Christmas Bibliotherapy: Staff Picks for 2022

The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage

This is the debut book by author and illustrator Chloe Savage. When on the epic quest for Christmas presents for various nieces and nephews, this book jumped off the shelf and into the stocking. It is also about a quest, but a quest in the truly epic sense.

This beguiling tale follows Dr Morley and her crew into the dreamlike, beauty of the Arctic Circle as they search for the “elusive” giant, Arctic jellyfish. Finding this creature has been a life-long passion of hers, and her “superb” crew, who trust her completely, will follow her to the ends of the earth on her mission – which they do.

Along the way, they witness the stark attractions of the Arctic - narwhals and beluga whales; glaciers and the Northern Lights to name but a few. The playful illustrations are simply gorgeous and are reminiscent of Shackleton's Journey by William Grill, another Literacy Tree favourite. It is definitely worth visiting Chloe Savage’s website to see more of her work.

I would definitely recommend this book to children 4 years old and over. I will be buying this for my niece who is an explorer at heart and lives up in Orkney which is closer to the Arctic Circle than it is to London!

This stunning book is a visual and literary treat and would sit beautifully on either a shelf or a coffee table. Essentially, this is a story of self-worth and an illustration of that moment of realisation that we all have own value and that we need to hunt beyond looking at others to find it. 

Panther is worried he doesn’t have a place in the world; all the other big cats seem more distinct, more beautiful, and more talented. As he enters the depth of the rainforest, he takes himself on a journey, physically and metaphysically, to find out who he really is. The depiction of the forests is incredible, and we pored over each patterned page, noting the careful use of colour and symmetry to draw the reader into a world where the weather and day and night are events.

We’re a little cat-obsessive in our house as we are convinced our cats are completely unique in their talents and beauty, and so this book is the perfect gift to my daughters who can marvel at the beauty of the illustrations and take comfort in the fable-like, narrative richness that Poonam Mistry provides with all her books.

I am a huge fan of Maggie O'Farrell's work, so was very excited to find her latest children’s book, The Boy Who Lost His Spark, during my last book shop browse.  It did not disappoint.  This long form picture book is a thing of beauty.  The illustrations (by Daniela Terrazzini) are stunning.  They feel both nostalgic and magical, with a dual sense of timelessness and contemporary childhood running through them simultaneously.  In the same way, the text and images work alongside each other to weave a story reminiscent of a traditional tale and a modern narrative, working in tandem.

The story is told from Jem’s point of view, a boy whose family has moved away from his friends, his school and his familiar places, from an urban landscape to a rural one.  Although the illustrations suggest an idyll, his emotions work in opposition, reminding us that our sense of home and beauty is often based on our need to feel we belong.  We understand Jem's sadness and anger, his inability to express his emotions to his mum, the lack of understanding at school, which labels him a trouble maker.  But there is magic in the hill.  The nouka, an ancient mythical creature who loves to create mischief, starts to weave its magic.  From wrapping wool around the house to enticing the family cat to knock over a jug of custard, the nouka makes its presence known.   Initially Jem doesn’t want to believe in the nouka, despite the stories he is told and his sister’s insistence on its existence.   He has lost his sense of magic and wonder. But then the nouka, feeling his sadness, sets out to connect with him and help him to rediscover his spark.

I am going to gift this gorgeous book to my niece and nephews and their parents, for a cosy read aloud bedtime full of magic and hope.

Thara’s nanijee has collected beautiful objects from all over India and keeps them in a special carved wooden trunk. Every Friday night the pair come together, snuggle up with cups of spiced milky chai and open the door to this incredible land. With Thara’s curiosity as our guide, we are lead on a journey around India. Every time we turn to a new page, we select for ourselves an object from nanijee’s trunk and are whisked away on to the next part of our adventure.  A tuk-tuk transports us to the bustling streets of Delhi; a diya lamp to the lights, rangoli patterns and sweet treats of Diwali celebrations; and a train ticket chugging into the Himalaya on the Northern Railway. With each new object comes explanations and facts about the people, wildlife, religion, food and culture of this magnificent country.  Nina Chakrabarti’s colourful illustrations perfectly complement Jasbinder Bilan’s passionate words, both bringing to life the sights, sounds, smells and vibrancy of the landscapes and the people who live there.  Inclusions such as the countdown to lift-off in Hindi at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and the names of leaders, gods and influential figures will lead us on a continued journey of discovery beyond the closing of the pages.  This is a wonderful book about a small girl exploring a big country.  We loved how the relationship between Thara and her nanijee wove its way through the pages and across this incredible country.

This would make the perfect gift for children with a curious mind and a keen sense of adventure and I will be wrapping it up this year for my ever-inquisitive 8-year old nephew.  While perhaps not an obvious choice for this time of year, this is definitely a book to be snuggled up with, shared and pored over – perhaps under a blanket with a cup of something milky, just like Thara and her nanijee.  Where will the next object lead…?

