Presents Through the Window: A Taro Gomi Christmas Book

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Taro Gomi brings his trademark playfulness and simplicity to his newest picture book, which is also a die-cut filled Christmas story, Presents Through the Window. 



It's Christmas Eve and Santa is landing his helicopter! On the run, he "sets out with a sack of presents." At the first house, he peeks in the window and sees that a mouse lives there. A page turn shows Santa, now peeking through the die-cut window and tossing in a gift. 



At the next house, Santa makes another speedy gift giving decision, thinking that a little kitten lives in this house when, in fact, it is a pig holding a stuffed kitty toy.


Santa goes on, mistaking three storks for a zebra, a bear for an empty house and the spikes of a crocodile's spine for the pointy ears of a fox. Rows of bunny ears look like pointy teeth through a mail slot and two sleepy children turn out to be one child and a balloon. But, never fear, all recipients are gracious and joyful on Christmas morning.

What I especially love, love, love about Presents Through the Window, besides the fact this Santa is in a rush and making some snap judgements, is the fact that Gomi's Santa is a little Asian fellow with a white mustache and a pink suit! Not only has Gomi added a new and different story to the saturated shelves of Christmas picture books, he has added a new and different Santa, which there is always room for.

Source: Review Copy

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