Oliver's Red Toboggan

This book is a cute story about a brother and sister and sharing. It is beautifully illustrated and has thick pages with a raised border throughout. My 4 year old daughter just got this as a gift and refuses to read any other book. I plan on giving this book as a gift to as many birthday parties as my daughter is invited to this winter!

When young bunnies Oliver and Emily Boxwood go to bed one night during a snowstorm, they hope more than anything that they will wake up to a snow day, where they can spend the day sledding down Windy Hill, building snowmen, and avoiding schoolwork of all kinds. Luckily, when they awake in the morning, they find that their wish has been granted, and that all of Holly Pond Hill is blanketed by thick, white snow. Looking to enjoy one of the few days off they receive, Emily and Oliver grab Oliver's new, bright red toboggan, and decide to try it out on Windy Hill. However, when they get there, Oliver becomes greedy with his toboggan, and, to Emily's dismay, does not allow her to take a ride down the snowy hills as he promised. Emily is extremely angry with Oliver. So, to get her revenge, she traipses through the snow, away from Windy Hill, where she begins work on constructing her very own snow castle. When Oliver attempts to come in, she refuses his entry, and the two bunnies become angry with one another. But when, in the midst of their unnecessary quarrel, Emily and Oliver learn that their forest friends Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel, along with their young babies, have been displaced from their home by the storm, the two siblings learn that sharing with one another, along with their friends, is much more rewarding than being greedy and selfish. I have been a huge fan of Susan Wheeler's illustrations for years, purchasing gift cards, and holiday books by her for years. So I was ecstatic when I learned that Susan Wheeler had teamed up with Paul Kortepeter to create a delightful new tale of wintry fun that is perfect through the holiday season, as well as the coming winter months. Kortepeter has done a splendid job of weaving a tale that embraces the spirit of a wondrous snow day, and paired it with a lesson in sharing, and the fact that giving is better than receiving. His characters are delightful - even when they are being cross with one another - and are very reminiscent of the many fights siblings have with one another. The tale, paired with the absolutely gorgeous illustrations by Wheeler truly bring the story, and the characters to life, and leave visions of sledding and snow castles in the mind of anyone who has the pleasure of delving into this delightful tale. OLIVER'S RED TOBOGGAN is a gift that keeps on giving, as it illustrates the joy that sharing can bring! Erika Sorocco