The Gifts
In this appealing Christmas fantasy, an old-fashioned-looking girl named Mia buys a turkey for dinner, gifts for her dog and cat, a hat for herself, and a Christmas tree. Stopping to help an old man who has slipped on the ice, she leaves her tree outdoors. When she goes out searching for her forgotten tree, she gives her new hat to a little boy who has lost his. Later that night, the man and the boy appear at her doorway with her Christmas tree, decorated and lit with candles. Mia makes a likable protagonist, with her independent ways and her kind heart. A German import, the story is written with clarity and restraint, right down to the hint of magic in the ending. The artwork, sensitive drawings with washes in muted colors, includes a delicately spattered effect that textures all the illustrations and works particularly well in the snowy outdoor scenes. A quiet, satisfying picture book for Christmas. Preschool-Grade 3. --Carolyn Phelan