Christmas Magic - Hardcover

reS-Gr 2-On a Christmas Eve that seems especially magical, a little girl builds a snow-woman. During the night, she sees Katrina come to life and dance with the snowman next door, the stockings jump down from the mantel and form a chorus line, and mice bake pies. It could all have been a dream, but in the morning, the two snow people who started out in different yards are standing side-by-side. The illustrations of a Victorian household and a snowy night are stronger than the text, which has a somewhat contrived plot and flat prose.-V. W.GIBBONS, Gail. Christmas Is- illus. by author. unpaged. CIP. Holiday House. Oct. 2001. RTE $16.95. ISBN 0-8234-1582-1. LC PreS-Gr 2-A first introduction to Christmas that briefly explains the birth of Christ; some of the popular figures and symbols such as angels, Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus, Christmas trees, stockings, and gifts; and how the holiday is celebrated. Gibbons masterfully explains concepts simply, clearly, and in a visually appealing way. Her two to three sentences per topic (with the exception of Christ's birth) give just enough information to help youngsters understand the meaning of the season. The attractive watercolor cartoons and simple prose make this a perfect read-aloud for one-on-one sharing or a solid choice for newly independent readers.-M. W.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4-8. Christmas Eve can be a magical night, as Emily discovers. She awakens to find mice baking holiday pies, the Christmas stockings dancing, the angel decorations fluttering about the house, and, in a truly magical scene, the snow-woman she built in the front yard waltzing with the neighbor boy's snowman. Garland's illustrations are as bright as Christmas presents--from a front cover that shines like green foil wrapping paper to the family's Victorian house, with gingerbread trim, patterned wallpaper, and cast-iron stove, to Emily's dream-perfect snowfall coating the bare trees. The story is slight, but with the large, colorful pages and holiday atmosphere, it's ideal for December sharing. Catherine Andronik
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