AUTHOR: David C. Fisher and Hilary Stewart
PUBLISHED BY: Pegasus Elliot MacKenzie
Amid all the excitement of
children waiting for Christmas day to arrive, this story highlights how animals
and birds prepare and join in with the festive season.
The story depicts magpies
clamouring for the brightest Christmas lights which have been strung around the
trees; robin hatchlings quarrelling over juicy worms whilst an unexpected bonus
egg has been laid which is to be protected, nurtured and hatched by their
mother. A cuckoo helping with hedgerow Christmas
decorations and wearing a thick-knit cable jumper joins in with the robin choir
auditions and sings with the rest of the robin choir on Christmas night, all of
them in redbreast attire. Squirrels are busy
collecting for their festive nut roast.
This is a delightful tale
reminding children that birds and animals are important and are living their
own lives, sometimes fighting for survival even during the Christmas period.
The colourful illustrations (by Hilary Stewart), bring
the story to life and make this a very enjoyable read for pre-school children
and early readers although parents or teachers may have to explain the meaning
of some of the words included, for instance: hysteria, inquest, vociferous, and
precarious.
The book’s compact size makes it
manageable for a child with small hands to hold. Plus, it has easy-to-slide pages which make
it easier for small hands eagerly wanting to turn over to the next part of the
story to handle. An added bonus it the
wipe-clean front and back covers, ideal for parents reading the story to
children with sticky fingers.
Reviewer - Anne Pritchard
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