Finding Christmas

by Helen Ward, Wayne Anderson (Illustrator)

In this luminous picture book, a young girl wanders through the snow on Christmas Eve, looking for a gift for a very special someone (her baby brother, we later learn). She happens upon a glowing toy shop, but before she can select a present, a mysterious old gentleman--Santa himself--scoops up everything in the store. All seems to be lost until Santa sends the perfect gift spinning from his sleigh, helping the girl find Christmas after all.
Rich illustrations illuminate this heartwarming story about generosity and the Christmas spirit. A visual standout with its oversized trim, the cover features red-foil type and embossed snowflakes.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 16, 2004

About the author

Helen Ward won the first Walker Prize for Children’s Illustration and twice won the British National Art Library Award. She has also been short-listed for the 2003 Kate Greenaway Medal. She lives in Gloucestershire, England.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this looked quite nice from the cover. Wayne Anderson's illustrations are quite 70s and very creepy. The story starts in the same way as the dragon book I have read by this duo. I didn't find it Christmassy although the whole story is meant to be so. If I had a nightmare-ish shelf it would be more suited to that one.

After reading goodreads friend Cheryl's review I googled his artwork and having seen some examples I now find this book all the more creepy. Glad I got this from the library.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could forgive the artwork as being creative (though not to my taste). I could focus on the theme of the story, which is neat, and forgive it for not fulfilling its potential. But the lapses of coherence annoyed the heck out of me. For example, why does the mysterious toyshop have an 'Open' sign if all the toys are reserved for Santa?

But, yeah, I'm not interested in more art by Wayne Anderson....
*btw, do not do a google image search for his work with your child or at work....

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this four stars not because I especially liked it, but because it is rather "original" for a Christmas story in terms of the artwork. It's a bit spooky-odd, a bit "Nightmare Before Christmas"-ish, so I can imagine a lot of readers would not like that element although some might love it. I found it a bit odd and not exactly cozy myself--yet, it was also captivating. The story itself is simple and nicely told; it's not really eerie at all, just the pictures.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2018
"What's going on here? A little odd. Is she safe? That's interesting." Thoughts like that flitted through my mind as I read, not what usually comes to mind when reading a book for children. But, thoughts such as these are what led me a rating of 3.7.

The art is a little scary? creepy? Definitely not the usual Christmas fare, especially in the toy store. I'm thinking that it will captivate the kids. (The same little girl could easily be used in the story of Little Red Riding Hood.)

It's a British story, which includes some phrasing that's easily understood in context. E.g,
Windows full of spare parts and ancient electrical ... windows that were empty but for uncollected post and dead insects. ... There was a kerfuffle at one of the counters.

2021
rating: 3.4

This is likely to prompt kids to think about their version of Santa Claus, and then they'll have to reconcile their imagination with what is presented here. (The ending is the strength of the story.)

2025
rating: 3
The art is too strange, and it's not a book I've ever taken out to read to a child.

[Erica Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one that we own for our book advent calendar. Both myself and my 3 year old daughter really enjoy it.

The writing is lovely - some great vocabulary extension for children. The pictures are beautiful and full of imagination. They are different to a typical children's book, and evoke plenty of mood and feeling. The story is original, and a nice twist on typical Christmas themes of Santa's arrival and the receiving of presents. I liked how this story focused on the process of finding a present for someone else. The pages are nice and thick (I own a hardcover version) and not prone to tearing.

I would recommend this book for ages 3 - 7, or possibly beyond. It would not be a good book for under 3 year olds. I see it as a Christmas classic in our family.

[Mouse Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

creepy art and not in a good way.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn't a good idea to have the scene greyed out and those huge objects in the window. That creepy doll with small eyes and a side mouth, a huge egg man, a bird and a cat. They were so super-sized I didn't understand it.

The girl wasn't pleasant to look at. Maybe because she was as gray and washed out as the artwork. The writing was simple and not enjoyable.

The toys in the shop were ugly and out-there. Weird shaped people and egg people and robots and huge animals, it didn't look inviting at all.

