 
|
Our young ones get a sense of holiday times and family traditions just by watching us decorate the tree and participating like only they can. In Kevin's Christmas, Kevin discovers the fun times and family traditions that lead up to Christmas.
He wonders why he has a tree that smells sweet and spicy inside his house. His mother explains that it’s a Christmas tree and that they are going to decorate it. Kevin also sets up the Nativity scene. In wonderfully clear and simple terms, Kevin’s dad explains that each figure in the scene has a special place and that Jesus’s birthday is the reason for the celebration of Christmas.
Getting and sending Christmas cards, making a Christmas present, and shopping for the Christmas meal are all described and illustrated in swaths of bright color. Kevin is a cute, toddler-age guy with a smile. He happily helps to mail the greeting cards and shop for Christmas dinner. To communicate the idea of Christmas from the kids’ perspective, Kevin and his toddler-age cousin are given full view here; only the arms and legs of adults are shown. (This is a nice idea; however, my toddler wanted to know Kevin’s mom’s name.)
The book is delightfully illustrated with clear, cheery colors. The hues are primary blue, reds, greens, and yellows in wide brushstrokes. Each page contains one of the Christmas events or ideas with words on one side and an illustration on the other. The book is very well designed with beautiful cover and endpapers of a jolly Christmas red. This is a light board book with rounded edges and will stand up to years of readings.
In the end Kevin makes a beaded necklace for his cousin who comes to dinner. She loves his present, and although Kevin opens presents, we don’t find out what he gets in return. In this story, it’s the giving and sharing the holiday with family that’s important. Santa is not even mentioned.
This is a lovely and sweet intro to Christmas. If you are looking for a pretty, warm-hearted, and easy-to-understand Christmas book for two-year-olds, Kevin's Christmas is a great choice with the perfect amount of story and picture.
|
|
Kevin's Christmas (Kevin and Katie)