ASHER'S CHRISTMAS WISH

In Vanous’ picture book, Santa Claus finds a runaway puppy requiring some Christmas magic to find the perfect home.

It is summertime, and Santa Claus is busy playing “reindeer games” in the woods when he stumbles upon a lost little puppy named Asher. Asher’s sisters were recently adopted; the fluffy white dog explains that he is hoping for “a home that feels just right—one full of adventures and someone who will love me forever.” Santa takes Asher back to the North Pole, where the pup spends the rest of the year frolicking with animals and elves alike. Just before Christmas, Santa receives a letter from a fair-skinned, brown-haired little girl named Karen Sue who wishes for a puppy of her very own. So, on Christmas night, as Asher helps Santa with his deliveries, they make one final stop at Karen Sue’s house—where Asher realizes he has finally found his perfect home. Mrs. Claus narrates with an appropriate simplicity punctuated by occasional vivid descriptions (“he looked as fresh and bright as a peppermint stick in new-fallen snow”). There are moments when the prose snags as it sporadically veers into rhyming territory, but this never obscures the hopeful message that everyone is deserving of love. Flint’s illustrations are cheerful, consisting of broad strokes and colorful shading done in a somewhat old-fashioned style. The result is a quiet, comforting story brimming with puppy love.

A sweet holiday tale that emphasizes love and acceptance all year round.