Judy Moody & Stink The Holly Joliday

McDonald, Megan. 2007. The Holly Joliday. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

All Stink wants for Christmas this year is snow. Stink and his family live in Vermont and the chances are snow are very slim. One day while the family was preparing for Christmas, the mailman came, although it was not Mr. Harvey their usual mailman. This was a man with white fuzzy hair and smiley wrinkles. Stink learned that his name was Jack Frost, and asked him if he could deliver snow this year for Christmas. Mr. Frost said he couldn't promise anything, however he would keep his fingers crossed and that is was very possible because he could feel snow in his bones. Meanwhile, Stink and his sister, Judy, made their Christmas lists and while Judy's took up an entire toilet paper roll Stink's was just one word, snow. As their classes prepared for the Christmas vacation, Stink was disappointed because in this years performance he was going to have to be the mouse in the production of "The Night Before Christmas". He had been learning about snowflakes and secretly planned to change from a mouse to a stellar dendrite, which is a type of snowflake he learned about at school. He successfully executed his plan, although that night, Christmas Eve, he still was dreaming of a white Christmas. As Judy and Stink went to bed, something magical happened, it began to snow. When they woke up in the morning snow covered the earth and they ran outside to play. It really was a holly joliday!

What child doesn't wish for snow for Christmas? This holiday book is a perfect choice for anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit. Judy and Stink have the typical brother and sister relationship, while Judy picks on her little brother he still keeps his wishes in mind and doesn't let that deter his goal of seeing snow. The story takes place in Vermont and their house is filled with decorations and the joy of the season. Although this is a great choice for any child who is beginning to read chapter books, the illustrations by Peter Reynolds add so much more to this story. The characters are drawn like cartoons, and have bright colors and lively expressions. Any child will have fun listening and reading this book.