Llama Llama Holidays: Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney

SPARKLY CANDLES, YUMMY BREAD.
DRESS-UP CLOTHES IN GREEN AND RED.

HOW LONG TILL THAT SPECIAL DATE?
LLAMA, LLAMA HAS TO WAIT.

For a lot of us grownups, the rituals of pre-holiday days--the goodies, the music, wrapping presents, parties with friends and family--are the best part. But for the little ones whose dazzled eyes are on the prize--those long-awaited gifts from Santa under the tree--the big day is way too long in coming. The earlier the jingle bells start up, the more the tension builds, and many a toddler meltdown has been the not-so-merry result.

Anna Dewdney's insightful new Llama Llama Holiday Drama (Viking, 2010) documents the fun and the fuss over the holiday season perfectly. All the fun and frustration of those hustle-bustle days are seen in little Llama's eyes and reflected humorously in the eyes of his little stuffed llama who goes everywhere with him. As in her wonderful earlier Llama, Llama books, Dewdney shrewdly catches, from a child's eye view, the frustrations of daily life, especially the ones that build excitement over that time between the day the Halloween treats are all gone and that Christmas morning release.

LLAMA, LLAMA HOLIDAYS.
ADS, SIGNS, AND STORE DISPLAYS.

Mama Llama trudges through it all with little Llama in tow--choosing gifts for his friends, making what seems like millions of cookies, struggling to untangle the lights for their tree--and for a little Llama, it is all overwhelming.

TOO MUCH MUSIC. TOO MUCH FLUFF.
TOO MUCH MAKING. TOO MUCH STUFF!

Mama knows all too well what is likely to come next--big time Llama Drama! Leaving the lights in a tangle around them, she quietly takes him on her lap and gives him a cuddle.

WISHING, WAITING, WANTING THINGS...
WE FORGET WHAT THIS TIME BRINGS.

GIFTS ARE NICE, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER--
THE TRUE GIFT IS WE HAVE EACH OTHER.

It's not a new message, but Dewdney makes it once more and makes it well in a way that little ones can understand. There can be too much excitement, too many wants, too many gifts, but there can never be too much family time together for little ones, and in her first holiday outing, Llama Llama Holiday Drama, Anna Dewdney sticks up for those homey holiday hopes that really bring a "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

More Llama Drama: Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

Mama Llama goes away.
Llama Llama has to stay.

Strange new teacher
Strange new toys.

Lots of kids,
And lots of noise.

It's up bright and early, and time to hurry, hurry. It's time for Llama Llama to go to nursery school.

It is the first of many big goodbyes for little Llama, and when Mama puts on her coat and walks out that door, it is as if the world grows suddenly darker. The teacher tries to tempt him with blocks and crafts and a ride on the Chugga-Choo with his classmates, but Llama Llama only wants to hide behind a bookcase. Teacher tries to distract him with a snuggle and a story.

Read stories on the rug?
Kids are cuddling, sitting snug.

Would the Llama like to look?
Llama Llama hates that book!

Then comes lunch time, and as Llama Llama sits around the little table with the strange kids and looks down at his plate, he quietly loses it.

Llama misses Mama so...
Why did Mama Llama go?

It's too much for little Llama.
Little Llama misses Mama.

But Teacher is there in a flash with a hug and a word of hope:

Don't forget when day is through,
She will come right back for you!

And the other kids seem to understand and add an invitation that's hard to refuse:

LLama Llama, please don't fuss.
Have some fun and play with us!

Little Llama bravely puts on his coat and goes outside to climb inside the playhouse and try out the slide, and before he knows it, Mama Llama is back!

Lots to show and lots to say!
Back again another day....

Llama finds out something new--
He loves Mama--and school, too!

As in her earlier Llama sagas--Llama Llama Red Pajama (Viking, 2005) and Llama Llama Mad at Mama (Viking, 2007)--Anna Dewdney's just published Llama Llama Misses Mama is a treat for child and parent alike. Dewdney's empathy with Little Llama and his solicitous mama is shown in their faces, with Llama Llama's worried looks reflected even in the face of his little plush llama which goes everywhere with him. Not many author/illustrators portray the trials of toddlerhood with more understanding than Dewdney, and her easy rhymes and expressive illustrations make this new one a must-have, too.