Review # 49: Judy Moody & Stink: The Holly Joliday by Megan McDonald

Title: McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody & Stink: The Holly Joliday. Candlewick Press. 2007. 82 pags. Tr. $12.79. ISBN 978-0-7636-3237-3

Genre: Fiction
Reading Level/Interest Level: 3.4/ Grades 3-6
Awards: None   

Series: Judy Moody series
Similar Titles: Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

All that Judy Moody's little brother, Stink, wants for Christmas is snow. He researches snow, reads about snow, thinks about snow, dreams about snow. Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow Snow. Then one day, he meets a new mailman, who looks eerily like Santa Claus and calls himself Jack Frost. Excited at the prospect, Stink asks if Jack Frost can delivery the white Christmas he so desperately wants. "Stranger things have happened," he says with a knowing wink. You just have to feel it in your bones, the mailman tells him.

Convinced that this is the answer he was looking for, he tells a disbelieving Judy all about it. She'll continue her Hawaiian themed Christmas decorating and songs and leave Stink to his own incredulous ideas, even when he changes his part in the school play from the mouse in "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse," to a "stellar dendrite" snowflake!

Everyone is very gracious about Stink's obsession. Even Judy is gracious in the amount teasing and grief she gives him, though it is still plentiful. Then, they receive an unexpected package in the mail and Stink becomes convinced with the notion that there will be snow before midnight on Christmas Eve, so much so, that he and Judy make a bet. Whoever is wrong, has to eat Aunt Lou's infamous fruitcake and to prove it, they'll both stay up until midnight.

When Stink falls asleep, and, close to midnight, Judy hears the pitter pat of rain instead of snow, one act of charity shows readers that Judy Moody doesn't just constantly tease her little brother like a typical sibling, she loves him as a good big sister should and wants to see him happy come Christmas morning. Though her plan doesn't turn out quite how she anticipated, she shows readers, without a doubt, that she knows the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of family.

The perfect beginning chapter book for the holidays, Judy Moody is alive with compassion, silliness, and loving thoughtful characters making for an easy, and joyful read. I particularly like the appearance of the mysterious, jolly mailman, very akin to Miracle of 34th Street. He never onces leaves your mind during the story, making you wonder if it is his influence that encourages Stink's unwavering faith in Christmas miracles (after all, it hasn't snowed in Virginia for half a million years per Judy Moody) and allows Judy to put aside all her taunting and big sister shenanigans to support her littler brother and try to give him a good Christmas. I wouldn't hesitate to give this book as a gift to tweens, especially those with siblings at home.