FICTION

The Christmas Boot

by Lisa WHEELER
illus. by Jerry Pinkney. 32p. Dial. Oct. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780803741348.
COPY ISBN
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.
Reviewed by Virginia Walter, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
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 that's 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 Pinkney's 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
Old, poor Hannah Greyweather finds one sturdy boot while out on Christmas morning; to her surprise, its mate shows up the next morning by her bed, beginning the holiday magic. Christmas mystery and coziness are successfully maintained thanks to snowy pencil and watercolor illustrations and a heroine who is satisfied with what she has and happy with what she gets: a puppy.
 , Oct 01, 2016

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