The Mouse That Saved Christmas

A bilingual English/Spanish Christmas story about a small mouse who makes a big difference.

Christmas isn’t a very exciting time for a mouse. Unless, like the mouse in this enchanting children’s book, you happen to wander into Santa’s bag of presents. Then, you might find yourself flying with Santa on Christmas Eve, freezing in the open sleigh. Santa may want to drop this mouse at the nearest house, but he soon learns it can be handy to travel with a small mammal. When Dasher gets something stuck in his eye and steering becomes difficult, it’s up to the brave mouse to scamper down the reins and remove the speck of dust, saving Christmas. The mouse ends up in a warm house with a bag of nuts to chew on. The illustrations—done in deep colors (red sleigh, blue skies, yellow reins and reindeer horns)—lean toward cartoonish rather than complicated and add to the tale’s charm. The simple house, village, and even Santa’s sleigh all offer visions of a tranquil world steeped in Christmas cheer. There is definitely suspense (Christmas might be ruined!) to drive the plot, but there is also almost no doubt that there will be a happy ending for the book’s adorable little protagonist. Children will only get a brief introduction to the Spanish or English language, but that’s appropriate for the intended audience. The only problem is that the translation is misaligned with the text for a few pages, but this is an easily fixable gaffe in an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable read.

A charming Christmas story that proves that even the smallest creatures can play a big role in saving the day.