Today is the 1st December so it is time to start talking about Christmas Books. You may have read my post about Sarah's Two Nativities. That new book from Australia blends two traditions - Christian and Muslim.
Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift looks at the traditions of Christmas and Hanukkah. Boris is from Russia. He is getting ready to celebrate Hanukkah. Stella has fond memories of her childhood Christmas in Italy. These two are wonderful friends. Boris plays beautiful music. Stella is a baker. They both like hats and scary movies. Stella empties her savings bank but there are not enough coins for a gift. Stella decides to sell the pine tree that she has grown from a seedling. "Stella didn't need a tree to remind her of her family during Christmas. They were always in her heart." She knows the lady in the flower shop will love to use it in her Christmas window. Now Stella has enough money to buy Boris the perfect gift.
"She hurried across town to a shop that sold dreidels. The shopkeeper had only one left. It was from Israel. ... It was the prefect gift!"
In a parallel story Boris checks his savings bank and he only has a few coins too. He decides to sell his dreidel collection.
"Boris got enough money to buy Stella a special gift. He didn't need the dreidels to remind him of his family during Hanukkah. They would always be in his heart."
Perhaps you have guessed how these two friends and their gifts will collide. Boris buys Stella a glass star for her Christmas Tree. That night at home Boris makes delicious potato latkes with a giant dollop of sour cream and Stella, over in her bakery, makes a panettone with hazelnuts and chocolate.
Finally it is Christmas eve. It is also the last night of Hanukkah. Boris arrives with the star for the tree but Stella has no tree. Stella gives Boris the Dreidel for his collection.
"Bozhe moi!" Oh no! in Russian
"Mamma Mia" from Stella in Italian
But all is not lost. Boris knows he can now start a new dreidel collection and Stella spies a left over pinecone from her tree and so from the seeds she can grow a new Christmas tree.
I would pair this book for older children with a couple of versions of The Gift of the Magi by O Henry.
Even though Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift was published in 2013 it is still in print! I think it would be a good addition to your Christmas collection either in a family or in a library. Here is a trailer made by the author. I don't usually talk about publishers but this one has a beautiful name - Sleeping Bear Press. On their web site you can read an extract from this book.
Inviting illustrations are filled with the details of the bears’ cozy apartment and their joint celebration of the eighth night of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve, complete with potato latkes and Italian panettone cake. Kirkus
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