When it comes to celebrations, little things can make a big difference. That’s true whether you’re a boy handcrafting a simple wreath for the village church door, or, well, whether you’re a small mouse doing all you can to keep Christmas. It’s two days before Christmas, and Mouse, who makes his home in a wall of the church, is worried. Something is missing—the nativity set hasn’t been set up. He finds the right box and sets everyone in place.
Then he discovers why the nativity was missing. Parson is sick, and the Christmas Eve service has been cancelled.
Mouse lights a candle in the church window. A young boy spots it. Though there’s no money for Christmas this year, he wonders if it really takes money to celebrate Christmas. He gathers pine branches and holly and forms a wreath and places it on the church door.
Other villagers notice. and one by one they offer their own small gifts—ribbons and a star for the pine tree outside the church, bread and jam to share, a fire for warmth, and their voices to sing “O Holy Night” together on Christmas Eve. Mouse has made sure the church is open!
And from his little home in the wall, Mouse watches. Parson feels well enough to come to see what has happened. Someone reads the Christmas story.
Gathered worshipers and small acts of love—plus a small mouse—were all that was needed to celebrate Christmas after all.
This cozy story of another era might be just the small reminder your family needs about what really matters at Christmas.
Mouse’s Christmas Gift
written by Mindy Baker, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk
published by Zonderkidz (2018)
jacketed hardcover picture book, 32 pages
Making God’s wonders known to the next generation,
Thank you so much for taking the time to review Mouse’s Christmas Gift. I really appreciate it. Best wishes to you!
So happy to do it, Mindy!