The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story

by Kallie George, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrator)

Overview

This Christmas-themed picture book about four animals delivering a lost package for Santa already feels like a classic, and makes the perfect gift this holiday season!
 
It’s Christmas Eve, and Bird, Rabbit, Deer, and Squirrel are eagerly waiting for Santa to fly overhead. When he does, a gift tumbles out of his sleigh, landing in the woods. The friends find the gift and read the tag: “For the new baby at the farm. Love, Santa.” And so, in spite of Squirrel’s grumbling—“It’s not our baby”—they set off on a long journey to deliver it. Sweet, poignant, and starring a cast of truly adorable characters, this is a story sure to be shared year after year at Christmastime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780553524833
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	10/18/2016
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	42 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kallie George holds a master's degree in children's literature from the University of British Columbia. She is the author of the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series, among other acclaimed books for children, and, in addition to writing, leads workshops for aspiring writers. Kallie lives in Vancouver, and Christmas is her favorite time of year. Visit her on the web at kalliegeorge.com.

Stephanie Graegin is the illustrator of Forget Me Not by Nancy Van Laan; Water in the Park by Emily Jenkins, which received three starred reviews; and Happy Birthday, Bunny! by Liz Garton Scanlon, which received two starred reviews. Graegin earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute for Fine Arts and her MFA in printmaking from Pratt Institute. You can visit her at graegin.com.

Editorial Reviews

09/26/2016
After Santa drops a package in the woods, a quartet of animals attempts to deliver the gift to its proper destination, in a tender story set in a hushed forest. George (Duck, Duck, Dinosaur) succinctly sketches personalities for her heroes—Rabbit is the exuberant optimist, Bird gets things done, Deer helps cheerfully, and Squirrel is a kvetch. There are some hiccups on their way to a nearby farmhouse, but it’s all worth it when they see the New Baby open her gift from Santa, a rattle. (Or, as Squirrel puts it, “a noisy, lumpy stick.”) Graegin (How to Share with a Bear) creates sweeping expanses of moonlit snow for the animals to traverse under midnight blue Christmas Eve skies, creating an atmosphere of quiet magic as the animals discover the rewards of doing a kind deed. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR The Lost Gift:

"Graegin (How to Share with a Bear) creates sweeping expanses of moonlit snow for the animals to traverse under midnight blue Christmas Eve skies, creating an atmosphere of quiet magic as the animals discover the rewards of doing a kind deed."  —Publishers Weekly

"The little animals are a charming group, each displaying a specific personality trait that contributes to the group's dynamics. Captivating illustrations use pencil-and-ink washes to create a delicate atmosphere of snow-covered trees, midnight-blue skies, and shadows in snowy fields. A delightful, quiet story with a subtle theme of giving to others as a gift in itself."  —Kirkus Reviews
 
"Listeners and readers will empathize with the characters’ emotions, captured in friendly, digitally colored pencil-and-ink-wash illustrations. The writing is simple yet expressive. And for those readers hoping to land on the 'nice' list, the story’s last line may resonate the most: 'Santa always knows.'" —Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

10/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—A quartet of young woodland animals are staying up late to catch sight of Santa flying overhead in his sleigh. They are thrilled to spot him and to wave, but when a gust of wind knocks a present out of his sleigh and it falls to the ground, the friends retrieve it and undertake a laborious journey to bring it to its intended recipient, a baby in a farmhouse, with Squirrel grumping the whole time. When they arrive back home, there's a present waiting for them, with a thank you note from Santa. There isn't much of a story here, but the sweet and slightly dorky expressions of the animals, the cartoon appeal of the illustrations, and the friends' delight at the baby's happiness will charm young readers. VERDICT A cheerful choice for lapsits or storytime.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

2016-08-17
Four animal friends find a lost package that fell from Santa’s sleigh, and by working together, they deliver the package for Santa.Rabbit, Squirrel, Deer, and Bird wait on a hilltop to see Santa fly by on Christmas Eve. The errant package falls into the snow, and the animals find a tag on the gift indicating the present is for the new baby at the farm nearby. They decide to build a sleigh to transport the present to the farm, and with much effort, they manage to deliver the package to its proper destination. The blonde, white baby is brought out on the porch by her young father, also white, to retrieve the gift. The animals peek in the window to see the baby playing with her new rattle, and she smiles at them while they watch. The animals trek back to their forest, where they find another wrapped package in the snow—a Christmas cake from Santa for his helpers. In a lovely conclusion, the four friends enjoy their cake together as the sun rises on Christmas morning. The little animals are a charming group, each displaying a specific personality trait that contributes to the group’s dynamics. Captivating illustrations use pencil-and-ink washes to create a delicate atmosphere of snow-covered trees, midnight-blue skies, and shadows in snowy fields. A delightful, quiet story with a subtle theme of giving to others as a gift in itself. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews