Saturday 4 November 2023

Here Comes a Merry Christmas

Here Comes a Merry Christmas by Justine Clark, Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, illustrated by Heath McKenzie (Penguin Random House) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781761049521

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

‘There’s a new star up in the sky tonight. And it’s shining oh so bright!’ Christmas is close, and the family members eagerly get ready for this special time of year. They bake cookies and decorate the tree and sing carols about ‘hope and love and light’. And, like the new star, the angel on top of the tree is ‘shining with her love’.

Based on a beloved song written by Justine Clark, Arthur Baysting and Peter Dasent, Here Comes a Merry Christmas exudes joy from every page. Rhyming text jingles like a sleigh as it slides through an array of familiar festive preparations. Youngsters aged three to six will have fun singing along with every heart-warming word.

Heath McKenzie’s stylised digital illustrations add wit and whimsy to the spreads, and kids will adore small details such as the puffed out dad and the dog wrapped up in a string of Christmas lights. The characters are both multigenerational and multicultural, reflecting the reality of many families in Australia.

A perfect gift for budding readers, Here Comes a Merry Christmas is colourful and charming. With its focus on love and light, this will be a favourite book not only at Christmas but also throughout the year.

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