The Christmas Witch An Italian Legend

Having missed her chance to see him on the first Christmas, old Befana travels around Italy each year searching for the Christ Child and leaving cookies and Christmas presents for the sleeping children.

On the first Christmas, Befana missed her chance to go to Bethlehem to welcome the newborn Baby. Now, each year, the good Christmas Witch leaves cookies and gifts at the homes of sleeping children, still hoping to find the Christ Child. Perfect for early independent readers, this simple retelling captures all the wonder of the Italian legend. FROM AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED NAME IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION More than seventy years of educational research and innovative teaching have given the Bank Street College of Education the reputation as America's most trusted name in early childhood education. Because no two children are exactly alike in their development, we have designed the Bank Street Ready-to-Read series in three levels to accommodate the individual stages of reading readiness of children ages four through eight. - Level 1: GETTING READY TO READ-- (PRE-K to GRADE 1) Books are perfect for reading aloud with children who are getting ready to read or are just beginning to read words or phrases. - Level 2: READING TOGETHER--(GRADES 1 to 3) Books are written especiallly for children who are on their way to reading independently but who may need help. - Level 3: I CAN READ IT MYSELF--(GRADES 2 to 3) Books are designed for children able to read on their own. They also can be enjoyed as read-alouds.

In this beloved classic picture book, Tomie dePaola retells and illustrates an Italian Christmas folk tale, breathing warmth and humanity into the character of the lonely Old Befana and her endless search for the Christ Child. Every morning and every afternoon, Old Befana sweeps with her broom. “Cranky old lady,” the children say. “She is always sweeping!” Sweep, sweep, sweep. But when a brilliant star glows in the eastern sky one night, and Old Befana encounters the glorious procession of three kings on their way to Bethlehem, her world will never be the same.

Retells the traditional Italian tale of the poor peasant woman who, long ago, set out to find the Christ Child and wanders to this day, carrying a sack of gifts to distribute to good children at Christmas.

Introduce elementary children to six areas of the world-Japan, Italy, Hawaii, Australia, Kenya, and Brazil. Using an integrated approach to authentic learning and assessment and to literacy development, activities teach children about family life, school, games, crafts (such as origami), foods, language, customs, and celebrations. Spend two weeks or two months exploring each country, choosing from the wealth of activities and resources provided. Grades K-6.

Church education programs for children often substitute children's Bibles for Holy Scripture and simple moralism for imagination. Gretchen Wolff Pritchard shows how to offer the gospel imaginatively to children, with practical ideas on children's worship, liturgy, drama, pastoral care, and study of the Bible. The final chapter includes an exhaustive annotated bibliography of children's books for the parish library, and resources for parents and teachers.

In some respects, the contrasts of Christmas are what make it the most delightful time of the year. It is a time of generosity, kindness and peace on earth, with broad permission to indulge in food, drink and gifts. On the other hand, Christmas has become a battleground for raging culture wars, marred by debates about how it should be celebrated and acknowledged as a uniquely Christian holiday. This text argues that much of the animosity is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the holiday's core character. By tracing Christmas's origins as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its development in Europe's Christianization, this history explains that the true "reason for the season" has as much to do with the earth's movement around the sun as with the birth of Christ. Chapters chronicle how Christmas's magic and misrule link to the nativity, and why the carnival side of the holiday appears so separated from traditional Christian beliefs.