What do you wish for? by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker

Viking, 2015. ISBN 9780670078110
Each year the children in Ruby's street put on a Christmas show with songs and costumes and real curtains during the party in the park at the end of the street. Before that they decorate the big tree and each writes a Christmas wish to hang in it. Everyone has a wish but Ruby knows that the wish deep inside her is too big to put on a small piece of paper. What could it be?
This is a charming story that reminds us of the warmth of Christmas traditions, the magic of wishes and a child's timeless dreams - the patchwork of events and activities that make the memories for when they are older. It reminds us as adults that no matter how old, tired, jaded, it's-Christmas-again-already? we get, it is a most magical time for our children and the things we do will be taken on through their lives to their children. They DESERVE our time to make it special for them, and if that's the only thing we can give them then that is the biggest gift of all. To know that we are willing to pause our busy lives to bring some magic to theirs is often all they want - just like Ruby.
Barbara Braxton