Four Friends at Christmas (by Tomie dePaola)

Frog usually sleeps through winter and the Christmas holidays, but feels he is missing out. One year, he decides to try to stay awake and celebrate in fashion, and he works hard making lists, planning dinner, writing cards, and thinking how to decorate. In fact, he exhausts himself before he even completes the preparations, and almost misses out all together. At the last minute his friends come to his rescue. 

This is a happy little story that kids will love. First of all, it is about four animal friends (a frog, cat, dog, and pig), the fun of Christmas, and, of course, Santa Claus. The text is a simple, straightforward narrative sprinkled with dialogue, and at times repetitive in the way kids like for read-alouds. The illustrations are expressive, humorous, and gentle -- full of fun themselves and painted in colors that are red and bright, yet not glossy. Any fan of Tomie de Paola will recognize the undeniable quality of his work, and this book is no exception. 

Tomie dePaola's artwork is distinctively simple and kid-friendly. Strong lines outline clever drawings, the animal characters have sweet friendly faces, and each illustration shows just enough  to move the story along. 

Author: Tomie dePaola
Illustrator: Tomie dePaola
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication date: October 6, 2009
Number of pages: 32
Hardcover price: $12.99
Read Aloud: 3
Read Alone: 7