Santa's Story Personalized Book

Product Spotlight

Title: Santa's Story Personalized Book
Manufacturer: Create-A-Book
Author: John Hefty
Illustrator: Lyn Gray Rackley
Seller: Personalized Books by Madluck Books
Description: Santa's Story helps explain the true meaning of Christmas. We rejoice in the birth of Baby Jesus while celebrating the spirit of giving. From the Santa in all of us.

Here's the whole story with samples of the illustrations throughout this beautiful book:

Pages 1&2 - Illustration pages

Page 3

Santa's Story
was created especially for
Jessica Ann Smith
at the age of 6
With love from
Mommy and Daddy
Christmas 2006

Page 4

'Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.

Pages 5&6 - Illustration Pages

Page 7

Jessica in her nightshirt
settled into bed, while visions of
dolls danced in her head.

Page 8

You've heard this before,
this story's not new.
I've added a twist,
your name's in here too.

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Pages 9&10 - Illustration Pages

Page 11

I'm jolly and round
and I wear a red suit,
I visit each home with a
sled filled with loot.

Page 12
And what is this loot
that I bring in my sled?
Simply toys, like dolls,
and balls that are red.

There are clothes and shoes
and candy canes pink,
and then there's some coal
for the bad kids, I think.

Pages 13&14 - Illustration Pages

Page 15
Some say that I'm Santa,
some say I'm a fad,
some folks even say
I look just like your dad.

Page 16
But one thing's for certain
on this special night,
the world stops its churning
and pushing its might.

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Pages 17&18 - Illustration Pages

Page 19
The smokestacks are turned off,
the workers go home,
machines become silent
from Warrenton to Rome.

Page 20
Up in the sky,
late at night there's a glow,
where a special star twinkled
many years ago.

Pages 21&22 - Illustration Pages

Page 23
Peace and goodwill
fill our hearts from the light.
Mary gave birth
to Baby Jesus that night.

Page 24
Wise men brought gifts,
they came from afar,
they found their way there,
they followed the star.

The rest of the story is told in a book
called the Bible, it's great,
one day take a look.

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Pages 25&26 - Illustration Pages

Page 27
Now onward and upward
I'll sail through the night.
I'm still the tradition
of what's good and what's right.

Page 28
And because you'll get presents,
I know Christmas Day
will not be forgotten
as you laugh and you play.
But remember the reason
for peace and great joy,
it comes from our Christ,
and not just from a toy.

Pages 29&30 - Illustration Pages

Page 31
So, Jessica, hang your stockings
by the chimney with care,
don't worry about me,
I'll still be there.

Page 32
I'll munch on the snacks,
drink the milk that you leave,
I do it each year
the same time, Christmas Eve.

Pages 33&34 - Illustration Pages

Page 35
My reindeer are ready,
the time is just right.
Go to sleep now, Jessica,
Merry Christmas,
Good Night!

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Hold a book...

Quote of the week:

Hold a book in your hand and you're a pilgrim at the gates of a new city.
- Anne Michaels

The Horn Book Award Winners 1986 - present

The Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards were first presented in 1967, to honor the best in children's and young adult literature. Winners are selected in the following categories: Picture Book, Fiction and Poetry, Nonfiction and occasionally, a book will receive a special citation for its high quality and overall creative excellence. The winning titles must be published in the United States but they may be written or illustrated by citizens of any country. The awards are chosen by an independent panel of three judges who are annually appointed by the Editor of the Horn Book.

The winners (images are from the picture book winner for each year):

2006
Picture Book:
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert (Harcourt)
Fiction and Poetry:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (Candlewick)
Nonfiction:
If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty, illustrated by Steven Kellogg (Scholastic)

2005
Picture Book:
Traction Man Is Here! by Mini Grey (Knopf)
Fiction and Poetry:
The Schwa Was Here by Neal Schusterman (Dutton)
Nonfiction:
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird by Phillip Hoose (Kroupa/Farrar)

2004
Picture Book:
The Man Who Walked between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein (Roaring Brook)
Fiction and Poetry:
The Fire-Eaters by David Almond (Delacorte)
Nonfiction:
An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy (Clarion)

