Nana's Book Library

Age 4+

Particulars (Out of 5):

• Stunning illustrations *****
• Trolls who are really just like mischievous kids *****
• A side story featuring a hedgehog unfolding on every page *****
• Lovely glimpse at a family’s Christmas *****
• Zero screens ***** 
• Positive role models *****  
• Inappropriate language:  None.
• Sexual references:  None. 

Reminder:  Nana’s Books are rated G.  Anyone could read them, or listen to them being read aloud or talked about; this one has no words!

Jan Brett is a beloved children’s book writer and illustrator who has won many awards.  She is an incredibly detailed painter who, with her husband, travels around the world, studying the art of each place she visits.  Then she painstakingly incorporates that into her books.  

Christmas is coming, and Treva and her brother, Sami, hitch up Arni, their reindeer to the sleigh and go to get a Christmas tree.  Their dog, Tuffi, starts barking… Treva feels sure that someone is watching them.  She can’t see anyone, but she’s right!  Two little trolls and their pet hedgehog are peeking out at them!  

The trolls follow them home.  And then… some of their Christmas decorations and presents start to disappear!  The trinket box Dad made for Mom! The mittens Mom had knitted for Dad!  The treetop angel!  Treva looks outside and sees their Christmas pudding zipping across the yard, “pincushioned to the top of a hedgehog!  

Treva hitches up Arni and off they go.  Follow that hedgehog!  She finds the trolls’ hideout and sees them fighting over all the Christmas things.  “We want Christmas!”  they wail.  Treva offers to help.  The trolls are Mig and Tig, and they are a mess.  Their clothes are messy, and so is their house.   Also, they fight a lot.  She teaches them to share and leads by example, giving them her favorite toy, a beautiful carved horse.  

Will she get the family’s gifts and decorations back?  Why, yes, she will – and an extra special gift, besides.  My daughter loved this book, and we read it many nights.  Every time we read it, I noticed something new that I had missed before in the intricate artwork. 

*Note* The Amazon link says this was published in 2000, but that must be a reprint, because my book photographed here has a 1993 copyright.

This book is available new and used on Amazon, eBay, Abebooks, and elsewhere.

©Janet Farrar Worthington

Note:  I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you do click a link and buy a book, I will theoretically make a small amount of money, but I’m just starting this thing, so I don’t even know how that works.   Still, full disclosure, etc.