The 2009 holiday season has begun. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and people have started brainstorming for Christmas.

The BYU Bookstore holds an annual Book Talk on the first Monday in November to inform people of the variety of books available for Christmas gift giving.

This year the Book Talk showcased an array of books with Christmas and non-Christmas themes, free book lists and an opportunity for those in attendance to win books.

Janice Card and Anita Charles, the BYU children’s book buyers, presented their favorite books for Christmas giving. The books ranged from “animotion” books that have pictures the reader can move back and forth, making candles flicker and Santa shake his belly, to books about truces made at the front lines in World War I during Christmas.

Both women excitedly introduced their books and talked about how each one could bring Christmas spirit and motivate the imaginations of people young and old.

Card said “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus” by L. Frank Baum is a book about the adventures of Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, the elves and the reindeer who go to a place called Santa Island after Christmas.

“Imagine playing tug-o-war with gingerbread men, or playing tackle football with 50 elves tackling you and note the dangers of playing soccer with a nutcracker,” Card said.

She also shared a book called “The True Gift,” by Patricia MacLachlan, the author of “Sarah Plain and Tall.” The cover has a picture of two little cows on it which Card gave a specific warning about.

“If you give this book to a family, make sure they are not having roast beef,” Card said. “Brown cow and white cow figure into the story quite heavily and the children would be very distressed if they were eating cows.”

Charles said she wanted to present books she would be using for Christmas this year. She displayed books about frog scientists, books that teach people how to be sensitive to artwork, books about unfinished angels and Christmas books with beautiful artwork.

Charles said one of her favorite books for this year was “Voices of Christmas” by Nikki Grimes.

She said it was a poetry book about all the people who had a part in the Nativity and read the beginning page of the book describing the angel Gabriel pacing the halls of heaven with a message for Mary.

“The author speaks to my heart and she speaks to the faith in me,” Charles said.

Lana Osmun, a BYU alumna from Cedar Hills, said she enjoys attending the Book Talk when she can and loves to give books as Christmas gifts.

“They are always good gifts because they are educational and fun,” Osmun said. “I think all kids love books.”