The Smallest Gift of Christmas by Peter H. Reynolds

Christmas Gifts Come in All Shapes and Sizes.

Reviewer Rita Zobayan shares a book about rediscovering the magic of home.

The Smallest Gift of Christmas, (Candlewick Press, 2013; $14.00, Ages 4 and up), written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds.

Roland is eagerly awaiting Christmas and the presents that the holiday brings. What he doesn’t count on is getting a small gift, and not just a small gift, but “the smallest gift he had ever seen.” Well, this simply won’t do and Roland wishes up some Christmas magic for a bigger gift. He gets it, but he still isn’t satisfied! “Roland stomped off, sure there was a bigger gift for him—somewhere.” So Roland sets off to search the universe for his perfect gift. Will he find the BIG present he thinks he deserves? Maybe, but not in the way Roland imagined.

Presented in a cartoon-style illustration from award-winning author/illustrator Reynolds, with a simple but bold color palette highlighting red and green, the images are perfect for the story. The font, which Reynolds hand-lettered, is kid friendly and eye-catching.

The Smallest Gift of Christmas is a gentle and humorous reminder that material gifts, while fun and exciting and sometimes big, pale in comparison to the true gifts of family and love.