Happy 2nd of Advent! So far this season, I've been so swamped with two home renovations (the one 1 1/2 hour drive away), my side job, dentist runs (my kids, not me), and homeschooling that the usual Christmas activities are barely staying squished in. I even forgot about Nikolaustag!!! (And IWSG, if anyone noticed)
In Germany, Saint Nikolaus visits the children on December 5th-6th to fill the boots they've left standing at the front door. Good kids get treats. Bad ones receive a piece of coal from Knecht Ruprecht, Nikolaus's small, broom-wielding partner. In some areas, a live Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht visit the houses personally and Nikolaus opens his golden book to tell the children what he's noticed about their behaviors that past year. (My husband and oldest son stepped into these roles for a couple of years and loved it).
Maybe, you can imagine how terrible I felt that my youngest (the only one still at home and in her last year or so here), didn't say a peep, and the entire day swept by without me remembering!!!
So, I'm shoving priorities around heavily and will be concentrating on home this week to get all the Christmasy stuff underway as it should be.
What does that have to do with today's read? Well, as a Christian (and today's read takes a Christian perspective), I've realized I need to turn my thoughts back to where they should be and not running around like a chicken with my head cut-off (and now, as a farmer with chickens, I know what that truly means). Today's read helps with that in some ways. Or so I hope.
So, let's take a look and maybe nibble on some sweet treats along the way!
SWEET 'N' SOUR
by Kara Eng
Illustrated by Maryna Nesterchuk
Mascot Kids
38 pages
ages 4 to 8
Soy sauce on candy?!
In the magical land of Kingdom Kandy, Almond Cookie is faced with a sour dilemma when she discovers that someone has sabotaged her shop. How will she get herself out of this sticky situation?
Join Almond Cookie and her friends as they embark on this sweet ’n’ sour adventure!
MY TIDBITS
Candy already has these pages coming over with sweetness. Add the message and it's the sweetest treat.
Almond Cookie loves running her candy shop and her joy, which bursts from every aspects, keeps the customers more than satisfied. While this is great for Almond, another shop circling around treats nearby isn't keeping up, and the owner gets more than a little jealous. Deciding it's time to take matters into his own hands, he sabotages her store. Almond is distressed as everything is ruined, and she seeks out help through faith and prayer.
This is a lovely tale with tons of popping colors, playful illustrations, and sweet messages from beginning to end. The story set me back into Sunday School, but with the added twist of the goodness reminding of Strawberry Shortcake. It's hard not to want to jump right into Almond's candy shop and nibble on some treats, and she has the shiny personality to fit. The 'evil' shop owner comes across as fairly normal without overly dark vibes...although his actions do carry the little edge of violence to make it clear he's not kind. All of this creates a rounded tale, which works nicely for a story time or, for those readers who are good with words, to pick up on their own.
This is a Christian read, and I enjoy how it slides into a rounded tale while working in aspects like prayer and trusting God. While it holds wholesome goodness, it doesn't go overboard. It creates a lovely mix and is worth taking a peek at.
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