We’d love to go and spend the festive season with Frog and Bear at The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel! This heartwarming, humorous story introduces a new friendship and celebrates the kindness and sharing that is part of the festive season.
The Story: Bear is planning a quiet Christmas when an excited Frog turns up on his doorstep. Frog is looking for The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel but he’s travelled to the wrong side of the world so Bear invites Frog to spend Christmas with him.
Kindhearted Bear reads the Christmas Extravaganza Hotel brochure while Frog is sleeping but although he can’t offer a supersonic sleigh ride or a Christmas tree that sings he decides to make Frog’s Christmas as magical as possible.
After starting the day with a tasty alternative to the all-you-can-eat North Pole breakfast bar, Frog and Bear head outside where Bear finds wonderful, natural alternatives to the activities in Frog’s brochure.
Bear introduces Frog to real snow, reindeer and finds the most magical Christmas lights, each experience that the new friends have is a wonderful, natural contrast to the flashy, commercial experiences that are offered at The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel.
Tony Neal’s fabulous illustrations are full of Christmassy details, we love Bear’s living room with its natural decorations and roaring fire. We need to turn the book sideways to look at our favourite illustration which shows a snow covered Christmas tree, Frog’s expression is adorable as he watches the ‘interactive singing decorations’! We also love the way that the endpapers are the same pattern as Bear’s Christmas jumper.
Frog’s enthusiasm for Bear’s Christmas experiences is infectious and encourages the reader to turn the page to see what they will do next. The story ends with a visit from Santa who brings the perfect present and ensures that the two new friends have lots of fun on Christmas Day.
We love The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel, you get a really warm Christmassy feeling as you read it ?
Age Range: 3 +
Author: Tracey Corderoy / Illustrator: Tony Neal
Thank you to Little Tiger Press for sending The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel. It’s a funny, festive, feel good story which is perfect to read in the run up to Christmas.
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