Last Minute Deal on Christmas Books…

Last Minute Deal on Christmas Books…

21 December 2010 by · Leave a Comment

For today only in the we heart books store we are offering a discount of 50% off all Christmas themed books. We will be packing and shipping orders today and first thing tomorrow so you still have time to place orders if you are in a capital city.

Just enter LMXMAS at the checkout for 50% off all our Christmas themed books and remember that everything arrives beautifully gift wrapped. This offer is perfect if you’d like something gorgeous to read on Christmas Eve. Stock is limited and we only have one copy of some titles left.

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and get lots of lovely reading done in the New Year.

Filed Under: Christmas
Christmas Books

Christmas Books

6 December 2010 by · 2 Comments

There are so many Christmas books around, many are branded and icky. We think that we have a rather beautiful selection in our store because they are only books that we ♥.

There is not a better time of year to buy some gorgeous books and share them with the family. We are offering all our friends 20% off all our Christmas themed books until Sunday the 12th of December. You can see a selection of the stunning collection here…

And there are more here.

Remember that when you order from We Heart Books we take absolute pleasure in sending you a beautiful package and quickly too

Filed Under: Christmas

The Christmas Magic

24 December 2009 by · Leave a Comment

We just sent a review of this beautiful book to the Magnolia Square Little Snippets blog - watch out for it.

In the meantime we hope everyone has a very magical Christmas day tomorrow.

Filed Under: Christmas
Oh Christmas Tree…

Oh Christmas Tree…

18 December 2009 by · 2 Comments

christmas-tree

Our Christmas tree this year is not a perfect specimen. It is asymmetrical, slightly bushier on one side, and has a decidedly wonky top. But I love it because it is an Eco Christmas Tree! It is a real living tree in a pot, and we have hired it for December. I though this concept was brilliant as soon as I heard about it – with tree delivery and collection included, you also get the satisfaction of knowing that a healthy tree continues to grow and thrive all year round.

When I was growing up we always had our Christmas tree in a pot. My mum and dad bought a small living Christmas tree for my first Christmas as a baby and every year for 20 years we continued to bring the same tree into the house. In the end it was so tall that it touched the ceiling. I really loved thinking of the tree and I growing alongside each other.

When Rowan was born, I intended to create a similar tradition for our household. But I soon learnt that my mum is a better gardener than I because I was unable to keep our little tree alive for the year… But Eco Christmas Trees provides the perfect service for someone like me. They even offer to deliver the same Christmas tree to you next year!

I do love Christmas tree traditions, and one of the Christmas stories Rowan and I are enjoying at the moment is Mr Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry.

mr-willowbys-tree

The story starts with the delivery of a very tall Christmas tree to Mr Willowby’s grand house. The tree is the biggest he’s ever seen – so big that it can’t stand up straight in his parlour! Mr Willowby asks his butler to chop off the top of the tree so that it will fit better. The butler cuts the top, but instead of throwing it away, he decides to offer the cutting to Miss Adelaide, the upstairs maid. Miss Adelaide gratefully accepts her ‘tree’, but discovers the tree-top is too tall for her attic room, so she too trims off the top… And so the story continues, and the tree-top is gradually shortened and shared with smaller and smaller animals.

I love the idea that a tree can become lots of mini-trees, as well as the wonderful sense of sharing in this book. The final illustration of Mr Willowby with his tree in the foreground, with the detail of a tiny mouse-hole and the mice and their miniature tree is so lovely.

What about everyone else? What Christmas books are you enjoying at the moment?

||Mr Willowby’s Christmas Tree is available in the We Heart Books store||

Filed Under: Age 3+, Christmas, Picture books
Myer Christmas Windows

Myer Christmas Windows

11 December 2009 by · Leave a Comment

A little while ago I did a post on the current Myer Christmas Windows. On that post we had a comment from John Kerr the Creative Director who designs the windows and I thought it would be good to share his comment in which he explains the choice of theme for each year and how he goes about creating such master pieces….

Each year, the children’s book chosen is always quite different and in direct contrast to the previous years.

2008 – “How Santa Really Works” was visually very detailed and busy, whilst the 2009 season, in contrast, is visually quite basic, but entertains the audience using a combination of synchronised animation, lighting and narration.

It’s difficult designing a set of windows, which begin life as simple line drawings, which sit on a white page. The audience have an expectation for high detail, glitz etc. year in / year out, but this is not always possible, if I am to stay truthful to the chosen book.

Over the 15 years of designing & building the windows, I have tried to present as many varied themes as possible – the one underlining goal is to stimulate childhood reading.

Merry Christmas

John Kerr
Creative Director

I had also asked people to leave comments on their favourite Myer Christmas windows and I have since found that Myer have now listed on their website the theme of each window from 1956. You can see the list here and some even have photos -

1974_1

Filed Under: book related cool stuff, Christmas
Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String….

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String….

11 December 2009 by · Leave a Comment

we-heart-packages

It’s a busy time of year but it’s always fun wrapping lovely parcels for people ordering gorgeous books for the special little (and big) people in their life.

Our cut offs for postage from We Heart Books  are – regular post orders by Monday 21 December.

Express Post orders may be placed by Wednesday 23 December for capital city customers.

Filed Under: Christmas, We Heart Books Store

A Christmas Carol

17 November 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Ned’s dad and I were watching At the Movies the other night when Margaret and David reviewed the new animated – Performance Capture animation - film version of A Christmas Carol. We both agreed that we thought the story was very dark and not really appropriate for little kids, although maybe many people will be drawn in by the fact that it is animated – so beautifully. I guess it is the same question about audience that has been debated with the Spike Jonze film version of Where the Wild Things Are.

A Christmas Carol is a dark and grim story that I have never really related to Christmas even though that is the theme of the novel. There have been countless film adaptations of Scrooge and his redemption and my main memory is of the Disney charcter version with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

Today I saw this book trailer for a version of A Christmas Carol illustrated by the amazing Brett Helquist.

I cannot think of a more appropriate illustrator for this classic story, his Scrooge reminds me a bit of Count Olaf! Having not ever owned a copy of the Dickens story (although this one is an adaptation) I think this will be the version I lash out and buy this Christmas because although it’s grim I think it’s one I should have.

Filed Under: Age 8+, Christmas, Classics, Illustrators, Picture books
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