A Christmas Too Big
written and illustrated by Colleen Madden
Two Lions, 2021, 40 pages
The day after Thanksgiving has arrived and that means the Christmas season has begun, and Kerry's family is filled with the holiday spirit - maybe a little too much spirit as far as Kerry is concerned.
Now, there are lights to be strung everywhere, music plays throughout the house all the time, lots and lots holiday cookies are being made, and of course, the family watches all the Christmas specials on television that were ever made, and little brother hides elves all over the house. But when her family buys the biggest Christmas tree they can find, Kerry has had enough of over zealous Christmasing. So she puts on her coat and heads outside.
Before going home, Kerry shows Mrs. Flores how to open the present she received from her family in Mexico - tablet so that they can see and talk to each other. It is, indeed, becoming a wonderful Christmas for Mrs. Flores and a different kind of Christmas for Kerry, who finally is feeling some holiday spirit.
Told in the third person from Kerry's point of view, A Christmas Too Big is a sweet, heartwarming story that reminds us that Christmas isn't really just about decorations, songs, cookies, and movies, it's also about peace and goodwill. Sometimes those two things can get lost or buried in the all the excitement of the Christmas season. But, peace and goodwill are exactly what Kerry brings home after her visit with Mrs. Flores. When Kerry lights her own candle for Mrs. Flores and her family, her mom suggests they invite her over for Christmas dinner.
Madden uses plenty of humor mixed into this story, so it doesn't sound at all preachy, and most importantly, it isn't at all judgmental with regards to the way Kerry's family celebrates Christmas, instead it organically includes Kerry's contributions into their celebrations. Madden also includes lots of Spanish words into the story, all of which are easy to understand because she has seamlessly incorporated their meaning into the text and her colorful illustrations.
The digitally produced illustrations are boldly colored and full of details just as they should be and that young readers will love to explore. When you only live a few miles and one river away from Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, known far and wide for their elaborate holiday decorations, you can really appreciate the wonderful, true to life illustrations in A Christmas Too Big.
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| Dyker Heights, Brooklyn (click to enlarge) |
Be sure to check out the end papers where you will find a variety of traditional Christmas objects. The front end papers has the names of each item in English, and the back end papers has the name of the same objects in Spanish. And there are simple instructions for making Mrs. Flores' tissue paper flores de Navidad that you can use to decorate your own home. It would also be a great class project after reading the book together.
A Christmas Too Big is a wonderful, bilingual, intergeneration story to share with your young readers as a family read aloud and is sure to become a family favorite, read again and again. I can't wait to share it with my young readers next time we meet.
This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media
Meet the Author:
Colleen Madden grew up in a crazy Christmas house and, like Kerry, she found a break by spending time with her neighbor who was from another country. She has illustrated many children's books, including the bestselling What If Everybody? series, written by Ellen Javernick, and the picture book adaptation of All I Want for Christmas, by Mariah Carey. She recently published Monkey Walk, her debut as both author and illustrator, and is currently working on her first graphic novel. She lived in Philadelphia with her husband and two sons.
Reviews:
“An intergenerational friendship and a busy holiday made meaningful set this title apart.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Madden’s bilingual tale strikes both humorous and poignant notes; the visual blend of comic-style panels, playful fonts, speech bubbles in both English and Spanish, and traditional spreads offers readers plenty to celebrate.” —Publishers Weekly
The illustrations look beautiful and the story sounds fun. I like that there is a lesson without it being preachy. Thanks for sharing. I will look for this one. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess