Parents' Guide to

Queen of Christmas

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Christmas lesson about gifts and giving.

Book Mary Engelbreit Holiday 2004
Queen of Christmas Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

To the Queen, Ann Estelle, Christmas is all about the \"List.\" Each day she adds something new, hoping not to waste such a \"golden gift-getting opportunity.\" But in the end, she realizes that her perfect day had included much more than just presents.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The book's bright colors and happy faces make it seem warm, cheery, and harmless. And ultimately the lesson is that family, friends, food, singing, and stories are the important part of Christmas celebration. But the joy of making a gift list so long that it stretches from one Christmas to the next is unsettling. This might have been a better book if Ann Estelle had added a few things on her list for the other people in her life.

It's hard not to like Ann Estelle, even though she seems to only look out for her own wants and needs. Happily, she gets caught up in the joys of her holiday celebration -- ice skating, baking, caroling, decorating, and playing with her cousins -- and forgets about the list altogether.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Christmas means to them. How do the kids feel about Ann Estelle's list? Have they ever kept their own list? How about making a list of gifts to give other people? How do they feel about making gifts rather than buying them? What made Ann Estelle decide that Christmas wasn't just about presents? What other kinds of things made her holidays perfect? What do you think about Ann Estelle? How can someone who calls herself Queen and thinks so much about making her own life better also appear to be so kind and caring?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate