The Little Toy Shop
Written and Illustrated by Frances Wolfe
Recommended for ages 4-10
Tundra Books $21.99
The true spirit of Christmas rings loud and clear in this new storybook by Frances Wolfe. This tale is told from the perspective of a small toy bunny who has found a special place on the shelf of Mr. Kringle’s Toy Shop. A young girl spots the bunny in the window and quickly heads inside to meet the toy face-to-face. Old Mr. Kringle kindly offers to let the girl hold the bunny in her hands. Immediately, the bunny feels warm and tingly and just knows he has found his owner. The little girl tells Mr. Kringle that she has only one dollar to spend on the bunny. Mr. Kringle agrees to wait until tomorrow when she returns with her money, despite the price tag showing five dollars. He, too knows she will be the rightful owner of this special bunny.

In the meantime, a rich man and his assistant arrive at the shop and quickly gather up bags and bags of toys and offer Mr. Kringle a wad of money for the gifts he is purchasing for his daughter’s birthday. Always thoughtful and insistent that he put the right toy in the hands of the right customer, Mr. Kringle questions the man’s actions.

As expected, the “puny bunny” is tossed aside along with the numerous other gifts she receives for her birthday. In fact, he is tossed into the trash but lucky for him, a dog happens by and carries him off for an adventure. After closing the shop and feeling rather defeated by the events of the day, Mr. Kringle walks over the bridge to get to his home. He peers into the icy brook and is startled to see the adorable bunny lying there. The old man takes the bunny home and gives him a little TLC. He then dons his red suit and makes a special delivery to the little girl’s home where the bunny again feels warm and tingly.

Frances Wolfe is a Nova Scotia artist and illustrator whose previous works include One Wish and Where I Live.