Kallie George shares the Christmas Eve story of four animals who are waiting for Santa to fly over, when suddenly, they see a present fall out of his sleigh. After reading the tag on the present and knowing who it was for, the animals set out to deliver it. Although they actually think the gift is silly, the baby loves Santa's gift. The story's message is beautiful, showing that the joy of others can make people happy. ( )

Four woodland friends, on the lookout for Santa's sleigh one Christmas Eve, witness a present tumbling from that magical equipage and set out to deliver it themselves in this sweet holiday picture-book. Exuberant Rabbit, grumpy Squirrel, eager Bird and worried Deer all band together to step in for Santa, determined to get the gift to its intended recipient, the new baby at the nearby farm. Despite cold and weariness, the friends persevere, and are rewarded by the baby's smile, and a little something from Santa himself...

A gentle and heartwarming tale of Christmas cheer is paired with appealing artwork in The Lost Gift, creating an engaging holiday tale for younger children. Although there are few surprises here - as Rabbit observes at the end of the tale, Santa always knows, and any reader familiar with the magic of this holiday gift-giver will likewise know how the story is likely to end - the conclusion of the friends' adventure is nevertheless quite satisfying. I liked the fact that the friends debate a bit about what to do - should they deliver the present or not? - and that some of them (Squirrel!) are less than enthusiastic at first, as this will allow a variety of listeners to identify with the characters in the story. After all, sometimes children (and adults!) don't automatically start to do the right thing - sometimes they have to think about it a bit first. Recommended to anyone looking for new Christmas stories for the picture-book set. ( )

There's nothing like reading holiday books to get ready for Christmas!

Author Kallie George and Illustrator Stephanie Graegin have a new Christmas story out called The Lost Gift.

Santa and his sack of gifts are flying over the forest when a gift tumbles out of the sleigh, unnoticed by Santa. But four animals of the forest, Bird, Rabbit, Deer, and Squirrel, take notice and wonder what they should do.

The animals debate on what should be and this opens up many opportunities for discussion with your child in the The Lost Gift. What would you do if you found a parcel meant for someone else? Lots of right/wrong and feeling questions that could be brought up. What do you think is in the parcel? What are you hoping for for Christmas? George's story is thoughtful and I like that it's brought to life with animals as the main character.

There's always one in the crowd - and this time it's Squirrel, who provides the negative outlook. Again, more discussion opportunities about friends.

The 'word pages' are laid out well, offering up time to enjoy the illustrations as well. Again, lots of inspiration for talking about your family's traditions - tree decorating, visiting etc. for example.

The faces and expressions of the animals are appealing and kind. Graegin's illustrations match the tone and tenor of the story, are detailed (I enjoyed finding the little house on various pages) and colorful.

George has penned a wonderful message in The Lost Gift - perfect for this time of the year. Thumbs up from Little Guy and Gramma for this sweet, charming tale. The Lost Gift has been added to their holiday bookshelf, ready for future Christmastime reading. ( )