{"id":31911,"date":"2016-12-18T00:05:47","date_gmt":"2016-12-18T04:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=31911"},"modified":"2016-12-18T00:05:47","modified_gmt":"2016-12-18T04:05:47","slug":"review-of-the-christmas-boot-by-lisa-wheeler-illustrated-by-jerry-pinkney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=31911","title":{"rendered":"Review of The Christmas Boot, by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"christmas_boot_large\"<\/a>The Christmas Boot<\/em><\/p>\n

by Lisa Wheeler
\nillustrated by Jerry Pinkney<\/p>\n

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2016. 32 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a wonderful new Christmas story. As the book opens, we see an older lady out in the snow. She has a hat, coat, and scarf, but her hands are bare.<\/p>\n

Deep in the forest on Christmas morning, Hannah Greyweather gathered bundles of kindling wood. For her, this day was no different from any other. As she went about her chores, she chatted to the forest, she talked to the mountains, but mostly she spoke to herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrrrrr,\u201d she said to the mountain. \u201cWill this winter ever be over? It chills my bones.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mountain didn\u2019t answer.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then Hannah sees a boot in the snow.<\/p>\n

\u201cGlory be!\u201d Hannah exclaimed to the forest. \u201cWho could\u2019ve lost this?\u201d<\/p>\n

The forest remained silent.<\/p>\n

And since her feet were fully freezing, and since it looked to be such a nice boot, she slipped her rag-wrapped left foot deep within it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAhhh,\u201d Hannah said. \u201cThat does feel nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

It surely must have, for when she slid her tiny foot into the very large boot, it suddenly took on the shape and size of Hannah\u2019s own foot. The boot fit perfectly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That night, as she goes to sleep, Hannah says, \u201cI only wish I had your mate.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the morning, a second boot is standing next to the first one.<\/p>\n

Hannah\u2019s so happy, when she goes to gather wood, she makes snow angels.<\/p>\n

That night, Hannah placed her boots next to her bed and marveled at her good fortune.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch a magnificent find,\u201d she said to the left boot. \u201cWho could have lost such a treasure as you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boot stood silent.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter,\u201d said Hannah. \u201cI\u2019ve made good use of you. If I had mittens as toasty warm, I would be the happiest woman in the world.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And in the morning, there are bright red mittens tucked inside the boots.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the boot is magic,\u201d Hannah said to the mittens, \u201cwill it give me more? Will it give me a fluffy feather bed? A fabulous feast? A big fancy house?\u201d<\/p>\n

The mittens stayed mute.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose that is too much to ask,\u201d said Hannah. \u201cI best get about my chores.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, after her chores are finished, Hannah finds her wishes have indeed been granted, though these new ones don\u2019t \u201cfit\u201d quite as well as the first wishes.<\/p>\n

But then a man in a red hat and red suit knocks on the door. He is wearing one black boot. Hannah knows where the boot came from now, and she gives it back. When she does, all her wished-for items disappear.<\/p>\n

When the man apologizes as the wishes disappear, Hannah says, \u201cIt is as it should be. The boot didn\u2019t belong to me, but I enjoyed it while it was here.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Santa knows how to make it right.<\/p>\n

This is such a lovely book, with very large pages and Jerry Pinkney\u2019s colorful paintings. I especially like about it that Hannah isn\u2019t greedy, and she has such a joyful spirit. She delights in the lovely warm things, but isn\u2019t sad to give them up. And they help her realize that she doesn\u2019t need much to be happy.<\/p>\n

So the reader leaves smiling when Santa makes her very modest wishes come true.<\/p>\n

With lots of words on each page, it\u2019s appropriate for preschoolers who are good listeners and elementary school kids.<\/p>\n

Just a warm and wonderful new holiday story. <\/p>\n

LisaWheelerBooks.com<\/a>
\nJerryPinkneyStudio.com<\/a>
\nPenguin.com\/youngreaders<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/christmas_boot.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a>