Written by Candace Christiansen
	Illustrated by Elaine Greenstein

This story, “The Mitten Tree,” is just perfect for this time of year. As it grows colder and more snow falls, the need for mittens is necessary. Sarah, who is an older woman whose children have grown, enjoys looking out her window at the children waiting for the schoolbus. In the midst of the children playing in the snow, Sarah notices one little boy who isn’t playing with them. He doesn’t have any mittens to keep his hands warm. Once discovering that, Sarah thought it would be a nice idea to knit him a pair of mittens. She has some leftover blue yarn to match his coat. Early the next morning, Sarah leaves the mittens for him on the old blue spruce tree. The boy was excited when he found them and puts them on right away. Sarah is pleased. The little boy is happy. Still wanting to help out, Sarah notices someone else who doesn’t have any mittens. She sets to work knitting more and leaves them on the tree each day for the children to find. Sarah finally gets to the bottom of her yarn basket and makes one last delivery of hand-knitted mittens. She now has and empty basket, but a full heart. She makes her way home and finds a new basket with more yarn in it sitting by her front door. Sarah is surprised and delighted. Who could it be? She wonders. “The Mitten Tree,” is a story that teaches us to be kind and helpful to others.

	Written by Alice Schertle
	Illustrated by Barbara Lavallee

Yes! It’s that time of year! With anticipation from young to old, eagerness for it to snow is all around us. It only takes one snowflake to fall to start the fun and imagination of yesterday, today and snowfalls yet to come. The joy of being outside and building a snowman is a tradition that will always exist. In the story, “All You Need For a Snowman,” the children can’t wait for that first flake of snow. There is one, then two, and then there are millions. With snowflakes falling all around, the children build a snowman packing the snow into the biggest snowball they could. They then need a middle-sized one and then a smaller one which they use for the head. Working together, they build a huge snowman. The snow continues to fall and they decide to build a friend for their snowman. They dress them, each being unique. I enjoy the colorful and clean watercolors used to illustrate this story. They are well suited for this story and represents, for me, clean new snow which is very exciting at this time of year. Be sure to include this fun wintertime story with your bedtime audience.