Godden's classic tale, illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner Cooney, is filled with the warm glow of the Christmas spirit in this stunning, newly colorized edition.

"This is a story about wishing," begins The Story of Holly & Ivy, and it is the wishes of several people that come together one Christmas morning for a miracle. Ivy is a orphan longing for a doll and a grandmother to love. Mrs. Jones is a police officer's wife longing for a little girl to love. Holly is a Christmas doll longing for a little girl to play with her. Each two-page spread contains at least a page of text allowing for wonderfully detailed descriptions and a more complete story. The illustrations are also wonderfully detailed and realistic scenes from an old English town.

Although the pages are text heavy, the pictures provide enough details that your little one will want the extra time to take in the full picture and explore it for the toys and stuffed animals being described. The thorough descriptions also help prepare children for more detailed chapter books that are soon to come.  There are many lessons taught in The Story of Holly and Ivy from the mean and bullying stuffed owl, named Abracadabra, to Holly and Ivy's unstoppable optimism that things will work out as they should. And they do - with the help of a few wishes and a bit of Christmas magic.