CHRISTMAS FOREVER

Five beloved Christmas ornaments attempt a daring escape.

Every year a family (referred to as “the humans”) decorate their tree with a macaroni angel, a star, a brown-skinned ice skater, a snowman, and a tan-skinned gnomelike creature. The ornaments love the festivities but are sad that they spend most of their time in a storage box. Christmas is so exciting that they want it to last all year long. But the North Pole is the only place where that can happen. So the ornaments hatch a plan to sneak into Santa’s sleigh when he visits and finally fulfill their dreams of an endless Christmas. Tiptoeing across garlands and sliding down candy canes, they descend the tree. But they have a nemesis to foil—the cat. Unfortunately, one ornament is left behind. Do the others go on or turn back and give up a life of Christmas cookies, hot tubs filled with hot cocoa, and presents galore? Animated vignettes showcase each step of the intrepid journey. Telling the story from the ornaments’ perspective offers an intriguing twist. Young readers may unpack their favorite decorations and view them in a whole new light this year. The human characters—who sleep through everything—are depicted with varying shades of brown skin.

A creative Christmas caper.