Merry Christmas, Mary Christmas!

Mary Christmas wishes that the other members of the her family were a bit less fanatical during the holidays: her parents and siblings pick a tree so big that it shoots through the roof of their house, they short-circuit the neighborhood with their light display, and the pile of presents in their shopping cart is an avalanche waiting to happen. When Mary confides in Santa about her feelings, he suggests that maybe she can find a way to embrace (and spread) her family’s enthusiasm. She does so by persuading them to share their celebration with the larger community in the local park—tree, gifts, and all. Durst’s kinetic mixed-media cartoons convey the family’s over-the-top enthusiasm with humor and understanding as Friedman makes the case that the best thing to do with abundance is to share it. Ages 4–9. Author’s agent: Susie Cohen, PearlCo Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Bright Group. (Sept.)