Summary
A mischievous little troll runs away from home and all of the responsibilities associated with being a part of a family. He moves from animal family to animal family looking for the easy life. But as weather grows colder and moves from fall to winter, he discovers that life may not be so bad at home after all. But! Will he get Home for Christmas?
Review
Jann Brett’s illustrations have long been a family favorite. She introduced herself to us through the board book version of The Mitten. Soon after, she entered our home via two board books, Gingerbread Baby and The Twelve Days of Christmas. That was just the beginning, I imagined that we had read all of her books at some time. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled on “Home for Christmas” on the library Christmas shelf.
Onto the pile of books, under the self checkout scanner and home it came.
A naughty troll takes off to avoid chopping wood and other miscellaneous household chores common to young trolls. He stays here and there among the woodland animals finding it cozy at first – or at least better than home – but inevitably life isn’t as easy as an owl either. Or as a bear, otter, lynx, or moose. In fact, as Christmas approaches, the young troll realizes that there really is no place like home. At Christmas.
Little Troll comes home for Christmas. And really, that’s the only thing “Christmas” about this book. The title is accurate!
Of course, peppering the main storyline are Brett’s beautiful illustrations in the margins of the page. In the margin of the story. We see the troll family living and missing the little troll boy.
Life isn’t greener on the other side of the pasture, but sometimes it can be a lot colder. I’m just not sure it’s a Christmas story?
What You Need to Know
- Role Models/Authority Figures – Parent trolls who expect their children to participate in family chores
- Violence – None
- Language – None
- Sexual Content – None
- Consumerism – None
- Drinking/Smoking/Drugs – None
- Religion – None
- Other –
- Neat stuff –
