Pulver and Johnson team up for a sequel to their Christmas for a Kitten (2003). In that story, Santa rescues a homeless orange kitten and takes him back to the North Pole. The sequel finds Santa at home with his feline friend, newly named Cookie, but alas, poor Santa is allergic to cats. After a quick review of children’s Christmas letters, a new home is found for the kitten, and Mrs. Claus drives the sleigh for an additional Christmas Eve delivery. Though the story is long and chatty in tone, the dramatic oil paintings have a striking impact, with varying perspectives and a theatrical sense of staging and lighting to increase the dramatic tension. Those who enjoyed the original story as well as cat-lovers of any age will savor the sweet flavor of Cookie’s Christmas chronicle. (Picture book. 4-8)