The whole December street thing was weird. It had shops with old objects and dead bugs, and no one was around. Until she found this toy shop. How could there be a part of town where no one visited?
"But the passing assistant just waved a dismissive hand."

Dismissive was far too large of a word to use in a kid's book.
Dismay was too big too.

This was a really lame production. The workers in the toy shop just kept putting her off because they were busy, and she noticed a big man in a grey coat swiping all of the toys off the shelf and putting them in his bag. They all fit as if by magic and then he was gone with a twinkling eye...guess the twinkling eyes always give him away.. "The girl"-who had no name-was dismayed because she was looking for a gift for a "special person." Was it supposed to be mysterious that she didn't say who it was?

The chief assistant-very important to let kids know the hierarchy of the shop-imparted her with the wisdom that the best gifts are often the ones that find us. Just the kind of philosophical mumbo jumbo that kids can really appreciate. And it's all said in dark grey writing, which was mostly done on grey pages, so the words blended in and it wasn't easy reading.

On the way home, the girl who shall be nameless ponders the thought that "the special someone" who shall also be nameless would like the snow falling. Then all of a sudden this little bear fell from the sky on a parachute and she heard a bell. It was exactly what she wanted: "an extra-special present...for an extra-special brother's very first Christmas."

Ugh. What a waste of a book. Hideous character mixed with hideous toys that would scare the wits out of children as soon as they look at them, all taking place in the most dismal atmosphere I've ever had the misfortune to read. I didn't enjoy this for one second.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this style of illustration and find it’s not done very often. I was more knowledgeable to name the style, but it is soft and fuzzy like a warm blanket. It explodes with emotion with the lightest touch of color. This book is full of emotions. It’s at once sad, but fully hopeful at the same time. It was a wonderful story that younger kids may not fully grasp, but the adult gets it and loves it.
#Wintergames #teamreadnosereindeer +26

[Kyrstin Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girl wanders into a shop where Santa is getting all his gifts. She’s looking for a perfect gift.

[Darin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations! Loved it!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Christmas by Helen Ward was a Christmas gift that my five year old daughter received from her great aunt and I am truly thankful for this book addition after all toys can be overrated but we all have found memories of our books from our childhood.

I first must applaud the illustrator Wayne Anderson because the illustrations have so much life to them after reading the book my daughter just sits there and flips the pages and points out so many things that she has found.

The story also does not lie flat, it has great meaning about looking for a toy for someone else, the young girl is not thinking about herself but as you find out at the end of the book is looking for the perfect present for her baby brother. And there is a certain someone who helps her along the way.

Take a walk down December lane you never know who you might bump into. Truly a magical read.

[Friend of Pixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Helen Ward book illustrated by Wayne Anderson, whose style tends toward the eerie and slightly macabre. A little girl wandering a grey, snowy town on Christmas Eve is looking for the "perfect present to give to someone very special." She finally finds a strange and fascinating toy store, but the customer in front of her is buying up everything in the entire store! I'll leave you to guess who that might be. In any case, she does eventually get the gift she's looking for. Logan found it interesting, but he likes illstrations that are more cutesy and less "arty." He (and I) much prefers Ward's own illustration style.

[Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the artwork didn't especially match with the content of the story? It made it feel dark, which I don't think was the intention? I enjoyed this, I think I child would find it a little bit boring though? And I just feel like this plot has been done before, I don't know why. Don't get me wrong though, I did enjoy reading this!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 5 year old daughter commented that there wasn't much colors in this book and she thought the man in the book was greedy. I helped her look closer at the pictures so she could figure out that the man who takes all the toys is not greedy at all ;-)

A cute story about giving at Christmas Time.

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the sweet ending of this book (the little girl in the red coat finds the perfect present for her baby brother), but I probably wouldn't read it again as it wasn't very uplifting overall.

[Kiersten · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story line didn't do a lot for me; it was sweet, but there didn't seem to be any reasons given for anything that happened. However, the writing was lovely and the pictures were interesting.

[Maren Prestegaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little M at 5 was not into this book at all. Too unexpectedly dark.