Best Christmas Ever

by Chih-Yuan Chen, Chih-Yuan Chen (Illustrator)

Overview

Christmas at the Bear family household is slim this year, but Mother Bear and Father Bear create holiday spirit by adorning their home with decorations sewn from outgrown clothes and a tree assembled from gathered branches dusted with flour. Little Bear worries whether Santa will come and ultimately proves to be the most resourceful to ensure that gifts are under the tree. On Christmas day everyone has a present—a mended kite for Brother; a once-missing umbrella for Sister; a favorite old hat for Father; and, for Mother, a long-lost button that has been conspicuously missing from her red dress. This charming tale demonstrates that even the smallest person can give big gifts, requiring only love and ingenuity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780976205623
Publisher:	Heryin Books, Inc.
Publication date:	09/01/2006
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.12(d)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Chih-Yuan Chen is an illustrator of children's stories and the author of The Featherless Chicken; Guji Guji (a New York Times Top 10 children's bestseller); and On My Way to Buy Eggs (named a Best Children's Book by Publishers Weekly).

Editorial Reviews

"The perfect pairing of message and image is truly a holiday treat."  —Publishers Weekly

"This is a particularly handsome book . . . . Not the usual holiday story, this catches the spirit in its own special way."  —Booklist

From the Publisher

A small bear with a big heart makes the holiday merry and bright for his family in Chen's (On My Way to Buy Eggs) tenderhearted tale featuring mixed-media illustrations as sublimely sweet as sugarplums. Little Bear intuitively knows that with his father out of work there will be no gifts this Christmas. But unbeknownst to his siblings and parents (though eagle-eye readers will spot the visual clues), the cub sets about acquiring the kind of thoughtful presents-believed to be from Santa-that make the Bears' holiday shine with love. The perfect pairing of message and image is truly a holiday treat. Ages 4-up. (Dec.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. (Starred Review)

Publishers Weekly

Little Bear is worried about his family this Christmas. His father's business failed. There is barely enough money for food. But the family works hard to make it feel like Christmas. Father Bear assembles a Christmas tree from branches he finds and decorates it with ornaments and flour "snow." Mother Bear cooks a delicious dinner for Christmas Eve. Little Bear goes to sleep that night assuring Father Bear that Santa Claus will not forget the family. And he is right! Christmas morning finds presents under the tree. Brother Bear's kite has been rescued from a tree and mended. Sister Bear's lost umbrella has been found. A lost button from Mother's favorite dress is returned. And Father's hat is restored to him. Little Bear opens his present and finds his baseball glove, clean and shiny, just like new. But how? The family spies tiny footprints around the Christmas tree. Young readers will likely spot the footprints and other clues as they reread this charming story and discover who helps the Bear family celebrate their Christmas. Chen's lyrical text is warmly supported through his artwork, which is subtle but powerful. A very tender story about making a difference to others.

Children's Literature - Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger

The quietest, calmest Christmas story ever has to be this gentle, understated tale of a family having a meaningful Christmas despite hard times. Father Bear's business has failed and he can't find work. There is no money for presents. Mother Bear sews some decorations, Father Bear makes a tree out of loose branches and Little Bear, the youngest child of three, quietly finds a simple but meaningful present for each family member. The presents are all personal items that have been lost: an umbrella, a kite, a button, a hat. Each one is wrapped and placed under the tree, and the tiny footprints in the flour "snow" beneath the tree seem to indicate that the presents were left not by Father Christmas, but by a mysterious "Toddler Christmas." Little Bear is very unobtrusive in his acquisition of these items, so the reader must go back to see him finding each thing and making his preparations. The minimalist illustrations in a subdued palette convey the sadness of the parents, the hope of the children and the pleasure experienced in simple gifts. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews