We have just published an old classic that has been loved by generations of children. One of the most famous of all Christmas tales is Clement Clarence Moore's T'was The Night Before Christmas.

If you have not done so already, be sure to start a family tradition of reading the story aloud together before the children go down for their "long winter's nap". You may also want to print off the black and white pictures. Come Christmas morn, the excited little ones can, like children did in this much loved and read copy, colour the images while you catch up on a few more winks in peace.

This story was first published anonymously on December 23rd 1823, but it was not until 1844 that Moore claimed authorship when the story was included in a book of his poems. We believe the illustrations might be by A. E. Wilcox though we did not find confirmation of this other than the copyright claim. This is a 15 pages book printed by Homewood Publishing in Chicago, 1903.



Another Shared-Book that offers timely reading is Sam and the Five Senses, written by Arlee Gale and illustrated by Colleen Mac Isaac. This is a charming story relating the kind teaching by a grand-mother to her grand-son. reading this book to a child can be expanded into valuable lessons by initiating a conversation that would lead the child to discover other examples of the benefits of our five senses.