Meerkat Christmas

By Author / Illustrator

Emily Gravett

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Pan Macmillan

ISBN

9781509857302

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

15-10-2020

Synopsis

From the multi award-winning creator of the modern classic Meerkat Mail, this gorgeous festive treat is full of Christmas card flaps to lift, as Sunny the meerkat travels the world in the search of the perfect Christmas.

A Sunday Times Book of the Year.

Sunny wants a white Christmas, with a decorated tree, carols and sprouts for dinner . . . none of which he can see at home in the Kalahari desert. So off he heads to find the perfect Christmas elsewhere, before realizing that maybe Christmas isn't all about the trimmings.

Emily Gravett's witty and heartwarming celebration of festive fun and family love shows that Christmas can be whatever you want it to be.

Reviews

Sunny the Meerkat is off on his travels again. This time, he has been reading all about how to have a perfect Christmas - and a Kalahari one does not look right at all. Amongst other things, a delicacy known as 'well boiled sprouts' is missing, so Sunny sets off in search of the perfect Christmas. His journey takes him to many places, but there's always something missing...

Like 'Meerkat Mail', 'Meerkat Christmas' is an utterly charming, beautifully illustrated story with added festive fun. Not afraid to venture forth into the wide world, Sunny eventually realises that home is where the heart is and that no amount of festive frippery can replace being with those you love.

Perfect for reading and sharing, Meerkat Christmas also offers many possibilities for using with, and inspiring work from, a class. The 'voyage and return' storyline makes it perfect for discussing how everyone is unique, how they celebrate in different ways and the difference between needs and wants! The story also lends itself to supporting work in geography. Sunny visits hot and cold countries around the world and these could be located on a map of the world. The animals and birds which live there (particularly those shown in the illustrations) can be researched and children could give presentations about their findings, including their habitats.

Obviously, the book is perfect for inspiring letter/card writing and creating a simple book in the same style as the original with real letters from one character to another, possibly using the animals the children have found out about as characters. There are also lots of opportunities for using role play strategies for exploring thoughts and feelings. With meerkat toys being available from a certain insurance comparison site, taking pictures of 'Sunny' in various places would be a great way to explore the locality with children, creating simple maps, routes and plans of the local read and writing cards to create an information book.

There are examples of instructional texts at the beginning of the book and children could explore how effective instructions for making simple Christmas decorations are - perhaps they could design and make Christmas glasses inspired by those worn by Kev which might lead to a class competition! The story is also full of Christmas cracker jokes - ideal for word play and writing appalling puns!

A real joy, Meerkat Christmas is a festive treat!

28 pages / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher