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Petra Mathers looks straight into the hearts of kids with her warm, wonderful Lottie books (Lottie's New Beach Towel). Fortunately, some of her picture books also include the beloved chicken's best friend, Herbie the duck, the guilt-wracked star of Herbie's Secret Santa. Christmas preparations with Lottie are going swimmingly until Herbie can't resist the temptation to lick the red, shin... More

Petra Mathers looks straight into the hearts of kids with her warm, wonderful Lottie books (Lottie's New Beach Towel). Fortunately, some of her picture books also include the beloved chicken's best friend, Herbie the duck, the guilt-wracked star of Herbie's Secret Santa. Christmas preparations with Lottie are going swimmingly until Herbie can't resist the temptation to lick the red, shiny frosting off a Santa cookie at Ali Baba's bakery. After a few licks, the cookie breaks. Herbie panics and swallows the Santa whole! He is a thief! Of course, he's instantly sure that everyone in the world has x-ray vision and can see the cookie in his stomach. When someone says "Don't you look sweet, li'l Santa" (Herbie's wearing a Santa hat and boots just to be festive), he thinks she is talking to the cookie. Sure that he has lost his right to dress up as someone as noble as Santa, he buries his costume. Worse yet, he's sure he's lost Lottie's friendship, so he runs to her, confesses all, then returns to the scene of the crime to apologize: "Ihh-a stolehha-ha a Santahh, I'mha sorryhh." While neither Ali nor Baba is pleased, they assure him that they will like him again... after Christmas. And nothing could ruin the friendship of Lottie and Herbie, who can find the Christmas Star together in the "most wonderful World in the World!" Mather's small paintings are, as ever, winningly simple, but with plenty of tiny, funny details to ensure a new sighting with every read. A lovely holiday tale of irresistible frosting and even more delicious redemption. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

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