Michelle Conn, The Christmas Star, Affirm Press, August 2024, 32 pp., RRP $22.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922930309
Hopes are dashed. A Christmas play where Timmy who always knew he was a star, is allocated the role of the Christmas Tree. He doesn’t want to be a Christmas Tree. What was worse, his friend Kevin is given the role of KING. Timmy knows Kevin is not the star! He is the star. Timmy wants to be the king.
Timmy tries all sorts of antics to make the Christmas Tree take the spotlight. He becomes a dancing tree, a glowing tree, a flying tree. It is a disaster, with all the other kids rejecting Timmy’s stardom. In the end Timmy decides to be the LEAVING tree. He knows he has ruined the Christmas play. He feels terrible. Then he decides – ‘He had to fix things.’ Giving up his own star, he re-fashions it for Kevin. Timmy finds Kevin backstage. ‘I made you a new crown, fit for a King.’
In the end Timmy loves being a Christmas Tree that shelters the King from the storm. Timmy is the Happiest Christmas tree in the world and Kevin and Timmy are friends again.
This is a warm story, where conflict is resolved and where friendship is in the spotlight. It holds the spirit of Christmas.
Suitable for ages 3-8
Reviewed by Susanne Gervay
See Stef Gemmill’s review of The Christmas Star
