The Horn Book Guide

PRESCHOOL

McKay, Hilary

Was That Christmas?

32 pp. | McElderry | October, 2002 | Trade ISBN 0-689-84765-3 $$16.00

(1) PS Illustrated by Amanda Harvey. When Santa comes to Bella's preschool without reindeer, a sleigh, snow, or a present for her cat, Bella's enormous disappointment is met with her mother's assurance that Christmas is just beginning. The rest of the book is a catalog of the cheery rituals and activities Bella's family performs in preparation. The universal story is engagingly told, and the illustrations capture the pleasures of the holiday.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2002