2003
Picture Book:
Big Momma Makes the World written by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Candlewick)
Fiction and Poetry:
The Jamie and Angus Stories written by Anne Fine, illustrated by Penny Dale (Candlewick)
Nonfiction:
Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman (Putnam)

2002
Picture Book:
“Let’s Get a Pup!” Said Kate by Bob Graham (Candlewick)
Fiction and Poetry:
Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury (Delacorte)
Nonfiction:
This Land was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie by Elizabeth Partridge (Viking)

2001
Picture Book:
Cold Feet written by Cynthia DeFelice, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker (DK Ink)
Fiction and Poetry:
Carver: A Life in Poems by Marilyn Nelson (Front Street)
Nonfiction:
The Longitude Prize written by Joan Dash, illustrated by Dusan Petricic (Foster/Farrar)

2000
Picture Book:
Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D. B. Johnson (Houghton)
Fiction:
The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley (Atheneum)
Nonfiction:
Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado by Marc Aronson (Clarion)

1999
Picture Book:
Red-Eyed Tree Frog written by Joy Cowley, illustrated with photographs by Nic Bishop (Scholastic)
Fiction:
Holes by Louis Sachar (Foster/Farrar)
Nonfiction:
The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steve Jenkins (Houghton)
Special Citation:
Tibet: Through the Red Box by Peter Sis (Foster/Farrar)

1998
Picture Book:
And If the Moon Could Talk written by Kate Banks, illustrated by Georg Hallensleben (Foster/Farrar)
Fiction:
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez (University of New Mexico Press)
Nonfiction:
Leon’s Story written by Leon Walter Tillage, illustrated with collage art by Susan L. Roth (Farrar)

1997
Picture Book:
The Adventures of Sparrowboy by Brian Pinkney (Simon)
Fiction:
The Friends written by Kazumi Yumoto, translated by Cathy Hirano (Farrar)
Nonfiction:
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder written and illustrated with photographs by Walter Wick (Scholastic)

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1996
Picture Book:
In the Rain with Baby Duck written by Amy Hest, illustrated by Jill Barton (Candlewick)
Fiction:
Poppy written by Avi, illustrated by Brian Floca (Jackson/Orchard)
Nonfiction:
Orphan Train Rider: One Boy’s True Story by Andrea Warren (Houghton)

1995
Picture Book:
John Henry retold by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Dial)
Fiction:
Some of the Kinder Planets by Tim Wynne-Jones (Kroupa/Orchard)
Nonfiction:
Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober (Atheneum)

1994
Picture Book:
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say (Houghton)
Fiction:
Scooter by Vera Williams (Greenwillow)
Nonfiction:
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman (Clarion)

1993
Picture Book:
The Fortune Tellers written by Lloyd Alexander, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (Dutton)
Fiction:
Ajeemah and His Son by James Berry (Harper)
Nonfiction:
Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman? by Patricia C. and Fredrick McKissack (Scholastic)

1992
Picture Book:
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young (Philomel)
Fiction:
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant (Jackson/Orchard)
Nonfiction:
Talking with Artists compiled and edited by Pat Cummings (Bradbury)

1991
Picture Book:
The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks written by Katherine Paterson, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon (Lodestar)
Fiction:
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi (Orchard)
Nonfiction:
Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds written by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Barry Moser (Harcourt)

1990
Picture Book:
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China translated and illustrated by Ed Young (Philomel)
Fiction:
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (Little, Brown)
Nonfiction:
The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz (Putnam)
Special Citation:
Valentine and Orson by Nancy Ekholm Burkert (Farrar)

1989
Picture Book:
Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells (Dial)
Fiction:
The Village by the Sea by Paula Fox (Orchard)
Nonfiction:
The Way Things Work by David Macaulay (Houghton)

1988
Picture Book:
The Boy of the Three-Year Nap written by Dianne Snyder, illustrated by Allen Say (Houghton)
Fiction:
The Friendship written by Mildred D. Taylor, illustrated by Max Ginsburg (Dial)
Nonfiction:
Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave by Virginia Hamilton (Knopf)

1987
Picture Book:
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe (Lothrop)
Fiction:
Rabble Starkey by Lois Lowry (Houghton)
Nonfiction:
The Pilgrims of Plimoth by Marcia Sewall (Atheneum)

1986
Picture Book:
The Paper Crane by Molly Bang (Greenwillow)
Fiction:
In Summer Light by Zibby Oneal (Viking)
Nonfiction:
Auks, Rocks, and the Odd Dinosaur: Inside Stories from the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History by Peggy Thomson (Crowell)

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We must nurture our children...

