Hello, friends! Our holiday countdown week continues with The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story by Kallie George and Stephanie Graegin, a wonderfully cute tale of selfless kindness.

It’s Christmas Eve, and four friends – Deer, Rabbit, Bird, and Squirrel – have gathered on Merry Woods Hill to watch Santa fly overhead. As they see the jolly figure fly by in his sleigh, they watch as a gust of wind knocks loose one of his presents and sends it to the Earth. When Santa does not come back for it, the friends decide to investigate (with the exception of Squirrel, who is adamantly opposed to getting involved in any way). The friends locate the gift and find that it is for the new baby at the nearby farm, her very first gift for her very first Christmas. The friends (even the reluctant Squirrel) decide to deliver the present themselves – it’s what Santa would want! But the terrain is snowy, and the farm is a long walk away. Can the friends make the delivery in time for Christmas?

This is pure, sugary Christmas sweetness and I adored it. The animals’ selfless kindness and generosity (which is repaid by a grateful Santa), the adorable interactions between the guileless friends, the sense of hope and goodwill the story produces by its end – this is a perfect story to put little readers in the mood for Christmas. The illustrations are darling, the woodland pals in their winter scarves enormously endearing in every scene. The length is fine, and JJ loved it as well. This would make a great gift and/or a fabulous Christmas Eve read, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!