SPARROW'S BLUE CHRISTMAS

Sparrow learns to hold space for others’ mixed feelings at Christmastime.

While Sparrow joyfully anticipates the upcoming holiday, encounters with those who feel sad, lonely, or anxious about Christmas give him pause. But instead of truly listening to friends Owl, Rabbit, and Hedgehog, Sparrow points out the highlights of the season or invites them to take part in fun activities with him. A turning point arrives when Sparrow faces out toward readers, surrounded not by the winter wonderland settings of prior spreads but instead a backdrop of blue festooned with starlike snowflakes to evoke a contemplative state. “Maybe it’s okay to not always be jolly on Christmas," Sparrow observes. "We can make room for both joy and sadness. All feelings are welcome at Christmas.” While the theme of holidays being fraught with mixed emotions may strike some as more relevant to adults than children, it is handled with sensitivity and balanced by the playful illustrations. In a transitional wordless spread, Sparrow gives notes to each of the struggling characters, who then all join together for a Christmas gathering with conversation, songs, hymns, and prayers. “Knowing they are not alone in feeling blue makes Christmas seem a little bit brighter”—as does “knowing God is with them.”

Warm acknowledgment that Yuletide isn’t always a holly, jolly time.