Quote of the week:

We must nurture our children with confidence. They can't make it if they are constantly told that they won't.

- George Clements

Personalized Books home

My Birthday Surprise Personalized Book

Product Spotlight
Title: My Birthday Surprise Personalized Book
Manufacturer: Create-A-Book
Illustrator: Valerie Webb
Seller: Personalized Books by Madluck Books
Description: This book is presented in a child's story version around a daydream of the perfect birthday party which magically becomes a reality. This book is also available in our popular adult "gag" version where the guest of honor is "roasted" by his or her pals at a funny birthday party.


A life time keepsake:

• Wipe-clean hard cover
• Personalized Dedication
• Professionally Printed
• Quality Craftsmanship
• Full-color illustraions

Full text of book and sample illustrations:

Pages 1&2 - illustration pages

Page 3
My Birthday Surprise
was created especially for
Michael Jeremy Smith
at the age of 8
With love from
Mom and Dad
November 9, 2006

Page 4

Mike Smith was so excited! His "big" day had finally arrived! For a long time, he had reminded everyone in Atlanta about his birthday on November 9th. Mike had not wanted a single person to forget this special day. It's so much fun to be 8 and have a birthday celebration!

Pages 5&6 - illustration pages

Page 7

For months now, Mike had been dreaming day and night about his party. He had asked his friends again and again, "Do you suppose it will ever be my birthday?" There were many names on his invitation list. Mike hoped that Ben, Connor and Scott could come. He was really looking forward to a great time!

Page 8

It seemed to Mike that his birthday dream was always the same. He would be sitting in the middle of an enormous room, and he would be all dressed up for his party. Beside him would be a key ring with 10 magic keys, and each would have a different color. Around him would be doors, and Mike knew that the keys would be there to open those matching colored doors.

Pages 9&10 - illustration pages

Page 11

In each dream, Mike would find many happy, wonderful surprises behind the locked doors... except for one. There were 11 doors, but only 10 keys. Mike wondered how he would get into that eleventh room. There wasn't even a knob on the door. Every time he would start to search for the missing key, he would wake up. Oh well. Maybe Ben, Connor and Scott could help him.

Page 12

In his dream, Mike liked to start with the blue key that unlocked the blue door. The blue room looked as if it held a billion bouncing balloons. There were balloons of different shapes, colors, and sizes, and Mike had fun walking through them. There was one balloon that was the biggest, bluest balloon he had ever seen. This was so much fun! Mike raced on to the next door.

Pages 13&14 - illustration pages

Page 15

The second door opened up to a white room with lots and lots of birthday cakes. There were tiny cakes, gigantic cakes, and cakes just big enough for Mike to eat all by himself. Some cakes were huge, but there was one snowy white cake that had 7 huge layers. It was a cake for Mike. He wanted to show all of these beautiful cakes to Ben, Connor and Scott.

Page 16

When Mike opened the cherry red door, he almost fell backwards! What a fun dream! In front of him was a monstrous mountain of melting ice cream. There were cherries, nuts, whipped cream, and syrup running down the sides. Mike thought it would be so much fun to slide down this kind of mountain. What a delightful, delicious time he would have!

Pages 17&18 - illustration pages

Page 19

Mike giggled when he opened the orange door to the clown room. Inside, he found forty funny clowns, and most of them had bright orange hair. There were fat clowns and thin clowns, short clowns and tall clowns, and happy clowns and sad clowns. Some clowns did tricks, while other silly clowns just clowned around. In the orange room, Mike laughed until he could laugh no more.

Page 20

The green room had so many presents in it that Mike had trouble opening the door. He wondered if any of the gifts were from Ben, Connor and Scott. He was hoping that one of those boxes would have something very nice in it that he could play with on his birthday. Maybe it was the gigantic, green gift box! Should he open it? No, he had to hurry to the next door.

