ABOUT THE BOOK
Kerry’s family goes completely berserk with Christmas every year. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, her home becomes a whirlwind of lights, music, and elves, elves, elves!
Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming.
This year, Kerry is desperate for some peace and quiet. Heading outdoors, she realizes a lot of her neighbors are having a Christmas too big. But not Mrs. Flores. She’s having a much quieter Christmas, complete with decorations and music from the country where she used to live. It sparks an idea: maybe there’s a way for Kerry to create her own Christmas traditions.
But will anyone in her crazy Christmas house understand? Join Kerry as she finds her voice in this delightful holiday tale.
“An intergenerational friendship and a busy holiday made meaningful set this title apart.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Madden’s bilingual tale strikes both humorous and poignant notes; the visual blend of comic-style panels, playful fonts, speech bubbles in both English and Spanish, and traditional spreads offers readers plenty to celebrate.” —Publishers Weekly
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Colleen Madden grew up in a crazy Christmas house and, like Kerry, she found a break by spending time with her neighbor who was from another country. She has illustrated many children’s books, including the bestselling What If Everybody? series, written by Ellen Javernick, and the picture-book adaptation of All I Want for Christmas Is You, by Mariah Carey. She recently published Monkey Walk, her debut as both author and illustrator, and is currently working on her first graphic novel. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.
REVIEW
Kerry's family goes overboard for Christmas the minute Thanksgiving is over. And while the noise and excitement is fun, it's all a bit overwhelming for her. When she takes a break and goes outside one day, she discovers her neighbor, Mrs. Flores, needing help. After helping get the groceries to her house, Kerry spends time with Mrs. Flores whose house is much quieter and simpler than her own. She learns how to make paper flowers and helps Mrs. Flores learn how to use her new device to take to her son and his family who are away in Mexico. Using a mix of Spanish and English, this tale of learning to celebrate in simpler ways is a sweet one of family and friendship and love. The illustrations have lots of delightful details that highlight the differences between Kerry's family traditions and Mrs. Flores's. This tender tale reminds readers that a happy Christmas doesn't have to be big and exciting to be meaningful.
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