A Christmas Gift for Mama [Paperback]

Lauren Thompson (Author)

Book Description

A heartwarming holiday story that has special meaning in today's world.

Winter has come early to the city, and by the time Christmas week arrives, Grace and her mother feel as if the cold wind will never stop blowing. Times are hard for everyone this year, but especially so for Grace and her mother, since Grace's father died the spring before. Christmas was always a time of cheer and celebration before Papa died, but this year, in their cold, small apartment, and with Mama working long hours for a seamstress, Christmas has lost its magic.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-After Papa dies, Mama and Grace become so poor that they can't afford to buy gifts for one another. Secretly, the child trades her beloved porcelain doll (with its tattered dress) for a china figurine of a gentleman-to go with Mama's china lady. Secretly, her mother trades her china lady to a seamstress in exchange for a new dress for the doll. Should this sound familiar, Thompson explains in a note that this story "was inspired by `The Gift of the Magi,' by O. Henry, published in 1906-." Told in a lugubrious tone, with a precious design including a pale, refined font against an ivory background on bordered pages, the story is relentlessly melodramatic. Burke's oil-painted illustrations, which are beautifully textured and aptly convey both the story's charged emotions and the Edwardian setting, capture each poignant aspect of the story. Libraries already owning illustrated versions of the original, such as Lisbeth Zwerger's The Gift of the Magi (Picture Book Studio, 1991), may want to pass on this reworking.-S. P.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. In this homage to "The Gift of the Magi," Grace trades her doll for a china figurine that complements one her father gave to her mother, while her mother sacrifices her figurine to buy a new dress for Grace's doll. Only last Christmas the family had been wealthy, but Papa's unexpected death left them with debts. With little to look forward to during the holiday season, mother and daughter each decide to sell her most precious item to buy a present the other will cherish. Though Thompson doesn't make clear that Mama has sold her figurine, older kids will catch on. Burke's oil paintings, reminiscent of Floyd Cooper's work, take children back to a 1930s world, where the wealthy lived lavishly while the poor made do. Thick, cream-colored paper; hand-lettered text; and decorative borders with designs like those on Liberty fabrics add to the lovely book's visual appeal. Together the art and text capture the sentiment that love can bring as much happiness as money. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Trade; 1 edition (March 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590307266
• ISBN-13: 978-0590307260
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,196,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi! I'm Lauren Thompson, children's book author. Please visit my website to find out about all my books: www.LaurenThompson.net

Happy reading!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Sought After Book of This Holiday Season, November 9, 2003

By 

Retired and loving it "oui, oui" (Manchester, NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Christmas Gift For Mama (Hardcover)

To say that Jim Burke is a gifted picture book illustrator is an understatement. Right on the heels of his huge success with MY BROTHERS'FLYING MACHINE comes his newest awe-inspiring A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MAMA. In this book, Burke's gentle pictures offer the reader an inside view of a tender mother-daughter relationship that burgeons in spite of fierce adversity.Thompson's heartwarming text and Burke's rich paintings filled with warmth come together to create what is destined to be the most sought after holiday book of the season. Burke's painstaking research into the lifestyle, clothing and toys (especially the china dolls) of the 1930's, immediately transport the reader into the lavish world of the affluent society of this era.
It is not surprising that this book has won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio "Best Book" Award for this holiday season.
It is a book that truly depicts the magic that happens when families take the time to know and cherish what matters most in life- love and time for each other.
Don't miss this one! It's Jim Burke at his finest!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful holiday gift for the whole family!, November 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Christmas Gift For Mama (Hardcover)

A wonderful holiday gift for the whole family! Lauren Thompson's beautifully written retelling of O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas. Jim Burke's full page oil paintings are spectacular! From the school girls gazing into the antique shop window on their way home, to the touching moment when Grace must decide whether or not to trade in her cherished doll in order to have "A Christmas Gift for Mama" -- this book is a precious gift for anyone who receives it.