Morris's Disappearing Bag A Christmas Story by: Rosemary Wells

One of the funniest Christmas stories that is a favorite in this house is Morris's Disappearing Bag.  By the author of Max & Ruby this book is a funny look at how siblings get along and share their gifts on Christmas. 



Morris is the youngest and none of his older three siblings want to share their presents with him and they aren't in the least bit interested in his teddy bear he got.  So while they use each others gifts Max becomes more and more depressed.  He sits under the tree while his family is eating and he sees one last gift left unopened. It was a disappearing bag and in he went.  His siblings start searching for him and when he reappears they can't wait to try the bag out.  So Morris opens the bag and in they disappeared while Morris gets to use all of their gifts without anyone else around!

 "Bedtime.!" said Morris.  "May I use the bag tomorrow?" asked Rose "I want to sleep in it tonight," said Betty. "Morris," said Victor, "I hope you remember where you put the bag."  But Morris was already fast asleep.  Now don't we all wish we had a bag like that for holidays and birthdays?  Imagine using your brothers or sisters gifts while they disappeared!


Here is to a Merry Christmas in this wonderful season of giving and sharing!  

First Tomato A Voyage To The Bunny Planet By: Rosemary Wells

A little bunny name Claire is having a bad day where nothing seems to go right.  But while waiting for her bus in the snowy cold she closes her eyes and "Far beyond the moon and stars, Twenty light-years south of Mars, Spins the gently Bunny Planet And the Bunny Queen is Janet."  Janet tells Claire to go through a door for the "day that should have been."  Claire is transported to the summer and hears her mother telling her to pick her some beans, peas and a ripe tomato.  She finds a big, red, ripe tomato and "It smells of rain and steamy earth and hot June sun." She gives it to her mother and then watches her mother cook.  "I've made you First Tomato soup because I love you so." 

 As I read this book to my girls it makes me long for those tiny yellow flowers on my lush green tomato plants to produce some wonderful fruit for the taking!  I can picture Emma eating all of our grape tomatoes before anyone even gets one!

We love this book and I love asking the girls what their perfect day would be if they were transported to Bunny Planet.  Emy always says "being in the garden with my momma" (melt my heart) and last time Isy said "us getting to cook together".  My favorite illustration in this book is when Claire is looking at her mother cooking.  You can see the admiration in her eyes and the love for her mother with that one picture.

If you enjoy this tale there are two other bunny planet books from Rosemary Wells worth checking out too!

Max & Ruby Beach Day! By: Rosemary Wells

Max & Ruby Beach Day is a fun read for anyone headed to the beach with their kiddos! My family and I just got back from our beach vacation, and as we sat in the sand we giggled at remembering this book we read months back. Ruby is always telling her little brother Max exactly what to do but Max somehow always sees the bigger picture that Ruby is missing while she is "leading" them. Pick up this great read and find out what happens as Max and Ruby build their sandcastle and find out how Max ends up saving the day for them! Did I mention that this is a great easy read for first time readers and anyone who enjoys the Max & Ruby Series?! To a simple but delightful read!

MAX Counts His Chickens 1 2 3 By: Rosemary Wells

I am officially starting the countdown to Easter with this amusing tale of Max and his chicks.

Most of you are probably familiar with Max from the Max and Ruby books and series on Nick Jr.  Rosemary Wells is a great children's author and often uses bunnies as the main characters in her books.

In this book the Easter bunny hides ten hot-pink marshmallow chicks all over Max and Ruby's house.  When Max and Ruby wake up the hunt starts to find the chicks.  "Finders keepers!"  they both yell.  During their search only Ruby finds chicks, and Max does a great job of making a great big mess around the house searching for the chicks. Each place Ruby finds a chick the number is displayed largely on the page along with the amount of chicks that have been found all together. This is a great book to learn numbers and to practice counting!  We all laugh as Max tears apart the house looking and not finding any chicks.  Grandma comes into the kitchen after Ruby finds the tenth and last chick and finds Max empty handed. She immediately makes a phone call to the Easter bunny who promptly drops ten yellow marshmallow chicks through the mail slot. "Pop!"  Max tries to count them all and ends the tale with "All mine!"

I guarantee this one will please the kiddos!


To check out more of Wells books go to : http://rosemarywells.com/