Books, Fiction

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus

Worth A Read Yes
Length 176
Quick Review Santa began his life as an orphan, but through chance, hard work, and a caring nature, he became the most beloved man in the world.

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Reading The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum at a Christmas tree farm. | Shirt | Jeans | Scarf | Hat |
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The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum
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Reading The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum at a Christmas tree farm. | Shirt | Jeans | Scarf | Hat |

I love Santa stories. I always have, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. The magic of Santa has always been such an enchanting part of the Christmas season, which is why I finally picked up The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum. It gave me all the Christmas vibes I crave this time of year!

Niklaus was a foundling, but adopted into the forest of Burzee by the nymph, Necille, and under the protection of the Master Woodsman, the great Ak, and queen of the fairies, Queen Zurline. Niklaus was the only mortal in a land of immortals, but he had a kind heart. When he reached adulthood he was sent into the world to be among his own people. He gravitated towards children and wanted to make their lives easier and happier before entering adulthood. He began delivering toys. With the help of his immortal friends, he became the revered Santa Claus we know and love today. Frank Baum has a beautiful story in a small book. He fills The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus with fantasy, childish wonder, and reverence for nature. There are so many learning lessons in this book for children and adults. The book teaches people to respect nature and use it thoughtfully and responsibly. Baum was pushing a green lifestyle before it was a thing. There is also a push for collaboration and helping people by using your talents. Everyone is good at something; we’re not all good at the same thing, so when one person is good at one thing and another is good at something else, things get done faster and better when people collaborate and utilize their talents. Through the narrative, Baum shows the bad parts of history and people are equally as important as the good, “They were part of this history, and could not be avoided.” Stories aren’t true without being told in their entirety.

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus is an incredibly well crafted story. It’s one of my favorite Christmas books now. Perfect for children and adults. I couldn’t put it down. 

Memorable Quotes
“”While they are babes – yes,” agreed Ak. “Their joy is in being alive, and they do not stop to think.””
“He [Santa] knew that the best of children were sometimes naughty, and that the naughty ones were often good.”
“He went forth bravely to meet his doom – the doom of the race of man – the necessity to worry and work.”
“It is possible for any man, by good deeds, to enshrine himself as a Saint in the hearts of the people.” 

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus
Author: L. Frank Baum
Publisher: Penguin Books
Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 9780143128533

Books, Fiction

A Christmas Treasury

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A Christmas Treasury is the perfect seasonal anthology! | Comforter (is perfection)

Should I Read Go Buy It
Length 368
Quick Review It is the quintessential collection of Christmas stories for the family. The perfect book to place on your coffee table year after year.

If there is one book you should purchase this Christmas season, it should be A Christmas Treasury. Not only is it a beautifully bound book, it is filled with iconic stories of the season and stunning illustrations. I also love the glossy pages. Nothing, to me, says classy like a glossy page. No bookmark needed; one comes included. Like I said: classy. It is the most beautiful book I have read all year. 

Every year, books are published to celebrate the spirit of the season. (I have read a bunch this year.) This is not a new phenomenon. Over time, some stories and poems have become ingrained in our psyches and traditions being passed down through the generations. Some stories have even shaped cultural identities and celebrations regarding the imagery, language, and even food we eat during the Christmas season. Sugar plums! Do you know what a sugar plum is? It’s delicious. Even if you don’t know what it is, you most likely think about them around Christmas time. There’s a poem to thank for that, which is in the book!  

A Christmas Treasury starts out with the legendary A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. If there is one Christmas story, it is this one. The rest of the pages are graced by the likes of Louisa May Alcott, O. Henry, L Frank Baum, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Clement Clarke Moore (of course), and more. The stories are beautiful and classic. They are sure to captivate even the youngest readers without disappointing the more seasoned Christmasers.

Even if you can’t make it through all the stories, you’ll have time to read one or two. It is perfect to read with your children – or someone else’s children with parental permission, obviously – before bed all through the Christmas season for years to come. Maybe, they’ll even read it to their children someday.

I really like this book. A lot. It is such a gorgeous anthology. It oozes Christmas spirit. I just want to hold it and walk around with it. That makes me cool, right?

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Title: A Christmas Treasury
Publisher: Sterling Publisher Co.
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9781435164598