- endearing and memorable story based in a rural area of the Appalachian mountains
- multiple levels of “paying it forward”
- a boy learns about needs vs. wants
- Santa Claus mentioned
- delightful paintings
Type: picture book
Ages: 4-8
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Chris K. Soentpiet
Quite a unique Christmas book in the ocean of Christmas books! I enjoyed it and only wished that the boy had realized the lessons of his childhood earlier than he did–but isn’t that true of most of us. 😉