Wake Up, Bear . . . It's Christmas! by Stephen Gammell is lots of fun! The illutrations are beautiful, as usual. Bear is a full-bodied, cuddly looking character always wearing a smile. And while the narration is in prose, Bear speaks in rhyme.
Bear plans to wake up from his winter nap to enjoy Christmas. He snuggles into bed and falls asleep until his clock wakes him on Christmas Eve. Snow covers the woods ourside his tree trunk home. Wearing red scarf and red mittens, he walks out into the weather and finds a small pine tree. The tree is decorated and stocking hung as he plays a guitar and settles in to enjoy the evening.
A surprise visitor taps on Bear's door. It's a man in a red suit, green striped mittens, and white beard. "'Hello, Bear. I saw your light. I'll warm myself, if that's alright?'" It's after an evening of conversation and song that the little man asks Bear to join him for a ride. You can guess the rest."'Oh, what a Christmas!' hollered Bear. 'I've never had such fun. I'd like to think that it could be like this for everyone.'"
