The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits: A Christmas Story for Advent

PreS-Gr 2—In Sweden, a "tomte" brings gifts to children at Christmas. Grump the tomte—small, thin and white-bearded—lives in empty Tomte Cottage with only a sleepy bee for company. When the wind blows his signature red cap away, along with an old sign that reads "Tomte Co," they are found by two young rabbits, who assume, along with everyone else in the crowded rabbit burrow, that the sign means a tomte is coming. A menu is planned, songs are composed—but as December rolls on and there is no sign of the tomte, tempers begin to fray. Finally, the two young rabbits take matters into their own paws and go out to find the tomte—with happy results for the animals and for the lonely tomte. The story is told in 25 chapters—one for each day of Advent—and with large and expressive illustrations of the bushy-eyebrowed tomte or goofy rabbits on almost every page, the book makes a wonderful classroom or family read-aloud.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library