Books, Books, Books

As a child, I remember loving T'was the Night Before Christmas.* I even remember asking to have it read. But as I think back, in my head, I didn't wear out the book. I liked to read but really don't remember my mom sitting down and reading to me for hours at a time.

*My sister just told me that she had this memorized at the age of 2.

Recently, Betsy told me that although she didn't believe in book burning, she and Jon were sick of reading, There is a Mouse in my House, one of her favorite books when she was a child and between Jane and Betsy, I, too, can recite that book by heart. We know that it is Mazie's favorite because when we were in Omaha in November we read it at least 10-15 times a day... he has a long tail and shiny eyes and he runs very fast. I like my mouse and he is in my house. Just like Betsy and Jane, Mazie can finish the lines when you pause.

Then I thought back to some of the books that I can still quote, sometimes, not the whole book but most of the lines.

In 1966, there were 2 things that happened that year. The first one was my nephew, Scott, was born and the book Santa Mouse was written. Between reading that book to Scottie (sorry Scott, you will always be my little Scottie!) and then reading it to Betsy and Jane, I remember most of it...I couldn't find the book, so I wondered how much of it I could quote without it.

Once there was a little mouse who didn't have a name. He lived in a great, big house, this mouse, the only mouse in the whole wide house. He used to play a game; He'd day dream that he had playmates who were happy as can be...and he would play some games with them. He'd daydream that they were cowboys or be Eskimos or Spanish, but when he'd try to touch them, like a bubble they would vanish. On Christmas eve he climbed in bed and as he closed his eyes, he thought, "My Goodness, no one gives a gift to Santa Claus." Through the years this little mouse had saved one special thing, a piece of cheese, the kind that make the angels want to sing. He ran to get his pretty cheese and after he had found it, some paper from some chewing gum he quickly wrapped around it.

And then he climbed in bed and dreamed that he was lifted high, and woke to find that he was looking right in Santa's eyes.

"I thank you for my gift," said Santa, "tell me what's your name."

"I haven't any," said the mouse.

"You haven't! That's a shame! But I will give a name to you ...I'll call you Santa Mouse. So here's your beard and your suit and here's each shiny, tiny boot. Just put them on and we'll be off. And over all the rooftops on a journey with no end, away they flew together, Santa and his tiny friend.

And so this Christmas, if you please, why don't you leave a piece of cheese? You know who'll thank you? Santa Mouse.

I may have missed a word or 2 there, maybe Scott, Betsy or Jane will remember. Do you remember this book? Burning the book, yes, remembering it when my nephew is over 40...priceless!

Another Christmas book that was a favorite in our house was Barbara Robinson's, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (don't worry, I don't plan on quoting this one). IF you have never read this and you have been in a church Christmas Pageant when you were little, run do not walk to your nearest library and check this book out.

When our children were little we read this every Christmas*, (yes, Betsy, read this to Simon and Mazie this year. They would love it.) It was a favorite. We loved the Herdmans. We knew the Herdmans! We went to the play that Shiloh Christian School put on. We could hardly wait for the movie. Parts were just so much fun to read again and to imagine.

*Rmember I fell in love with this listening to parts of it in Kathy Jarolimek's 3rd grade classroom.

Remembering my favorite things, wouldn't be complete without mentioning all of the books that we read to our children when they were small. Steve and I are going to go to Tacoma and this is the book that we will read in the car. (Don't worry, I read and Steve drives!)

Books...are always my favorite things, for this season, these are only 3 of them...