The Little Toy Shop

by Frances Wolfe, Frances Wolfe (Illustrator)

Overview

Come and explore Mr. Kringle’s special little toy shop, where he spends his days helping every customer find just the right toy. When a box arrives at the shop with a small stuffed bunny inside, Mr. Kringle determines to find him a loving home in time for Christmas. Could the little girl who peers through the toy-shop window be the one who provides just the home he seeks?

Meet Teddy, the stuffed bear who befriends Bunny, and watch their friendship deepen as, one by one, the other toys leave the shop. Will the little girl who stared at Bunny through the window ever come back to claim him?

Frances Wolfe’s vibrant paintings complement her poignant prose in this heartwarming tale of love lost and found for the young and the young at heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770491540
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	12/14/2011
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Tundra’s FRANCES WOLFE makes her home on the Nova Scotia shore, where her family has lived for more than a century. Her first book, Where I Live, was awarded the Ann Connor Brimer Award for an outstanding contribution to Canadian children’s literature as well as the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award for illustration. Her second book, One Wish, was awarded the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Book Illustration, presented by the Halifax Regional Municipality. Both books are currently available in English and Spanish. Wolfe is a self-taught artist and an accomplished storyteller, puppeteer, and children’s programmer. She has more than thirty years of experience working with children in a library setting.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 1-3

A sweet stuffed bunny comes to reside in the toy store owned by a Mr. Kringle, who prides himself on helping customers select the perfect gift. Bunny learns about Christmas from the teddy bear who sits near it on the toy shelf. A little girl makes an agreement with Mr. Kringle to come back with a dollar to purchase Bunny; sadly, when the girl comes back, the toy has been sold to another customer without Mr. Kringle's knowledge. Bunny then has a bit of an adventure but, in a Christmas miracle, is found by the shop owner. A happy ending wraps up this story of love lost and found. The vibrant oil on masonite paintings bring life to this heartwarming tale.-Diane Olivo-Posner, Long Beach Public Library, CA

School Library Journal

This overlong and too-sentimental story is set in a toy shop owned by a gentle, white-haired man named Mr. Kringle. He kindly agrees to sell a small, stuffed bunny to a little girl for only a dollar, but in a complex series of events and coincidences, the bunny is sold to someone else, discarded as worthless, chewed by a dog and recovered from a stream by Mr. Kringle (all in one day). He repairs the rabbit and delivers it to the little girl on Christmas Eve as her present from Santa, and the bunny is surprised when he is also reunited with his teddy bear friend from Mr. Kringle's shop. The saccharine text includes too many descriptions of emotions, too many insights into the stuffed animals' thoughts and some overblown touches such as a huge teardrop falling to the floor "with a plop." Wolfe's oil paintings far exceed her text, as her attractive illustrations exhibit sophisticated perspectives, appealing human characters and a dear little bunny who deserves better narration. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Where I Live:
“. . . words and images together take readers to a . . . serene seascape and result in a lovely picture book.”
— School Library Journal

“The wonderfully reproduced oil paintings are the highlight of this lovely book . . . Every coastal bookstore will have to have [it].” — ABA Kids’ Pick of the List

Praise for One Wish:
“Stunning, light-filled paintings dominate each spread. . . . This book is a beautiful marriage of image and text, presenting a breathtaking panoramic view of life along the shore . . .” — School Library Journal

“The highly realistic and luminous double-page oil paintings . . . are stunning in their rich colours and clarity. . . .”
–Canadian Children’s Book News

From the Publisher