A Very Mercy Christmas

K-Gr 2–Stella Endicott is spontaneous: in a moment of joy, she wants to go caroling and share the joyful feeling with others. Unfortunately, her neighbors and friends are busy and not as willing to change their plans as quickly. Luckily, Mercy the pig loves being sung to and joins Stella as she tries to recruit others. It is not long before a cat and horse join them, and when Mercy sings with Stella, something miraculous happens to draw everyone together. Gouache art on each spread in this emerging reader chapter book assists the story. Van Dusen’s cool tones, saturated colors, and expressiveness pair well with the written words, providing nuance to vocabulary and characterization. This is a heartwarming Christmas story that emphasizes being kind to one another over any strong religious tone.