Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Holly Hobbie

• 01/17/2014
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Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Holly Hobbie
Little, Brown, and Company (2008)
ISBN 9780316033831
Reviewed by Cayden Aures (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (12/08)

Christmas is fast approaching and Puddle is excited to get the house decorated, the fruitcakes made, and the Christmas cards sent out.  However, Toot is stuck in a snowstorm after trying to return home from a family reunion.  Will he make it back in time for Christmas?

Cayden:  “We watch Toot and Puddle on TV sometimes.  I liked the story, but got mixed up sometimes because it went one place and then another place but you (mom) told me and then I knew.  I liked the pictures.  I liked the ones where he got the Christmas tree.   I liked that there were ornaments to put on our tree at the end of the book.”

Parent’s comments:
The book was very understandable for me as an adult, but for a child it is a little difficult.  The storyline bounces back and forth from Toot trying to get home from his reunion to Puddle attempting to get the house ready for Christmas.  Once I explained to Cayden what was going on he understood, but it didn’t flow as smoothly because of the dual storyline.

Having watched Toot & Puddle on TV, the characters were familiar to my son and this familiarity added to his enjoyment while reading the book.  We both loved the beautiful illustrations and despite my son’s initial confusion, we both think that “Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas” by Holly Hobbie is a wonderful book for the Christmas season!