Little Bear wants it all for Christmas: His list is two pages long, and he stubbornly refuses to choose just one big item for his present. On Christmas morning he gets so caught up playing with his cousins and their presents that at first he forgets to look for his own Christmas gift, a tricycle, which was hidden under the stairs. The text is rather plodding, but it gets across the message that companionship with family and shared fun are more important than receiving gifts. The illustrations of the extended bear family are done in a muted palette with lots of white space, disengaging readers from the story. The bears themselves have blank expressions and seem curiously posed, like stuffed toys, rather than real characters enjoying themselves at Christmas. Well-meaning, but that's all. (Picture book. 3-6)
