Although Helen Oxenbury's Tom and Pippo series is for a young audience, Ivy just discovered them and loves them.  These simple stories are about a toddler named Tom and his stuffed monkey companion, Pippo.  Pippo does everything Tom does - goes to the beach, gets muddy, reads stories, and plays outside.  Half of the pictures are black and white and the other half are color.  They are very pretty!  Try Tom and Pippo and the Washing Machine.

Ivy loves Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, so I thought I would try Mimi's Christmas by Waddell as well.  Mimi is a little mouse who helps her siblings prepare for Christmas.  The pictures of the mice ice skating, sitting by the fire, and snuggling in their mouse beds are priceless.  Ivy really liked this one.

Claire Freedman's A Magical Christmas is not the most exciting of books, but the pictures are filled with adorable mice AND have sparkles.  Who doesn't love sparkles?  We only read this a few times, but it would make for a beautiful gift!

I wish I had known about Helen Oxenbury's Tom and Pippo series when Ivy was younger, although she loves them now. Tom is an adorable toddler who takes Pippo, his stuffed monkey, everywhere, There are only 1-2 sentences per page and only a few pages in each book.  However, the illustrations are beautiful, and the plots are gripping to a two-year old.

O.K. This is not a Christmas book, but Ivy just loves Kevin Henkes's My Garden.  A young girl tells the reader the magical things that will happen/appear in her dream garden.  The pictures and subdued colors are fun.  It is simple and easy to read - good for a younger audience as well!

Another day, another Toot and Puddle adventure.  Holly Hobbie's I'll Be Home For Christmas has been a big hit for Ivy.  Will Puddle make it back from his adventures abroad home to Toot by Christmas?  Maybe, with a little help from a stranger with a white beard and red suit.  Great pictures!

Ivy has found a new Christmas song!  John Rox originally wrote I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas, but it was made famous when a 10-year-old sang it to raise money for a hippo in a zoo.  Bruce Whatley has some beautiful illustrations to go along.  The joy of the little girl is reflected in the hippo's rather large eyes.  She wants me to sing it over and over. 

Another fabulous Christmas book I have been reading over and over to Ms. Ivy is Karma Wilson's Bear Stays Up For Christmas.  Bear's forest friends wake him from his hibernation the day before Christmas so he will not miss the festivities.  The pictures are adorable and the simple rhyme appeals to Ivy.  This would be a nice gift. 

Ivy is really fascinated by characters now.  Biscuit is a great favorite despite the simple story lines and constant repetition of "Woof Woof".  In this book Biscuit celebrates Christmas Eve with his owner, a little girl, and her family.   He too wants to be involved in the festivities.   Try Alyssa Satin Capucilli's Biscuit's Christmas Eve!

Anna Dewnedy did it again.  Another adorable Llama Llama book.  Ivy does not like Llama Llama Holiday Drama as much as Llama Llama Misses Mama, but it is a close second.  Poor little llama is overwhelmed by Christmas shopping, baking, and decorating.  He wants presents so much he forgets the true meaning of Christmas.  It takes a breakdown and a talk from mama to remind him.  Great rhymes!

"I like Nancy Tafuri!" exclaimed Ivy as we were at the library yesterday.  We were reading through Tafuri's The Donkey's Christmas Song for the 4th time.  Ivy also enjoys many of the author's works including The Busy Squirrel.  The Donkey's Christmas Song is the story of a young donkey afraid to bray in front of the baby Jesus.  Despite his worries, he eventually lets down his guard due to Jesus's infectious (and miraculous - he was only a day old) laugh.