Tis the season for...The Christmas Giant by Steve Light

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place to be when you feel the need for speed...I mean, to read.  (^_^)  Yesterday, we unleashed our wild sides with the first book in a new YA series you don't want to miss....good stuff, I assure you.  Today, we get back to the spirit of the season, story wise that is, with a frost-ily delicious book for readers of all ages.  So come one, come all!  Grab your hot chocolates (with mini-marshmallows), unfold the blanket and get ready for a holiday story full of heart.  Today's book of choice is....

The Christmas Giant

by

Steve Light

From the publisher...

Humphrey is a giant, and Leetree, his best friend, is an elf. Together they love making wrapping paper for all of Santa’s presents. But this year Santa has asked them to grow a Christmas tree, and the pair couldn’t be more excited! They take great care with their project, planting and watering, snipping and pruning. Finally, the tree is wrapped and ready, and Humphrey and Leetree set off to deliver it. But when disaster strikes, the giant and the elf must come up with a way to make things right. From a small idea comes a big plan--and a surprise no one in Christmastown will soon forget!

A simple story with a wonderful message, this book makes its mark on the holiday reading scene with lights all aglow....but let's not forget about the remarkable artwork.  You can really see the talent of this illustrator with each turn of the page.  His chosen medium, pen/ink drawings...not the easiest of choices especially if one tends to make errors from time to time (*raises hand*).  From those humble beginnings, he is able to create a winter wonderland visually worth escaping to and bring to life two characters with such attention to detail (the boughs on the trees, the curls of his beard, the prints of the wrapping paper they were making...all there in their inky glory), you won't soon forget them.  Why?  I'll tell you why. 

Humphrey and Leetree work so well together not simply in choosing tasks to aid the other based on their heights but in helping to illustrate the true spirit of the season.  Their tale is a gentle reminder to take things back to what truly matters.  The happiness of the season shouldn't be measured by how much we get or everything turning out perfect and going according to plan (though those things are nice); it's in making the most of every moment, no matter how big or small it may be and creating a holiday that is purely yours filled with memories to last a lifetime.  So go ahead, make your lists and check them twice...just remember sometimes those that may seem naughty are just in need of a little "nice".

I was lucky enough to win an autographed copy of the book along with an original drawing of Humphrey and Leetree (that shall be cherished with my holiday decorations year after year) from the author by entering through the BookBuzz feature in my daily Shelf-Awareness newsletter.  (THANKS guys!)  If you haven't signed up for their daily email of bookish goodness yet, feel free to take a moment and do so through the sign up option in my left hand sidebar...just over there <<--.  This book was published by Candlewick Press, for more information on it as well as their full catalog, feel free to visit them online.  To see more of Mr. Light's wonderful artwork and learn about his other published works, check out his official website...pretty nifty animation if I do say so myself.

Until next time...happy reading!