Pip Rejects Hibernation for a Talking Tree in The Christmas Cub

Over the years, I have read dozens of Christmas books, and I have noticed that a few particular types of stories keep popping up again and again. The Little Drummer Boy. A Christmas Carol. A Visit from St. Nicholas. Books about snowmen. Books about a character’s first Christmas, usually focusing on an animal, often one that ought to be hibernating. Fitting right into this last group of stories is The Christmas Cub, a Level 2 Hello Reader! book designed to be read by children from kindergarten to second grade.

Justine Korman Fontes writes this simple story that treads familiar ground as a bear cub named Pip obeys his curiosity instead of his mother’s lethargic instructions to stay in his cave for the winter. What he discovers is a cabin containing a small family much like the Ingalls family in Little House in the Big Woods. Pip observes the people intently while Evergreen, a cheerful talking tree growing outside the cabin, explains to the bear what is going on.

Children’s literature is so full of talking animals that I always accept them without question. But talking trees is another matter. This is not the only Christmas book I’ve read to give a tree a personality, but it’s usually more organic; we get the tree’s feelings, but it doesn’t speak, and there’s maybe just a hint of a smile or a frown in the arrangement of the branches. Here, the tree chatters on amicably and always has a pleasant smile and rosy cheeks. What’s more, that expression is plastered on a smooth green spot toward the top of the tree that makes it look very phony indeed.

There’s also the matter of the bear’s parents, who issue one feeble warning to stay in the cave and then immediately fall asleep, never to be seen again. Sleepy parents are a recurring theme in many books of this type, but Pip’s mom and dad just check out completely. Then there’s the gift that Pip decides to give the tree. It’s a cute idea resulting in a vibrant picture, but it makes no scientific sense whatsoever. Then again, what do I expect from a book with talking trees? Speaking of which, this book credits Pip with the invention of the first Christmas tree, when they had been in use in various places since the 1500s, well before the setting of this story.

While I can’t help being a little weirded out by the beatifically grinning tree, Lucinda McQueen’s illustrations are otherwise fairly endearing. The creatures are about halfway between cartoonish and realistic, with the chipper gray squirrel my favorite of the background animals. I like Fontes’ dedication to her illustrator: “For Lulu, who draws the purr as well as the fur.” McQueen definitely succeeds in bringing across a general feeling of contentment.

The Christmas Cub is fairly cute, and most children in this age group should find it a manageable read. But given the wealth of “first Christmas” books out there, this is hardly the first in the category that I would recommend.

Cuteness Abounds in Biscuit's Christmas Eve

When it comes to lift-the-flap books with canine protagonists, I always think first of the Spot books by Eric Hill. With bright, cheerful pictures and short, simple sentences, these stories take us through several everyday adventures by the little yellow puppy with a distinctive spot in his fur. Another popular canine character for youngsters is Biscuit, a light brown puppy that looks like it may be a Cocker Spaniel. Biscuit is more realistic-looking than Spot and is often featured in easy readers aimed at a slightly older audience than the Spot books. In Biscuit’s Christmas Eve, however, the left-the-flap format is in place, and the text is simple enough to line up with Hill’s.

Like the rest of the books in the series, Biscuit’s Christmas Eve is written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. Illustrations, meanwhile, are by Mary O’Keefe Young and Pat Schories. While Spot lives with his parents in an anthropomorphic household, Biscuit is a pretty realistic puppy who lives with a little girl. In this book we see the two of them preparing for Christmas together. For each two-page spread, there is a single flap on the page on the right, always in the same position.

There’s nothing particularly unique about this book, which isn’t so much a story as a catalog of traditional Christmassy images with Biscuit and his young owner inserted. We get to see Christmas tree decorations and discover that Biscuit particularly likes the ball. He impedes the hanging of the stockings by playing tug of war and gets tangled in the Christmas lights. Carolers turn up at the door to share their Christmas tidings, with a reward of some tasty Christmas cookies. There’s also a roaring fireplace, a Christmas story before bed and a homemade Christmas gift for the girl’s parents.

Alongside all of these nice cozy expressions of a traditional Christmas celebration, there are hints throughout the book at the deeper meaning of the holiday. For instance, there is a Nativity scene on the mantlepiece and an angel on the tree, and at one point, the girl queries, “Do you hear what I hear?” There’s nothing very overt, but it’s nice to have some acknowledgment of the religious significance of Christmas.

Biscuit’s Christmas Eve is a very short but cute book that should appeal to fans of the sweet little puppy. It’s not a board book, so exercise caution when giving it to children young enough that they might be tempted to rip the flaps clean off. If they’ve never encountered Biscuit before, chances are that they will soon have a new cuddle-worthy character to embrace.