Dasher and the Polar Bear by Matt Tavares

Dasher, the little doe who left the travelling circus to follow her dreams of living where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head, and subsequently changed Christmas forever,  is back in her third adventure - this time while she is practising her flying, she stops to admire the Northern Lights and is startled by a loud roar!  But George the polar bear is not as scary as she feared - in fact, he is lonely and is somewhat mesmerised by Dasher's ability to fly, something he would love to do himself. 

But even though Dasher spends a lot of time trying to teach him, it seems his four feet are destined to remain on the ground.  But when she returns to her mother and recounts her adventures, her mother has some wise advice - "Christmas magic isn't the same for everyone.  And sometimes it works in unexpected ways."

Does that mean that one day George will, indeed, fly?

Set against the beautiful artwork that portrays the starry polar sky and give the story a sense of realism, this is a one that is going to reinforce the magic of this special time as well as raise a smile as little ones imagine the spectacle of George's landings. Whether shared as part of the series, or a standalone, it is one that reminds us of the intangible, long-lasting gifts that Christmas offers, like reaching out to strangers.  

Themes: Reindeer, Christmas.

Barbara Braxton