Christmas at the Toy Museum

Christmas at the Toy Museum
By David Lucas
Candlewick, 2011, unpag. picture book

The toys at the museum have a problem. It is Christmas Eve and they don't have any presents for each other. The toys feel a bit sorry for themselves until Bunting, a toy cat, suggests, "Why don't we all give one another ourselves?" The toys like the idea and get busy wrapping each other. They wait all night under the tree, trying not to fidget. Christmas morning they all have fun taking turns unwrapping each other, but someone is left out. What will Bunting unwrap? This simple and charming picture book is illustrated with bright watercolors. Lucas gives the old fashion toys a lot of personality and uses star bursts to add a sense of magic. The message is of the book is sweet, but not too heavy handed. The best kind of gift to give at Christmas is a gift of self.

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