Do Not Open Until Christmas: Short Stories

In 12 stories, Canadian author Little introduces an expansive roster of children and families, most of whom desperately need a Christmas miracle. Gabriel cares for her younger brother, who has cerebral palsy, as her angry father abandons them and her mother falls apart; children of divorce long to not be “portable” to various relatives’ homes during the holidays; and Eliza steps into the lead of the school play when her twin sister, the star of the show, dies of meningitis. Religious imagery flits in and out of these entries, and bright spots arrive in the form of family arguments resolved, a paralyzed girl getting her first wheelchair dance, or a boy in the foster system finding a forever home. But a lack of character development and strong scene-setting makes it difficult to find an emotional connection to the frequently grim proceedings. Ages 8–up. (Oct.)