The 12 Days of Christmas & Other Winter Holiday Picture Books for Kids – Day 10

<font size=2><em> Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn for the National Writing for Children Center</em>

<img src=’http://workingwriterscoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas.jpg’ align="right"alt=’How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ /><strong>Title:</strong> <em>How The Grinch Stole Christmas</em>
<strong>Written and Illustrated by:</strong> Dr. Seuss
<strong>Hardback:</strong> 64 pages
<strong>Ages:</strong> 4-8
<strong>Publisher:</strong> Random House Books for Young Readers (October 12, 1957)
<strong>ISBN-10:</strong> 0394800796
<strong>ISBN-13:</strong> 978-0394800790

While perhaps not a classic in the traditional sense of the word, <em>How The Grinch Stole Christmas</em> by Dr. Seuss, is definitely a beloved Christmas book in modern culture. How many of us haven’t enjoyed the story of the mean old Grinch and his nasty plans to steal Christmas from the residents of Who-ville? And how about little Cindy Lou Who? And, of course, the signature illustrations by Dr. Seuss are familiar to us all!

In the rhyming style of Dr. Seuss, this book tells about a stingy soul who hates Christmas and despises anything at all that brings holiday joy and cheer to others. So he (the Grinch) comes up with a spiteful plan to take all the gifts, decorations, Christmas trees, and food from the happy people of Who-ville. He dresses as Santa, transforms his dog, Max, into a ‘reindeer’, hitches him up to a ramshackle sleigh and heads to Who-ville. In the cover of darkness, he goes down the chimney of each home and steals anything and everything to do with Christmas. He doesn’t even leave crumbs big enough for a mouse!

In one home, however, little Cindy Lou Who wakes up and asks the Grinch why he’s taking all their Christmas. The mean old Grinch even deceives the child, and he tells her he’s taking the tree to fix a broken light. What a bitter, sly, critter he is! However, he doesn’t care as he hauls all ‘the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings, the tags, the tinsel, the trimmings, and trappings’…and even the logs from the fireplaces up the side of Mt. Crumpit! He thinks he’s stolen Christmas from all the Whos!

But suddenly he hears something and pauses! ‘Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!’ The Grinch is confused.

Then the Grinch has a revelation! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps….means a little bit more!” And at that moment, as the residents of Who-ville will say ‘the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!’ So he brings everything back and ends up celebrating Christmas with the residents of Who-ville!

In a nonsensical way, <em>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</em>, really pegs the true meaning of the season. It’s not the presents, the decorations, the special food, or the Christmas tree that matters. It’s the heart! So for a special treat, be sure to grab this book off the shelf to share with your family this holiday season.

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<strong>Amy M. O’Quinn</strong> is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by magazines including <em>Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast</em>, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for <em>The Old Schoolhouse Magazine</em> and a regular columnist for <em>TEACH Magazine</em>. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can find Amy’s blog, Ponderings From Picket Fence Cottage, at <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencecom">http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.</a>