When I love you at Christmas by David Bedford and Tamsin Ainslie

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Little Hare 2010. ISBN 978 1 921541261.
Picture book. The repetition on each page will encourage readers to join in with the language as they turn each page to find the young girl preparing for Christmas. Wrapping the gifts, making biscuits, hanging stars from the tree, singing and dancing and making cards are all done on the days before Christmas, and the toy tells the little girl that is when she loves her, getting ready for the day. But it goes on for she is also loved when she tosses and turns waiting for the day, and then when it comes, she is also loved opening presents, but the best of times is when the little girl gives her toy a present.
Full of the wonderful things a child does before Christmas, and following through the things done on Christmas Day, the book turns the story from being child centred and present centred to the toy loving being loved and hugged at Christmas. The presents lie around forgotten; it is the warmth of the holding and loving that is more important. A cute reminder of the best things at Christmas, this book will be a neat antidote to the commercial aspects thrown at children at this time of the year.
Fran Knight

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