“The Legend of Saint Nicholas,” by Demi ($19.95; ages 5 to 10). Beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched, it explains how the patron saint of children morphed into Santa.
“The Stone Lamp: Eight Stories of Hanukkah Through History,” by Karen Hesse ($18.99; age 9 and up). Follows descriptions of eight tragic events (like the Crusades and the Inquisition) with the story of a Jewish child who lived through them.
“A Christmas Gift for Mama,” by Lauren Thompson ($16.95; ages 6 to 9). In this version of the “Gift of the Magi,” a poor girl in the 1930s trades away her beloved porcelain doll so she can get a special present for her mother.
“My First Kwanzaa,” by Karen Katz ($14.95; ages 3 to 6). A young African-American girl explains the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
“The True Story of Christmas,” by Anne Fine ($15.95; age 10 and up). A funny, irreverent novel about how horribly everyone behaves when all the relatives are over.
