Winter Words

Children’s book reviews by Tacoma writer Rebecca Young appear monthly on the Families page.

“The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey” by Susan Wojciechowski

Hidden in a drawer in Jonathan Toomey’s house is a lace handkerchief, an embroidered cloth, a woolen shawl, a white baby blanket, a tiny pair of blue socks and a sketch of a mother and baby framed in beautifully carved wood. The items are hidden in the drawer because Toomey, a masterful woodcarver, finds it too painful to remember the wife and baby he lost a few years ago. No wonder the people in his village have never seen him smile. No wonder he walks hunched over, even though he is a relatively young man. No wonder the children call him Mr. Gloomy.

One early winter day, the widow McDowell knocks on his door. Would he be able to carve her a creche in time for Christmas to replace a lost family heirloom? And could her young son Thomas watch him work? He consents. At first Toomey is annoyed by the chattering young boy, who has definite ideas about how each figure in the creche should look. But gradually the child’s enthusiasm and the quiet presence of his mother knitting in a chair nearby begin to chip away at the wall Toomey has erected around himself.

Each day the widow brings Toomey a baked treat to have with his supper, and each day the creche moves closer to completion.

On Christmas Eve, the mother and son stop by with gifts - a crudely carved robin and a red woolen scarf. Toomey tells the boy he is about to carve the mother and child, and asks how they should look. “‘They were the most special of all,’ said Thomas. ‘Jesus was smiling and reaching up to his mother and Mary looked like she loved him very much.”’

Late into the night, the woodcarver throws sketch after sketch into the fire. Nothing satisfies him. At midnight, he goes to his drawer of mementos and takes out the sketch of the mother and child smiling with love at each other. For a time he sits, holding the picture against his chest, tears trickling down his cheeks. Finally he sets the picture up on his workbench and begins to carve furiously. In the morning, he brings a box to the widow McDowell’s door. Inside are sheep, wise men, angels, a cow, Joseph - and Mary and Jesus, smiling with love at each other.

This is a beautiful story, with lovely paintings by P.J. Lynch. The quality of light and the expressions on the characters’ faces are perfect. The relationship between Toomey and the McDowells is developed with exquisite subtlety by writer and artist. This is a keeper, to be read aloud and treasured for Christmases to come. (Candlewick Press, ages 4 and up. 36 pgs., $15.95.)

“The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza” by David Shannon

We all love to drive by those enormous neighborhood Christmas displays: Santa and his reindeer flying off the roof; wooden, motorized elves making toys on a front lawn, and lights, thousands of them. But as we join the long lines of cars, would we really want one of these houses on our street? That’s what this funny and colorful picture book is about.

Mr. Merriweather is proud of his tasteful string of white lights around his front window - until his neighbor Mr. Clack comes over and boasts about his 17 strings of blinking, colored lights. That afternoon, a possessed Mr. Merriweather piles the kids into the station wagon and heads to five department stores. By the end of the day his car is so full of Christmas decorations, the tailgate won’t close. He spends the next few days adding decorations to his house, and shopping for more. By the time he is done, there is a true Christmas extravaganza in his yard.

A recording of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” blares from loud speakers, with life-sized cutouts of maids-a-milking and swans-aswimming. There is a Santa’s workshop complete with elves; enormous snowmen made of Styrofoam, and the crowning touch - a 50-foot Santa with a mechanical arm that waves. People come from three counties away, jamming the streets, honking and yelling. The neighbors stop enjoying their own Christmas decorations and celebrations. Pushed to the limit, they arrive at a drastic solution. In the end, Mr. Merriweather and his neighbors rediscover the true meaning of Christmas - the people they love.

This is a picture book that will best be appreciated by older children. My 10-year-old daughter has read it three times. My 7-year-old son was also enthusiastic. My 5-year-old boy enjoyed Shannon’s bright, fanciful pictures, but lost interest in the story. (Blue Sky/Scholastic, ages 5 and up, 32 pgs., $15.95.)

“Snow Riders” by Constance W. McGeorge

It is often said that there are no new stories, and this picture book is no exception. In this tale, children create imaginary creatures - this time snow horses - that magically come to life and take them on an adventure. This is a likable story about Molly and her little brother Matthew’s snowy night adventure. What makes it stand out are the wonderful watercolor illustrations by Mary Whyte. The first picture in the book is especially charming. Molly dreamily draws a horse, while Matthew watches the snow, while cuddling his stuffed dog on the windowsill. Molly’s drawing is reflected in her round glasses. (Not many children’s books feature bespectacled children.) Another great illustration looks down on the children from above as they roll a huge snowball, leaving a trail of snowy mashed-down grass behind them. The white horses are also lovely after they become real. (Chronicle Books, ages 4-8, 32 pgs., $12.95.)

“Winter Rescue” by W.D. Valgardson

Thor is hooked on Saturday morning cartoons. But during a winter visit to his grandparents he discovers that his grandfather needs his help this Saturday morning. Grandfather is an ice fisherman and his helper is sick. It’s bad enough that Thor has to miss his superhero cartoons, he also has to get up while it’s still dark and bundle up in six layers of clothing. Thor’s annoyance is replaced by interest, as he successfully helps his grandpa set the fishing net and haul in a plentiful catch. Then he gets the chance to be as brave as a superhero when a reckless snowmobiler plunges through a weak patch of ice.

“Winter Rescue” is a longer picture book that combines an exciting story with fascinating information about the Icelandic fisherman who live in Gimli, in Canada. Ange Zhang’s colored pencil illustrations are lively, lovely and full of details that help show how ice fishing works. In this case, it’s much more involved than sawing a round hole in the ice and dropping in a fishing line. There’s also a recipe for ponnukokur, an IcelandicCanadian pancake dessert. (Margaret K. McElderry Books, ages 7-10, 40 pgs., $15.)