In many families Christmas Eve is no longer very sacred. Fidgety children, nervous parents. The house must be cleaned, the tree decorated, the duck crispy. The giving of the gifts takes place at an appointed time and deserves its own festive context.
This is just what Jonas, Julia and Janni want and that’s why the tears are falling as soon as the parents announce on 23rd December that they will have to work the following day. How is that supposed to work out? While the older siblings are dejectly sitting at the breakfast table the following morning, little Janni is already planning the rescue operation: the duck will be sizzling in the oven and the tree will be lit up when the parents return home!
The three are quickly shelving the plans for dinner due to pity with the fowl, but then the Christmas preparations gather speed. Everything goes haywire and it is huge fun! When the parents suddenly turn up, everything is ready—a happy Christmas!
Henning Wagenbreth—distinguished illustrator (The Pirate and the Apothecary) and professor at the Berlin University of the Arts—has worked on this book with his illustration class, resulting in this wonderful picture book debut of young illustrator Sasha Zilberman.
by Sabine Lipan & Sasha Zilberman
Peter Hammer Verlag | hc | 48 pp | Sept 2016 | 5+
All rights available
[original German title: Wie wir mal Weihnachten gerettet haben]