Zola and the Christmas lights by Melina Marchetta. Illus. by Deb Hudson

After the wonderful series of Zola’s antics on each day of the week, What Zola did, comes this exuberant image of Christmas in the now famous Boomerang Street where Zola lives with her mother and gran. The series celebrates family and togetherness, community and friendship, and this picture book extends those wonderful strengths for younger readers. And combined with the celebration of Christmas this book will please everyone.

Zola and her best friend, Alessandro want to put up the Christmas lights just like Nonno did for many years, but Nonna has put them somewhere and does not seem to want to remember where. They have not been seen for two years. One day Zola is asked to go into the cellar to bring up some tomato sauce. The family is making lasagna for those in need in their neighbourhood. Zola is warned to remember to close the door but when she is about to do this, notices the box of decorations tucked away in the cellar.  When she and her family deliver the food to the community centre, they return to find the dogs have been in the cellar and it has been  ransacked. But Nonna and mum are not too displeased with Zola, and after spending some time cleaning up the cellar emerge to find that Alessandro has festooned the backyard with Christmas lights, just like Nonno used to do.

In the classroom they have been told of the different customs and beliefs of their neighbours and all of these people come together to celebrate Christmas and Nonno’s lights. A beautiful story of friendship, of memories at Christmas, of sharing, of community reflecting the diversity of today’s Australia. 

The dazzling illustrations reflect all the themes inherent in the text: diversity, family, memory and togetherness alongside the wonderful feelings that Christmas evokes for everyone.  Deb Hudson’s work reflect life that we all recognise, as she shows the everyday things which keep us happy. Zola hugs her dog, the community helps put up the lights, the family cooks for for the needy, they all sit down and eat together. We see the street in all of its diversity, while readers will be enthralled picking out the customs of Christmas, and absorb the images of other peoples and their customs. And at its heart, they all celebrate light, hope and being together. 

Melina Marchetta is an award-winning author. Her eighteen books range from young adult fiction, fantasy, and works for younger readers.

Themes: Diversity, Christmas, Sharing, Cooking, Humour, Christmas lights.

Fran Knight