A Very Quacky Christmas

Australian collaborators Watts and James underscore the rewards of ingenuity and sharing in this friendly tale about Samantha, a plucky duck who is determined to celebrate Christmas. Winding tinsel around reeds and hanging ornaments on a branch while singing, “We wish you a quacky Christmas,” Samantha is undeterred by the grumblings of her turtle friend, Sebastian, who maintains that “Christmas is not for animals.” Countering that the holiday is for anyone who likes to give and share, Samantha hatches a plan to make and deliver presents to animals the world over, aided by barnyard pals and a relenting Sebastian. They knit the sheep’s wool into hats and scarves, bake cupcakes using the hens’ eggs, weave daisy chains from the cows’ field, and pile the gifts into a donkey’s cart, which (after several failed attempts) the flapping duck propels into the air to complete her mission. Set against pastel backdrops, James’s wispy, fluid pictures humorously—and affectingly—convey Samantha’s spontaneity, optimism, and irrepressible holiday spirit. Ages 3–7. [em](Sept.) [/em]