THE GIFTS
by Regina Fackelmayer and illustrated by Christa Unzner
A little girl named Mia reaches out to help others on Christmas Eve in this quietly appealing tale originally published in Switzerland. Mia loses her little Christmas tree when she helps an elderly gentleman who has fallen in the snow, and she gives away her new hat to a little boy who has lost his own. Later that night the old gentleman and the little boy arrive at Mia’s house to deliver her tree, now beautifully decorated with ornaments and candles. It’s never spelled out that the man is Santa, but children will note the clues in his muted-red clothing and pack of toys and draw their own conclusions. Unzner’s ethereal illustrations use a softly shaded palette with snowy backgrounds in pale gray, complimenting Mia’s fairylike quality in both her appearance and her solitary lifestyle. (Picture book. 3-7)