking stuffer, or for your Advent Calendar of Books.  

Leave a comment here on today's post (and/or my daughter's post tomorrow) to enter to win your signed copy, donated by my blogger friend, artist Valerie Greeley, from Acornmoon (the book is signed by both her and the author.) 11/17/14 Update: Giveaway now over.  Winner:  TawniM.  Congrats!

I know your child will love reading along about a message passed 
from animal to animal...
On Christmas Eve.
And can it be true?
(The animals banter back and forth.)

You'll have to read it, to find out what the animals do...

Valerie's illustrations are, as expected, exquisite and the perfect accompaniment to Susan's engaging prose poem.  This little gem will be appreciated by readers of all ages!

In addition to this special book, I'll also be sending my winner two little Dover Christmas sticker books.

Giveaway winner announced Monday, November 17, 2014.   Leave a comment here to enter!  I'm happy to mail anywhere inside or outside the U.S.

30 comments:

  1. This book looks wonderful! Thank you for the chance to win a copy. We are very excited for Advent and will be counting down the days using our new Advent Spiral, along with Scripture readings, acts of kindness, handmade crafts, and reading Christmas books. This would be a lovely addition!
    featheredneststudio [at]gmail [dot]com

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  2. Thanks for featuring my little book. Your idea for a book a day for Advent is lovely. Much nicer than chocolate!

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  3. Really excited for advent! I wish my book budget was bigger. Thank you for the chance.

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  4. Oooh, I would like "Can It Be True?"- the illustrations look lovely! I wish you a good 40 days, it starts tomorrow, right? For us Orthodox on the old calendar, it starts in 2 weeks and ends January 7th (which IS December 25th, on the old calendar). I'm looking forward to seeing your daughter's book she's making!

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  5. Looks like a lovely book! We'd love to add it to our collection!

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  6. Great idea! We always do an advent calendar, and celebrate St. Nicholas and St. Lucy during advent.

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  7. I am on the road to Orthodoxy and would love this beautiful book for my little one! Thanks for this chance!

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  8. This looks beautiful! Thank you for the opportunity to win! My kids would love this!

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  9. We would certainly love to have this for the boys! :)

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  10. I'm so excited to find this blog and would love to win this book to read as we celebrate Advent as an Orthodox family!

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  11. Thanks for the great idea and a chance to win the book!

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  12. What a beautiful little book!

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  13. I just found your blog through your daughter's post on the Eastern Orthodox Homeschool page. I am excited not only for the chance to win, but also to read through your other posts… especially the ones about an Advent Calendar of Books!

    Anna Poole
    poole2gether @gmail.com (no space)

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  14. Thanks for the giveaway! We are newly Orthodox, so I'd love hearing more about how you celebrate. :) christy.vw AT gmail Dot Com

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  15. Thanks for the opportunity, Wendy!

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  16. The book looks beautiful! I'm excited for Advent to begin. Thank you for the opportunity to win such a lovely book.

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  17. What a fun package to get in the mail! I am excited for this season to begin, but not to anxious... I really love Thanksgiving :)

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  18. How wonderful!

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  19. Looks like a wonderful book. Thank you!

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  20. My kiddos would love this book! We all love this time of year when we journey through Advent, learn and witness the miracle of our Lord's birth.

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    1. Name: Tracey Lobue, I don't know why it did not add it.

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  21. My 3 year old loves stories. The Advent Journey begins, we would love to add this book to the stories we share with him this Advent season. I loved what I read as the opening to your blog. Found you via Children in Orthodox Churches. Blessings to you.

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  22. This looks great! I like the idea of a book a day, I'm going to look through our collection.

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  23. This looks beautiful! Thank you.

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  24. Just read your story. It was so nice. I would love to receive the beautiful book.
    Thank You for the giveaway.
    Marion M

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  25. Loved the story and pictures of you as a child. So lovely.
    Marilyn

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  26. Enjoyed your story and what a treat and delight to see photos of you as a child.
    Joan

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  27. Can it Be True? Yes, TawniM. was my giveaway winner! Thanks everyone, for your kind comments. And special thanks to Valerie Greeley for her beautiful donation of this book for this year's Advent Giveaway. Also to my daughter, Mary, and her book-loving-toddler, Peter for their fun posts about doing a Library Book Advent Calendar (posted 11/17/14). This was such a fun giveaway! :)

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