Ellen Jackson has a series of children’s picture books regrading various Earth-based holidays. So, when I ordered a copy of The Winter Solstice years ago, I had great expectations. Instead, I found a book focused solely from a Judeo-Christian perspective, even stating empirically that we now celebrate the winter solstice with Christmas and Hannukah.
Most families searching for books of this nature are looking for something that doesn’t revolve around Christmas. Jackson completely missed the mark on this book. I would even have been happy with a book which talked about how Christmas traditions are actually taken from Winter Solstice celebrations. Instead, it’s a book which discounts everything about the solstice and fails to acknowledge the light and goodness which has been shown around the holiday throughout the years.
I won’t refuse to read the book to my children, but I will make clarifications when reading it. I would not purchase this book again.
living peacefully with children 
SO great to hear! I had heard nothing but rave reviews about this book, but once I found it, I was REALLY disappointed. It seemed written entirely from the perspective of someone who really only celebrated Christmas and couldn’t figure out why anyone present-day might choose to celebrate Solstice. What about those of us who ONLY celebrate Winter Solstice? I’d rather there not be so much emphasis upon Christmas as the modern Winter Solstice!