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Summary
Summary
In the spirit of Christmas classics The Polar Express and The Night Before Christmas comes a holiday tale about the magic of Santa, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney
Lonely Hannah is delighted to discover a warm black boot as she gathers kindling in the forest. A poor woman, she doesn't have proper shoes on her cold feet. "Glory be! I only wish I had your mate," she says to the boot, and the next morning, to her great surprise, there is not just one boot but two sitting by her bed! More wishes bring even better gifts-but the best is still to come- A visitor arrives at her door-a man with a big white beard, wearing a red suit and only one boot. Who could this magical visitor be? Santa Claus, of course! And he has one more surprise in store for Hannah- She wakes up the next morning to find a new puppy waiting for her!
Author Notes
Lisa Wheeler is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for children. She lives in southeast Michigan.
Jerry Pinkney is one of America's most admired children's book illustrators. He has won the Caldecott Medal and five Caldecott Honors, five Coretta Scott King Awards, five New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Awards, the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the Society of Illustrators' Original Art Show Lifetime Achievement Award, and many other prizes and honors. Recently a member of the National Council of the Arts and inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he has also served on the U.S. Postal Service Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the country, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Schomburg Center, and the Norman Rockwell Museum. Jerry Pinkney lives with his wife, author Gloria Jean Pinkney, in Westchester County, New York.
Reviews (6)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Gently told and exquisitely illustrated, this holiday jewel centers on Hannah Greyweather, a poor woman who lives in a "ramshackle cabin" and finds a boot in the snow. Her wishes-for the boot's mate, mittens, and a fancy house-are magically granted. After answering a knock at the door of her sprawling new mansion, Hannah finds a bearded man wearing a red suit and one black boot, whose mate she readily returns. When he asks if there is anything she wants, Hannah's request for "someone to talk to" (as well as replacement mittens and boots) leads to a resolution that will warm the hearts of readers of all ages. Pinkney's (The Lion & the Mouse) meticulously detailed art exudes old-world charm and is a splendid match for Wheeler's (the Dino series) tender tale about taking only what one needs. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Sheldon Fogelman, Sheldon Fogelman Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Hannah Greyweather, old and poor but content, finds a single sturdy boot while out gathering kindling on Christmas morning; much to her surprise, its mate shows up the next morning by her bed. And thats only the beginning of the holiday magic. With Santa Claus showing himself two days after Christmas, the storytelling is a little too loose to be completely satisfying, but the air of Christmas mystery and coziness is successfully maintained thanks to Pinkneys snowy pencil and watercolor illustrations of a country Christmas and a heroine who is satisfied with what she has and happy with what she gets: a puppy. roger sutton (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Old Hannah lives in a wooden cottage deep in the forest. Life is a struggle, especially in winter, but one day she finds a black boot that changes things. She wishes she had the shoe's mate, and there it is. Mittens come the next day, and when she wonders aloud what the boot might provide next a feather bed, a fancy house? they appear. Hannah doesn't feel comfortable with this largess, and so she's relieved when the boot's owner appears: Santa Claus. Santa asks if there's anything he can give her. Hannah wishes for the impossible: someone to talk to. But also boots, and maybe mittens? The next morning, she has both, and a squirmy puppy for company. The story's warm folktale feel is heightened by the Caldecott medalist Pinkney's glowing art, alive with detail and overflowing with ambiance. Hannah's wintry world is wide awake with snow-covered pines and cavorting animals. Inside, there is coziness and satisfaction with one's lot in life. Here is a holiday book that provides something to talk about as well as look at.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2016 Booklist
New York Review of Books Review
