CHRISTMAS AT LAST!

A bear family anticipates Christmas in this slightly oversized board book.

Overlapping, stocking-shaped pages create easy handholds for a toddler to turn the sturdy card stock nested in a box frame. Each stocking is decorated in busy patterns—red polka dots for Daddy Bear, red, white, and blue stripes and squares for Momma, green trees for Baby, etc. The rhyming verses describe an odd assortment of presents that each cheerful bear finds in its stocking—a hat for Daddy, a scarf for Momma, mittens for Bobby. It is hard to imagine that Bonnie Bear would actually exclaim “Perfect for my dolly!” when she finds a choking hazard (buttons) in her stocking. When Baby Bear finds a carrot, he is visibly disappointed. Then the whole family goes outside to make a snowman using the hat, scarf, mittens, buttons, and carrot. With no context or prior experience, young children won't understand the mystery of the odd gifts in the stockings. Toddlers will enjoy turning the pages but won't have patience for the rhyming verses or vague storyline.

Babies and toddlers can't anticipate what they have not yet fully experienced, and this book will do little to build excitement or even curiosity about Christmas; better just bundle up and build a snowman instead.