Christmas Makes Me Think by Tony Medino

I loved this book! It is not your typical Christmas story but it is all about "finding the true meaning of Christmas." This little boy tells about how excited he is for Christmas to be coming and how he can't wait for all of the food his family will have, the big tree they will decorate, and all of the presents that will be piled under the tree. Then, the story switches and the boy starts thinking about what happens to the trees that don't make to next Christmas and why it is such a tradition to eat turkeys and pigs and chickens on Christmas. From there he begins talking about other people in his community that are not fortunate to have all of these things and how he feels it is better to help them out. He takes food to homeless shelters and offers warm clothing. Eventually, he shares some of his presents with them and finds out that together they can all have a great Christmas.

I thought this book was really sweet. I've heard plenty of stories about giving to others and understanding what Christmas is all about. However, this book included ideas about the environment and nature that I hadn't seen before. With everyone being environmentally friendly these days I thought it was interesting to think about all of the trees that are cut down each year for Christmas and what happens to them when Christmas is over. Also, I usually don't hear people talking about their food they have for Christmas and how one year it would be nice to feed a turkey or pig instead of eating one. It's a very subtle way of beginning discussions on bigger issues. On top of the newer ideas of environment and nature, the book also discusses the concept of community and how it is important to help people around you. I thought this book was really adorable and I could definitely see using it in the future!