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A SMALL CHRISTMAS by Wong Herbert Yee

A SMALL CHRISTMAS

by Wong Herbert Yee & illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee

Pub Date: Sept. 27th, 2004
ISBN: 0-618-32612-X
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

It’s Fireman Small to the rescue once again. When Santa falls into the firehouse’s coal bin, and his soiled red outfit comes out of the washing machine waaaaaay shrunken, there’s nothing for it but for Small to put it on, load up the fire truck with gifts, and head out to make those eagerly awaited deliveries. As in the diminutive do-gooder’s three previous outings, Yee combines a patchily rhymed text—“Fireman Small speeds along to the next house / Dropping off presents for Possum and Mouse,” etc—with engaging watercolors featuring a pint-sized, dot-eyed, brown-skinned local hero solemnly doing what needs to be done. And, in the end, Small wakes from an exhausted slumber on Christmas Day to find a little package from Santa just for him under the firehouse tree. A well-timed reminder that small bodies can hold big hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)