Pages 21&22 - illustration pages

Page 23

Mike jumped up and down when he opened the glittering gold door and found a golden room full of rides for his birthday party. In the middle of the room was a beautiful gold merry-go-round. Mike could see the ponies with their golden saddles, a train ride, and a small ferris wheel!

Page 24

A pink door opened up into a candy room. Mike was amazed at all of the candy. He found suckers, gumdrops, lollipops, peppermint sticks, hard candies, soft candies, and all kinds of chocolate candies. There was also the biggest, bubbliest bunch of pink bubble gum that he had ever seen. Mike knew that he would have to share this candy with Ben, Connor and Scott, or he would have a big tummyache.

Pages 25&26 - illustration pages

Page 27

Behind the brown door were many, many huggable animals. Mike wanted to hold and squeeze the soft, cuddly brown teddy bears, as well as the cats, dogs, monkeys, and dinosaurs. Some of the other animals, like the giraffe, were taller than Mike. Others were so small that they would fit in his hand. If he put all of these animals in his room, he might not be able to find his bed. Wow, that would be neat!

Page 28

When Mike opened the yellow door, he found a yellow room filled with games fit for a king. Mike saw Pin the Tail on the Donkey, a fishing pond, balloons for water fights, jacks, musical chairs, Drop the Clothespin in the Bottle, bobbing for yellow apples, hopscotch, and ring toss. Mike knew exactly which of the games he would play first in the yellow room.

Pages 29&30 - illustration pages

Page 31

Using the shiny silver key, Mike opened the silver door and saw colorful streamers decorating every inch of the tenth room. He also found everything else he needed for his birthday party. Here were the plates, cups, napkins, forks, and spoons. For his guests, there were stacks and stacks of silver whistles, silver bells, horns, blowers, birthday hats, and other party favors. He knew that he was ready for his birthday party when he saw the squirt guns!

Page 32

Mike found himself in front of the last door that had no key. He leaned against the door to peek through the keyhole, and as he did, the door silently opened. He looked inside. The rainbow-colored room was ready for a birthday party with something from each of the other ten rooms, but Mike was puzzled. Something was missing! How could a birthday party be fun if he were all alone? He became very sad.

Pages 33&34 - illustration pages

Page 35

Suddenly, many voices sang out "Surprise!" and "Happy Birthday!" at the same time. Mike Smith blinked his eyes and immediately stopped daydreaming. He turned around and saw Ben, Connor and Scott. This was his best birthday surprise of all! Now he knew that having family and friends was much more important than all of the presents and decorations, or even the cake. It was so much fun to be 8 and have a birthday celebration!

Page 36
Happy Birthday!
Mike Smith

Where I celebrated my birthday:
______________________________
My favorite gift:
______________________________
What I liked most about
this birthday:
______________________________
People who were with me to
celebrate my birthday:
______________________________

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A well-composed book...

Quote of the week:

A well-composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter in any other way.

- Caroline Gordon

Whitbread Children's Book Award Winners, 1986-present

Created in 1971, the Whitbread Book Awards were established to "celebrate the most enjoyable books of the year by writers based in the UK or Ireland, and have successfully developed into one of the foremost and most prestigious literary awards in the UK."

There are six awards: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry, Children's Book and Book of the Year (selected from the five category winners).

In 2006, Costa Coffee took over the sponsorship of the Whitbread Book Awards and changed the name of the awards to the Costa Book Awards.

The winners of the Whitbread Children's Book Award from 1986 to the present:

2006: Will be announced in late January 2007
2005: The New Policeman by Kate Thompson







2004: Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean






2003: The Fire-Eaters by David Almond







2002: Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay







2001: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (* also won Book of the year)







2000: Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin







1999: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling






1998: Skellig by David Almond







1997: Aquila by Andrew Norriss

1996: The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine






1995: The Wreck of the Zanzibar by Michael Morpurgo







1994: Gold Dust by Geraldine McCaughrean







1993: Flour Babies by Anne Fine






1992: The Great elephant Chase by Gillian Cross






1991: Harvey Angell by Diana Hendry






1990: AK by Peter Dickinson






1989: Why Weeps the Brogan? by Hugh Scott





1988: Awaiting Developments by Judy Allen






1987: A Little Lower than the Angels by Geraldine McCaughrean

1986: The Coal House by Andrew Taylor




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