by Mick Jackson
First published 2023
Mabel Taylor unwraps her Christmas present and finds a gleaming red sledge. The sledge has a pulling rope and a polished bottom designed for speed. Mabel wants to take it outside immediately, but the ground stays bare. No snow appears the next day or the day after that. While she waits, Mabel creates elaborate fantasies about her sledge. She pictures herself racing down bobsled tracks as a champion athlete. She imagines trekking across frozen landscapes as a polar explorer. She even pretends to be Father Christmas delivering presents. Day after day passes without any snow. Mabel stops watching the sky and checking the weather. Then, when she least expects it, snow begins to fall. A thick white layer covers everything around her. Her world changes completely. The story celebrates both imaginative play indoors and active play outside.
Genres: fiction, fantasy, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, magical-realism
32 pages · Paperback · Walker Books