What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that in this book, Ann Estelle is
obsessed with making her Christmas list because, in her mind,
Christmas won't be perfect unless she gets the perfect gifts.
This is presented as a cute, kid-thing to do -- part of the
charming narcissism of childhood. She does change her mind in
the end when she realizes the higher meaning of the holiday and
says, "Oh, Dad, it's not just the presents that matter. Don't
you know that?" as if we all should have understood that in the
beginning.
Families should be prepared to talk with kids about what Christmas truly means to them. How do the kids feel about Ann Estelle's list? Have they ever kept their own list? How about making a list of gifts to give other people? How do they feel about making gifts rather than buying them? What made Ann Estelle decide that Christmas wasn't just about presents? What other kinds of things made her holidays perfect? What do you think about Ann Estelle? How can someone who calls herself Queen and thinks so much about making her own life better also appear to be so kind and caring?
Common Sense Media Review
This first in the series of "Queen" stories by well-known
author/illustrator Mary Englebreit features Ann Estelle as the
inimitable, titular Queen. Here she's the Queen of Christmas
and, as the days until Christmas count down, she's consumed
with making a list of things she wants. Everything she does
reminds her of something she could have that would make the
experience even better. It's not that she's ever unhappy, it's
just that she could be happier.
It's hard not to like Ann Estelle, even though she's the self-proclaimed Queen and seems to only be looking out for her own wants and needs. The illustrations show her enjoying life and helping others. Happily, she gets caught up in the joys of her holiday celebration -- ice-skating, baking, caroling, decorating, and playing with her cousins -- and forgets about the list altogether.
The book's bright colors and happy faces make it seem warm, cheery, and perfectly harmless. And the lesson ultimately presented is that family, friends, food, singing, and stories are the important part of Christmas celebration. But the joy of making a gift list so long that it stretches from one Christmas to the next and includes everything a person could possibly want seems a bit unsettling. This might be a better book if Ann Estelle had added a few things on her list for the other people in her life.
Overall, QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS is sweet and sentimental, and because of Englebreit's illustrations, it resembles a classic. Plus, it could certainly stimulate some important discussions about consumerism and the commercialization of Christmas.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
