Merry Christmas Mom and Dad (Little Critter Series) Book

Little Critter and Christmas: What's not to love? With his charming wit and deep-seated understanding of kids, Mercer Mayer takes us through Christmas beside his most famous character, and it's great fun. As the holiday fast approaches, Little Critter wants to do everything he can to be a help to his parents and prove his noble intentions to Santa Claus, but Advent doesn't make temptation any less alluring. Little Critter wants to buy a nice present for his parents, but how can he concentrate on the selection of gifts that might interest them when the toy aisle is crammed with delights to draw his attention away? He'd like to whip up a batch of Christmas cookies for his mother, but ends up eating as many as he makes. He wants to assist in wrapping gifts and decorating the house, but those jobs are still a little too complicated for him. It's hard for a kid to contribute tangibly to preparing for Christmas.

But on Christmas Eve night, Little Critter knows Santa Claus will come through for him. He wasn't perfect leading up to December 25, but he tried his best to be a good Critter, and his heart was in the right place. He loves his parents and he loves Santa, and that's enough to make this Christmas a fine holiday all will delight in, no matter how early in the morning Little Critter awakens his mom and dad to start in on the bonanza stowed beneath their tree by St. Nicholas. It's a merry Christmas for everyone in the Critter family.

Mercer Mayer was always a good artist, but his talents sparkle particularly in Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad. The full-page nighttime scene with Santa Claus and his reindeer flying overhead as Little Critter sleeps cozily tucked in bed upstairs is a lovely panorama, worth pausing over for a minute or two in appreciation of its simple, serene beauty. This is Mercer Mayer at or near his best as an illustrator, and it's wonderful. I give Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad two and a half stars, and fondly recommend it for anyone excited over the coming of Christmas and all that it means. I love this book.