The twinkle lights are up and our "book tree" is in the window...the holidays are in full swing at Green Bean Books! The sound of tires whooshing in the rain and our little sign tinkling against the door as customers come and go never fail to get me in the Christmas spirit. Fulfilling wishlists for eager young readers truly is one of the best jobs in the world.

Of all the fun new features we've added to the store this year, one of our most popular has easily been the new, "Perfect for Reading Aloud," section. Full of whimsical and sweet chapter books (and a few picture books!), this little section is a go-to favorite for parents and kids looking for something magical with a classic feel. There have been many winter and holiday books in this style published or re-issued recently, and we're so excited to have them on our shelves for all your holiday read-aloud needs!

We couldn't be more excited about the reissue of Miss Suzy by Miriam Young. A tidy little brown squirrel named Miss Suzy has her cozy winter den taken over by pushy, greedy, gray squirrels--oh no! With a little ingenuity and help from some kind toy soldiers, Miss Suzy will have her den back in no time. A book many grown-ups will remember from their own childhoods, Miss Suzy is wonderful winter title for either giving or keeping!

Alison Jay is one of our very favorite author/illustrators here at Green Bean and her books have a special way of speaking to children of many different ages. There really is something in her work for everyone, and her newest picture book, Christmastime, is no exception. Perfect for a night of family reading!

 Something for Christmas by Palmer Brown is part of the New York Review children's collection (which you might recognize by their beautiful, red, cloth spines!), and is the perfect sized chapter book for a stocking stuffer! The simple story of a baby mouse trying to figure out the perfect gift for his mother, Something for Christmas is the perfect holiday chapter book to read by the fireside.

A new title sure to become a winter classic is A Perfect Day by Carin Berger, author of Little Yellow Leaf. Her illustrated collages are the perfect mix of sweet and modern, and her text is the perfect celebration of winter and the natural world. I know quite a few Portland kids who would LOVE more than one "pefect" snow day this year!

What could be a more fitting read-aloud than the original version of E.T.A. Hoffman's, The Nutcracker, illustrated by none other than the late Maurice Sendak? This large-scale, fully illustrated chapter book will certainly become a family treasure. Even if you can't take the kids to the theater for a performance of The Nutcracker, you can still make it a tradition in your home. Sendak's rendering of Marie's dreamworld is nothing short of breathtaking.

So why not start a new family holiday tradition of reading aloud this year? Come in and check out these little gems and so many others we've got on display. Happy Holidays!