MOUSE & MOLE AND THE CHRISTMAS WALK
by Doug Cushman & illustrated by Doug Cushman
Mouse and Mole's walk is an environmentally safe hunt for a Christmas tree. They find the perfect tree, but rather than cutting it down and bringing it back to Mole's to decorate, they dress the tree without removing it from the ground and make ornaments that serve as bird feeders. They visit it on Christmas morning and watch the birds happily pecking at their birdseed-covered pine cones and popcorn strings. The rest of their celebration is traditional, with hot cocoa, spice cookies, and gift-giving. In addition to the story, at the bottom of every page are scientific facts about winter that are surprisingly informative given the small format. Readers will learn why winter nights are longer and how icicles are formed, about animal camouflage, and how fish survive when lakes freeze over. Cushman's (Mouse and Mole and the Year-Round Garden, p. 301, etc.) tale is cheerful and enlightening. (Fiction/Picture book. 4-8)