About the Author

Con Fullam is the composer and lyricist of The Maine Christmas Song, which has sold over 100,000 copies since its original release. He is a multi-award-winning and five-time Emmy-nominated television producer, performer, publisher, writer, and recording artist; the creator and showrunner for the PBS series Greenlight Maine; and the executive producer of the award-winning PBS childrenâs series, Ribert and Robertâs Wonderworld, for which he co-wrote and co-produced the music. His movies about the fantastical characters The Wompkees, which he co-created, have aired on PBS and many other networks and are now distributed in 40 countries. He is the founder and director of Pihcintu, a multi-national chorus of 34 refugee girls from 22 countries, which has been featured by The Today Show, Voice of America, National Public Radio, and Al Jazeera. Cynthia Baker is a multimedia artist working in

Reviews

A picture-book adaptation of Fullam's popular song about the virtues of sharing and community togetherness. An unnamed narrator says that long ago, when "roads were made of crushed rock and earth," Christmas gifts were handmade and spiritually centered, and neighbors cared for one another. Although times have changed, there remains "a small corner of the earth where old values have not been lost," the narrator explains--in Maine, where neighbors visit and bring gifts of food or offer to take kids for sleigh rides. Fullam shares traditions that focus on the power of giving in a picture book that's half straightforward prose and half rhyming lyrics from the author's song, included as sheet music at the end. Despite this shift from prose to poetry, the book flows well, and a feeling of Christmas spirit shines through in both formats. Baker's painted illustrations showcase a diverse small-town community with residents of different ages, abilities, and skin tones. The realistic flora and fauna on many pages give the setting a tangible feel so that the warmth of a fireplace or cuddling cats seems to radiate from the pages. The idyllic nature of the images and poetry sheds a rosy glow on the holiday season, which many readers will appreciate. A cozy, down-home tale of Christmas in New England. --Kirkus Review--Kirkus Review "Kirkus Reviews"