Just So Stories

A Little Pink Dog Books Publication

Exisle Publishing

ISBN 9780648256342

2019

RRP; $24.99

For whatever reason, I had never seen this charmer until Sandra Severgnini brought it to my attention a week or so ago (so thank you Little Pink Dog for sending it to me).

With echoes of the magic imbued in Samuel Clement Moore’s The Night Before Christmas or Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman, this is a whimsical and gentle peek into a Christmas night filled with wonder.

All year round the garden looks quite Christmassy with fir trees, and a garden seat that almost looks like a sleigh, as well as garden gnomes that could nearly be elves. The garden is owned by Mr Dawes who looks remarkably like Santa himself. And every Christmas the garden becomes a showpiece for people to admire, with baubles hanging from the trees and songbooks held by the stone angels.

It’s a well-kept secret, known only to his neighbour, that on Christmas Night after everyone is asleep, the garden come to life magically with the garden seat becoming an actual sleigh filled with presents, and the wooden reindeer suddenly transformed into living creatures. And of course, Mr Dawes donning his red-and-white suit to spread the joy of Christmas around the world.

Readers will enjoy the rhyming text but they will love the absolutely delightful illustrations, especially the exquisite details like the little pinecone birdies and woodcut rabbits. It has an old-fashioned feel to it that parents and grandparents will appreciate sharing with their Smalls very much and I think it would make an excellent read-aloud, especially for Xmas Eve. I’m giving it a 4 🎄🎄🎄🎄 rating.