Jingle Bells

PreS-Gr 1—Jeffers reimagines "Jingle Bells" in the wintry countryside. A little girl, her brother, and a mischievous Westie climb aboard their "one-horse open sleigh" to deliver a Christmas gift to their grandmother, and high jinks abound. As they dash through the snowy landscape, everyone tumbles out of the sleigh to the shock of nearby deer. The Westie takes off on a merry chase with a hare and a fox and the siblings encounter a myriad of curious animals (a picture glossary of the animals encountered is appended). Eventually the trio arrive at grandmother's house—and in a clever twist, grandpa happens to be Santa. The family straps on their ice skates and glide joyfully across the frozen river. Jeffers's signature watercolor-and-ink paintings capture the soft winter landscape, ensuring that readers will snuggle a little closer with loved ones. The song lyrics have been altered to fit the plot, but they are mostly intact and still very singable.