A HOMEMADE TOGETHER CHRISTMAS

As they decorate their tree together, a family of anthropomorphic pigs decides to make all their Christmas gifts instead of buying them.

The story focuses on Luca, the son in the family of four, who struggles to come up with an idea for a gift he can create by himself. He writes down all sorts of ideas, but everything is too hard or out of season. With suggestions from his family, he tries origami birds, homemade granola, and a snow-bear sculpture, but nothing works out quite right. Finally, on Christmas Eve, he uses the remains of his previous projects to create a jar of 365 ideas for “Together To-Dos”—activities for the whole family to experience throughout the year. On Christmas morning, the first activity chosen is to “watch the sunrise from the porch.” So the family does that while sharing Momma’s gift of a tree-shaped stack of blueberry pancakes. They are kept warm by Dad’s gift of a family-sized quilt as they are entertained with sister Rosie’s original Christmas song. The story is satisfying in both length and emotional tone, with everyone contributing to the family’s celebration in a meaningful way. Charming watercolor illustrations of the porcine household include amusing clothing for all the pigs and a cozy home decorated for Christmas.

This pleasing story might well inspire some homemade Christmas gifts or even an outdoor Christmas morning breakfast with a tree-shaped stack of blueberry pancakes.