CHRISTMAS AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD
by Tim Coffey & illustrated by Tim Coffey
The main characters of this gentle story are three sweet, appealing reindeer: Papa, Mama, and their son, Little Reindeer. Papa leaves for a mysterious winter journey to “a magical place, at the top of the world,” and on Christmas Eve, Little Reindeer sets out to find his father. He’s followed by other animals and his mother, and they arrive at the North Pole just in time to meet Santa and see Papa fly off with the reindeer team that pulls Santa and his sleigh. Coffey’s paintings have a naïve charm; his animals often look like hand-carved folk sculptures and his tiny, snow-covered houses and brightly lit trees looking like a vintage toy village. The text is printed on a pale golden background with a subtle swirling pattern echoed in the art with the curved branches of bushes and delicate swirls that represent the north wind calling to Little Reindeer. The engaging story has a calm, reassuring quality about it, and the well-integrated text and art flow seamlessly toward the quiet ending with Little Reindeer and his mother asleep on Christmas Eve. (Picture book. 3-6)