The Zebra’s Great Escape by Katherine Rundell, Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

The latest offering from multi-award winning author Katherine Rundell is a picture book with illustrations by Sara Ogilvie (Izzy Gizmo). The story begins with Mink, a girl who doesn’t believe in bedtimes and whose namesake is the fiercely loyal creature that’s not afraid to bite!  An accidental meeting at dusk in the park introduces Mink to Gabriel, a Zebra who’s found himself in the city after his parents were kidnapped by the evil Mr Spit and taken away in a van.  Mink soon discovers that she can communicate with Gabriel through a series of vivid colours ‘red, orange and urgent’ that appear when he breathes.  Before long, Mink realises all animals communicate in this way and she can understand them. We learn that Mr Spit is collecting an alphabet of animals, and that with the Zebra has completed all twenty-six letters, including the xoloitzcuintlis (a hairless Mexican dog!) – and is going to kill them! What follows is an adventure that involves creatures from across the animal kingdom coming together in a plight to save Gabriel’s parents and the other captive animals, including Rainbow, the dog who brilliantly describes Gabriel as ‘the barcode horse’ and Rodentia, the squirrel.

This book has such a wonderful sense of fun, from the lolloping Zebra taking chunks out of things to the slightly grumpy dog bartering for bones, and alongside the vivid illustrations makes for a wonderfully exciting read as we discover if the force of good can overcome the wicked plans of Mr Spit.  With underlying themes of freedom and captivity, courage and determination, this brilliant escapade will be a perfect read for anyone with a love of animals and a sense of adventure – as well as a love for humour. I’ll be buying this for my 6-year-old nephew.

Kid Christmas of the Claus Brothers Toy Shop by David Litchfield

This heart-warming book tells the story of little Nicky Claus, who works at the Claus Brothers Toy Shop. Whilst Nicky sells toys to excited children and their parents in the shop, his three uncles work behind a mysterious doorway out of sight. Uncle Hanz makes the toys, Uncle Louis checks them and finally Uncle Levi adds the most important ingredient of all: the magic. Whilst working in the shop on Christmas Eve, Nicky sees some children through the window who aren’t able to buy the toys. He becomes determined to find a way to give every child in the city a present. This is where the Claus family really come into their own. What follows is a gorgeous tale of generosity, friendship, hope and light.

The beautiful illustrations in this book ooze Christmas cosiness and it would serve as a brilliant Christmas Eve family read. Though there is certainly something for everyone in this book, I would recommend it particularly for children in Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2.  A perfect book for filling the reader with Christmas magic! I'll be gifting this to my nearly-five-year-old daughter.

Snail Trail by Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Christos Kourtoglou

From award-nominated author Ziggy Hanaor comes this new release from Cicada. Marjorie is a snail. Now, much as she loves her family, she just can’t seem to get some time on her own. People worry that there’s something the matter. There isn’t but she just wants some peace and quiet. And Bernard wants to play what seems to be the polar opposite of a quiet game! Marjorie continues her search for peace. The trouble is, as snails are wont to do, the trail she leaves is precisely what gives her hiding places away! Eventually, her meandering here and there leaves such a confusing trail that she finds solitude where The sky was big and the grass was long. Insects with wings of many colours darted around. They didn’t bother Marjorie.

Rested - having listened to the whisper of the wind and the hum of life all around - she’s ready to go home. But where is home? Can she find her way back? And just how did Bernard manage to find a quiet spot undetected? A gorgeous story celebrating those moments where one might wish to be alone with the message that being alone - through choice - isn’t at all the same as being lonely. Hanaor’s thoughtful words with Kourtoglou’s gentle yet quirky illustrations (do snails even have eye-lashes?!) make this an evocative and timeless new picture book. I shall be gifting a copy to my step-son, to remind him that it’s okay to need space and solitude.

Leila and the Blue Fox by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, illustrated by Tom de Freston

The latest glorious offering from the creators of Julia and the Shark, Leila and the Blue Fox is inspired by the true story of an Arctic fox who travelled 2000 miles in 72 days from Norway to Canada.  It follows the two eponymous characters as their physical and emotional journeys intertwine, alternating perspectives between them throughout.  Leila, a young Syrian girl, travels to Norway from London to visit her estranged mother - a scientific researcher - after 6 years’ absence from her life.  Leila’s mother is part of a research team tracking Miso, a blue Arctic fox, as she travels thousands of miles on an epic migration for safety.  Leila’s resentment towards her mother for her abandonment, alongside her suppressed memories of their escape from war-torn Damascus make for a complex mother-daughter relationship which unfolds as Leila joins her mum on an expedition to track the creature. Miso’s plight ties in with the experiences of Leila and her family – as her mother describes, “Migration is necessary for survival.  What Miso did, what we did, was leave home to find something better”.  

The artwork and design are a delight, with De Freston’s stunning blue and black illustrations organised breathtakingly throughout the book.  The hardback copy gifts us with tracing paper inserts interspersed through the pages, adding depth and layering to the rich illustrations throughout.  Paw prints pad across double page spreads, and shadowy figures lurk in the depths of the arctic scenery courtesy of the mixed media usage.  

Atmospheric and hopeful, the story explores themes of migration and climate change, which link with unexpected clarity as Leila rediscovers herself, as well as her absentee mother, through the fox’s heroic journey to seek a safer life far from home.  This tale of endurance, hope and belonging is my favourite book of the year and would be perfect to gift to any budding explorers this festive season, but I think I might just gift this copy to myself!