Thinking Ahead- Christmas!

Nelson, Natalie. Dog's First Christmas
October 1, 2024 by Quirk Books

Copy provided by the publisher
 

In this third board book in the Dog and Cat's First series, Dog and Baby are preparing for Christmas. There's a tree with decorations (which are not fofr throwing or tugging), crafts, and lots of food. There are snowsuits for the cold weather that don't make either character happy, although they do like to be outside where they can make friends with a snowman. The two go caroling, investigate an advent calendar, and hang up stockings before the big day arrives and they get to open up boxes!

This simple story will delight fans of the first two books, and offer important information for readers approaching their own first Christmas-- don't throw ornaments or tug at the tree! This will be a good springboard for endless conversation about crafts, food, and holiday activities, and the illustrations have plenty of detail to have young readers engaged in pointing out different items. It may even be good for removing some of the grumpiness from faces when snowsuits are brought out. If you want to go play in the snow, you have to wear the hat, mittens, and boots!

Baby looks to be about nine months old; sitting up, but not quite yet walking, and wearing an array of adorable Christmas themed sleepers. Baby's mother is shown in several of the scenes, taking pictures or carrying a sleeping Baby, but the stars of the show are certainly Dog and Baby. 

We had a rule in my family that the Christmas songs couldn't be played, and the Christmas books couldn't be read, until Thanksgiving. During the month leading up to the holiday, books like Boyton's Moo, Baa, Fa La La, Emmett's Christmas Street, or Symmes' Merry Little Christmas were in frequent rotation, because they were new, special, and "limited time only". I can see Dog's First Christmas being a seasonal favorite that might accidentally get spared being put away so that it can stay year round on the shelf with Cat's First Baby and Dog's First Baby. 

Barnett, Mac and Smith, Sydney (illus.)

Santa's First Christmas

October 22, 2024 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Copy provided by the publisher 

Every year, like many adults, Santa makes lots of people happy with his preparations for Christmas, but gets up every Christmas morning (after sleeping in a tiny bit) and gets right back to work. He doesn't let himself enjoy the same sort of Christmas that he provides to others, which makes a local bear curious. The elves agree with the bear that Santa deserves a little bit of a holiday. The elves make preparations, and when Santa wakes up Christmas morning ready to head to his workshop, they play him with breakfast in bed, and then suggest they go pick out a tree. Once the enormous tree is installed in the house, it of course has to be decorated. After stockings are hung and a fire it lit, Santa is in a holiday mood and ready for the next activities. Lights are strung up to illuminate the North Pole, Christmas cookies are made, and a polar bear makes an appearance as Santa to distribute toys. There's a delicious feast, and at the end of the day Santa has had so much fun that he decides to celebrate  Christmas every year. 

Smith's artwork is very impressionistic, which gives a cozy feel to the book. It just begs to be read while cuddled in a plaid blanket, with a cup of cocoa close at hand. It also makes sense to have a mythical place like the North Pole rendered in an unfocused, dreamy way. Of course, this made the view of Santa's kitchen, which looks like the vast majority of suburban kitchens I've had, all the homier. 

This is more gently funny than Barnett's frenetic The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza or goofy Mac B.: Spy Kid series, but still has humorous moments with the elves and the very exuberant polar bear! 

This is a fun addition to stories that reimage Santa's every day life, like Sharff and Kaban's When Santa Came to Stay Fergus' The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Himself, or  Barnes' Santa's Gotta Go.   It will delight children who still believe in Santa Claus, since they will be glad that he gets to experience the same joys that they do, and parents will nod wearily as they read this at bedtime, knowing they will spend half the night putting together a toy, and get up in the morning and have to make waffles for breakfast AND Christmas dinner!