FINDING CHRISTMAS

Matching the perfect gift with the perfect person is a neat trick. One girl's hopefulness and selfless shopping efforts in this pursuit are rewarded beyond her dreams when she wanders into a magical-looking, out-of-the-way shop on snowy December Lane. A hefty store customer wearing a too-tight coat and sporting a white beard and twinkle in his eye (plus some elfin shop assistants) let sharp readers in on the establishment's special secret. Anderson's (The Tin Forest ) artwork, largely awash in the bleak pencil gray of a winter's night in the city, springs to life via touches of warm light and the girl's red coat, giving this lovely fantasy some memorable depth. Ages 3-up. (Sept.)