Merry Christmas Blue Kangaroo – Emma Chichester Clark

‘Merry Christmas Blue Kangaroo’ by Emma Chichester Clark is a much loved part of our Christmas  picture book collection which we love to share every year. We pour over the sumptuous and rich illustrations which never fail to delight us and bask in this beautiful story of the friendship between Lily and her Blue Kangaroo. Every year my daughter says Blue Kangaroo is like my Anna – her precious rabbit she has had since she was a baby.

It’s Christmas Eve and Lily is very excited that it is Blue Kangaroo’s first Christmas. She wants Christmas to be very special, so she makes him a card, decorates the house with paper chains and wraps up a present telling him they are’ just for you’. Everything that happens is all just for Blue Kangaroo from the snow outside to the Christmas tree Uncle George brings and the special kangaroo shaped biscuits that Lily’s Aunties bake.

 

Blue Kangaroo seems overwhelmed with all this kindness and feel sad he doesn’t have a present to give to Lily in return. Lily and Blue Kangaroo go to bed on Christmas Eve but he lies awake wondering what he should do. But then he hears a funny noise wonders if Father Christmas has come and whether  he can help him with a  present for Lily. The very next morning Lily rushes downstairs and finds a special stocking, I wonder where that came from?

This festive tale captures perfectly a young child’s excitement and anticipation growing as Christmas approaches. The setting is idyllic with the snow falling outside, the opulent Christmas tree and the family coming together to celebrate this special time. I also love how we see the sheer joy that Lily gets from sharing her Christmas with  Blue Kangaroo and how rewarding it is to give as well as receive which is a lovely message for children to hear. This is such a delight to read and share it’s a lovely present wrapped up in shiny paper with a gorgeous organza bow.

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