When I was a little girl, I loved to play with paper dolls. My mother often joined me. Christmas is all about family. I miss my mother all year round, but especially during the holidays. I dedicate this page to my mom, and all the fine hours we had "playing" together when I was growing up, and beyond. I hope you will have fun with these things too. Just print them off and do what you do naturally! They are here especially for you.

Merry Christmas!

Janet Elaine Smith

PRINT ME OFF

THEN COLOR ME

THE READERS' CORNER
(Order these now by clicking on covers)

Every good writer starts out as a good reader. As a child, my parents encouraged me to read. I often went to bed with a book in my hands, the lights on (which was my undoing), trying to sneak a few chapters of Nancy Drew or Anne of Green Gables in before I got caught.
My bedroom was right above my parents' bedroom, and we had an open vent in my floor to allow the heat to get upstairs. When they would see my light still on, my dad would take the broom handle and bang on their ceiling to warn me to turn the lights off. He kept the broom beside the bed just for that purpose.
One day, frustrated, I told Mr. Carlson, who owned the local Grinden's Dime Store, about my dilemma. He wisely told me to slide a rug over the vent in the floor so my parents couldn't see that my light was still on. This worked for several months, until I forgot to move it one morning and my goose was cooked!

ADD THESE TO YOUR "WISH LIST"

There is nothing more fun to get under the tree than a book that can transport you to other worlds and other times. These are three of my favorites. To make it easier for Mom and Dad (or Santa), all they have to do is click on the cover and they can order them from Amazon.com

CALLING ALL HARRY POTTER FANS

This one will WOW! you

Click on cover to read this book now

Click on cover to read about Alexander now

(Read these books now by clicking on covers)

Click on cover to read this story now

A long time ago, when our children were small, my husband Ivan told them (and me) about a story he read when he was a little boy. The name of the books was "The Three Sillies." We went to the library to see if they had it, and the librarian did not know the story. A little boy who was standing nearby said, "I know that book, Mister." He headed to the shelves and grabbed the book and handed it to Ivan, who brought it home to read to the kids. You can read the entire story by clicking on the book cover here.

It is a Christmas tradition in many homes to read "The Night Before Christmas" on Christmas eve. Many newspapers publish it every year. You can read it by clicking on that cover above.

Our daughter Raquel, when she was a little girl, had a favorite book of her own. It was "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Day." You can read it by clicking on that cover. Raquel has graduated from college and has a degree in English. She is the manager of a Wendy's restaurant. The next time you eat a burger at Wendy's, say a little "thank you" to Raquel for introducing you to Alexander.

PUZZLED?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to explore an ancient castle? If you put the puzzle together you can build your own castle. It's Dunnottar Castle in Scotland.