? Stick Man by Julia Donaldson, illustrations by Axel Scheffler, NY, Arthur A. Levine, $19.99
DONALDSON'S venture into the Christmas market comes after her rousing success with The Gruffalo, a much-loved picture book that has become a modern classic and is a favourite of this reviewer's small granddaughter.
Stick Man's adventure, told in verse, relates how his identity is mistaken by everyone he encounters and causes him to fear that he will never manage to be reunited with his stick wife and three stick children. Among other things, he is thrown in a river, used as a flagpole, an arm for a snowman and finally a piece of firewood for the grate. His luck changes when he is fortuitously able to rescue Santa who is stuck in the chimney and a happy Stick Man is delivered back to his twiggy family's tree home on Christmas Eve.
Stick Man's cheery little character is cleverly depicted by the illustrator, who uses double-page spreads as well as multiple illustrations per page to advance the storyline. Bright and cheerful colours and touches of humour are everywhere. The sun sports a smiley face, the stick kids sleep under a leafy covering and a small Gruffalo ornament decorates the Christmas tree. Birds, forest animals, humans and even mantel ornaments wear happy smiles. Give this book to all those Gruffalo-lovers and watch them smile as well. It's also available in board book format for tinier hands.
There are plenty of other Christmas picture books available this season, many by established authors. Melanie Watt, a Canadian author, has added to the Scaredy Squirrel series with Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas. Needless to say, this chicken-hearted character has the usual fearful issues. Another Canadian, Sheryl McFarlane, author of several picture books, has given us Island Christmas, illustrated by Sheena Lott. It tells a story based on a real-life philanthropist who used his boat to bring toys to isolated B.C. coastal communities. And Helaine Becker's Porcupine in a Pine Tree is a great Canadian take on a popular Christmas song.
Judy Barrett sheds light on Santa's childhood with Santa from Cincinnati and Eileen Spinelli gives a winter spin on a counting book with Together at Christmas.
Pete the Cat Saves Christmas is Eric Litwin's third title in a wildly popular series about an upbeat cat. And as was the case with the earlier books, a downloadable song is also available.
Tomie de Paola's lovely pictures decorate The Birds of Bethlehem, which accompanies text from the King James version of the bible. Another story which explores the meaning of Christmas is Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck. Mark Buehner's illustrations add much to this heartwarming story. A special favourite of this reviewer is The Christmas Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood, an understated and quietly amusing commentary on some special aspects of the holiday.
Give the little ballerina in your life a delightful book by James Mayhew, Ella Bella Ballerina and the Nutcracker. This is part of a series in which a little girl is swept into popular ballets. And for the dinosaur-crazed, try Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? Very young children who have doubtless encountered this author's board books will enjoy the beat of Sandra Boynton's Christmas Parade.
Fran Ashdown worked for many years as the children's librarian at the Capilano Branch of the NV District Library. She will be sharing her favourite Christmas books with her granddaughter this holiday season. For more information check your North Shore libraries.