Charles and his friend Boggan - a cute red toboggan whose rope handle gives him a rather convincing smiling face - take a jaunt through snowy woods to find a "wish tree," though Charles's siblings insist there's no such thing. This ingeniously nondenominational tale brings a lovely serene pace to classic holiday themes like giving to others and gathering with dear ones. Perhaps most magical is Turnham's art, which somehow makes soft mauves, pinks and grays take on a holiday sparkle. THE GREAT SPRUCE By John Duvall. Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. 40 pp. Putnam. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Why do we chop down Christmas trees, anyway? Duvall is out to persuade readers to try a live tree. Alec loves climbing the tall spruce his grandpa planted, but a crew wants it for a city's holiday display. The boy suggests they "borrow" it, digging it up and replanting it later. He and Grandpa get rides on a barge with the tree and seats at the celebration, a sweet outcome for an act that's its own reward. Gibbon's loose art is just right, making the winter world look teeming, twinkling and homey. A HAT FOR MRS. GOLDMAN: A Story About Knitting and Love By Michelle Edwards. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. 32 pp. Schwartz & Wade. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) "Keeping keppies warm is our mitzvah," Mrs. Goldman tells her young neighbor. They make hats together: The older lady knits, Sophia does the pom-poms. But when she sees Mrs. Goldman without a hat - she gave hers away - Sophia decides to learn to knit. Edwards's ("Chicken Man") story is not explicitly about the holiday, but a Hanukkah message emanates from the celebration of winter mitzvahs, or kind deeds. Karas's ("As an Oak Tree Grows") adorable, radiant art adds to the heartwarming mood. THE CHRISTMAS BOOT By Lisa Wheeler. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, 32 pp. Dial. $17.99 (Picture book ages 4 to 8) A poor old woman named Hannah lives alone in a cabin in the woods. She finds a warm boot in the snow - just one - in this folksy fable about deprivation, abundance and the spirit of Christmas. Another boot appears, then mittens, and her cabin becomes "a big fancy house." But it's not right for her. A visitor comes - kids will happily guess who - to claim the boot but leave what Hannah really needs. As always, Pinkney's soft, colorful watercolors find deep beauty and interest in simple things. SUN MOON STAR By Kurt Vonnegut. Illustrated by Ivan Chermayeff. 64 pp. Seven Stories/Triangle Square. $22.95. (Picture book; ages 5 and up) Vonnegut's beguiling children's book, first published in 1980, spins the Nativity tale in a cerebral, humanist direction. "When the Creator of the Universe /. . . resolved to be born / as a male human infant," the situation is much like any baby's birth: An awed crowd materializes, the tiny one struggles to see. Yet it's also a celestial event, with the players angling to see the "real Christmas star" - playfully presented in the great designer Chermayeff's shifting, minimalist cutouts against jewel tones. ONLINE An expanded visual presentation of this week's column at nytimes.com/books.
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Hannah is an old woman living simply in her mountain cabin. One day while gathering wood in her stocking feet, she finds a boot. Hannah is delighted and wishes for a second boot and then for warm mittens and finally for a big fancy house. The boots and the mittens suit her well, but the big house doesn't feel as comfortable. When Santa Claus arrives-missing his boots-Hannah gives hers back, and all of the other gifts disappear as well. Santa leaves the old woman with new boots and mittens and a little dog to keep her company. This retelling of the folktale of the "Fisherman's Wife" who greedily wishes for too much has a kinder ending, and Pinkney's paintings are appropriate to the folkloric quality of this entry. VERDICT A worthy holiday reimagining, best enjoyed as an independent read or as a read-aloud in a small group setting.-Virginia Walter, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A poor and lonely woman finds a black boot in the snow, which leads to magical transformations just before Christmas.Hannah Greyweather leads a solitary, hardscrabble life in her mountain cabin. When she tries on the newfound boot, it immediately changes shape to fit her foot perfectly. When she wishes for the boots mate, it mysteriously appears the next morning, followed by a pair of red mittens. Hannah then wishes for a feather bed, fine food, and a fancy house, all of which magically appear without explanation. But when a white-bearded man in a red suit comes looking for his missing boot, all the magical developments disappear. The unnamed visitor provides Hannah with new boots, mittens, and a puppy for companionship before he departs into the night sky with his sleigh and reindeer. The original story flows like a folk tale, with a fine blend of dialogue and description. Dramatic tension and humor result from Hannahs unfamiliarity with Santa, and children will enjoy being in on the identity of the red-suited visitor. Pinkney enhances the strong text with his delightful watercolor illustrations filled with homey details and swirling snowflakes. Both Hannah and Santa have ruddy complexions, and both seem like real people rather than storybook characters. An extra-large trim size, high-quality paper, and a thoughtful design add to the books overall appeal. A winner of a story with enchanting illustrations by a master. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
