It's baaaack! That seasonal song The Twelve Days of Christmas. I still hate the song, but I love all the books! And, there are enough for more than one post! This song was first published in 1780 and put with the tune we know best in 1909. The 12 days start today.

For a delightful, fun, and creative take on that old song, read The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, by Emma Kragen. Blending photos and computer graphics, this has been a favorite of mine since it came out in 1998. And while there was some help here (Donald Fuller for the photographs and Sharon Collins & Kelly Ann Moore for the design) the idea and writing came from Emma. When she was seven!

There are more dogs to be seen in The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs, written and illustrated by Carolyn Conahan. What starts out so simply builds to a chaotic conclusion (with an interesting twist).

In a small town, in a cul-de-sac, there is a theme to the holiday decorations. One that has been going on for so long that when a house sells, the decorations go with the house. Each year they do The Twelve Days of Christmas, it's very popular, but this year someone is stealing the birds. They vanish, but then they are brought back. What is going on? Who is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas, by Martha Freeman is a fun, tween read.

For a 'wee' twist on this song, there's A Firefly in a Fir Tree: a Carol for Mice, by Hilary Knight. Clever illustrations show a mouse sized version and just what might be included if they were to sing this old standard. Loved the three thistle dusters. ;-)

Reading Hermit With Dog