Molly's Surprise: A Christmas Story

A knit tam pattern.

Even though he is away serving in an English hospital during World War II, Molly's father finds a way to make the family Christmas very special.

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i love this book ( )

I liked this book for two reasons. I liked the language. It was descriptive and detailed, and also used a wide range of figurative language so that the audience is more engaged in the story. For example, the author writes, "Her cheeks were already as red as Christmas bows" (p. 35). This simile helps the audience envision how red Jill's cheeks were in an interesting and unique way rather than using boring word choice and stating how red her cheeks were. By using engaging and detailed language, the author creates a more intriguing story while providing details so that the audience can imagine the story in their minds as they read. I also like the illustrations in the text. While they are few and spaced out throughout the chapter book, the illustrations help the audience understand terms that they may not be familiar with. Because this takes place in the 1940s, young readers may not have all of the background knowledge to understand everything that is written. For example, the author writes of a soldier's hat and a canteen on page 4. Some students may have never been exposed to this kind of language, so the corresponding illustration can help the readers understand what these things are so they can fully understand the text. Overall, the big idea of this story is the importance of family and good relationships. ( )