Christmas Eve Blizzard
by Andrea Vlahakis; Illustrated by Emanuel Schongut
Published by Sylvan Dell Press
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
When a beautiful cardinal falls from a branch of a newly planted apple tree and is trapped in deep snow on Christmas Eve, Nicholas and his grandfather retrieve the cardinal and care for it until it's strong enough to fly. Grandfather Santos is from Mexico and he talks to Nicholas about the cardinals from his home. When Nicholas is an adult and his grandfather is long gone, each Christmas Eve the branches of the apple tree are filled with a grand surprise.
Christmas Eve Blizzard is a lovely story of a grandfather sharing his past and a child who puts the welfare of a bird before his own. The illustrations are beautiful and children will long to touch the pictures.
At the back of the book is a "Creative Minds" section and it is filled with information about bird trivia, what to do if you find an injured bird, how to make a bird feeder, etc. Recommended for ages 4-8.
Armchair Interviews says: Parents--read the book and then pick an activity to do with your children. It will be entertaining and educational. And most importantly, you will be having a great time together