From the Archives: I'm in love with a Christmas book...

...that I got for 5 dollars at a local dollar store

As a little girl, I loved Christmas anthology books. Nothing made me

happier on a December day than to snuggle up with a big, beautifully-illustrated book full of Christmas stories, songs and poems.

That's why I was so delighted to find this Christmas Treasury at a local dollar store for 5 dollars. I liked it so much, I bought three of them...one for me to read to my grandsons, one for two of my little nieces, and one for two little friends of the family.

(Click on any photo to view larger)

Tom Newsom beautifully illustrates "The Night Before Christmas."

I love the fact that there are several songs in the book, complete with music.

The book includes several Victorian-style illustrations and poems as well.

Among the prettiest illustrations in the book are by an illustrator named Pat Thompson, about whom I was able to find frustratingly little online. Making it even more confusing is that there is also a children's illusrator named Pat Thomson...without the P. I'd love to know more about this artist.

Another lovely Pat Thompson illustration in the book's rendition of "The Nutcracker."

Another Pat Thompson illustration in "The Velveteen Rabbit."

Another by Pat Thompson

A Pat Thompson illustration in the Christmas Story

How about you? Do you have a favorite Christmas book? Let me know about it in my comments section!

UPDATE: I posted this a little over a year ago, and one person was able to give me a little more info about artist Pat Thompson. "Sparrow1" commented:

"Pat Thompson is an artist in Franklin , TN with Southgate Studios. I was trying to remember which book she illustrated to pass the info along to a friend when I came upon your blog. In years past I have taken pastel classes from her and consider her a both a very fine artist and a lovely friend."

Very cool!

UPDATE 2: You can order this book on Amazon! It's about 18 dollars, but this gorgeous book is well worth it. Here's the link.

I will never stop reading the printed word, but...I have a Kindle.

Yep, it happened. And I didn't even seek it out!

I'm sure you've seen the little button on my sidebar: "I pledge to read the printed word."

And I stick by that pledge. I will never stop reading real, physical books. I will always love them.

But yes, I have a Kindle.

My son gave me his a couple of weeks ago, saying he never used it. And yes, I deeply appreciate it and am glad to have it.

Justin had already loaded a ton of books on it, including many by Stephen King, John Grisham, Dean Koontz and Tom Clancy. My other son, Jonathan, loaded some P.D. James Adam Dalgleish mysteries on it as well.

I haven't yet put any books on it. I haven't even figured out how to do so! (Justin doesn't remember, so I'll have to ask Jonathan!)

The Kindle will be a blessing when I'm traveling, no doubt about it. Handy and compact...no need to worry about added weight in my suitcase or in my tote bag as I schlepp through O'Hare.

However...

When I'm reading a book on the Kindle, I actually do miss holding a real book in my hands.

You see, I love the feel of books. The smell of books. Turning real paper pages. The entire experience of reading the printed word.

So yes, I have a Kindle, and I appreciate it immensely...but it will never stop me from reading, collecting and loving real books.

What about you? Is the Kindle, Nook or other such device now your reading venue of choice? Would you ever like to have such a device...and if you did, would you stop reading real books?

I'd love to know your opinions!