The Big Cheese Presents: Have Yourself a Cheesy Little Christmas

K-Gr 3–The Big Cheese returns for an over-the-top Christmas tale, detailing how and why their Christmas parties, presents, and decorations are the very best. But this year, disaster strikes. The washing machine starts making perturbing noises and then overflows. The Big Cheese watches as the laundry room floods, followed by the rest of the house. The water wreaks havoc on appliances and decorations, and the Big Cheese quickly realizes there will be no party hosting this year. They call a friend, Wedge Wedgeman, who offers to host. On the walk home from Wedge’s successful low-key party, the Big Cheese reflects, like the Grinch, that perhaps Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Perhaps it means a bit more, like spending time with friends. However, back-pedaling slightly, the Big Cheese declares that they can still host a big Christmas whenever they want: “Hey, it’s not like my personality totally changed in a day.” The story offers an opportunity for adults and young readers to discuss whether bigger is always better and what Christmas means to their family. There’s also an opening to discuss how to turn off water to appliances to avoid flooding. The illustrations clearly depict the Big Cheese’s over-the-top Christmas as akin to a Christmas store aisle explosion. For readers who like to do character voices, a lot of the Big Cheese’s words are red in color for emphasis.