Tip Top and the Magic Christmas Tree by Craig Wilde and Filipe Neves Ribeiro with illustrations by Monique Scott is the story of Tip Top the elf on his quest to find a Christmas tree for Santa’s house. This rhyming children’s christmas story uses enchanting rhyming verse to tell an engaging Christmas story. The editing is good with only a couple of minor errors, not enough to spoil the reader’s enjoyment. Characters are clear and well-defined, described well in verse and beautifully illustrated. Tip Top has clear goals and motivations and learns a moral lesson at the end of the story. Some of the poetry loses its flow a little as there are occasionally too many/too few syllables to a line, but again, this is a minor issue that does not spoil the reader’s enjoyment. The plot engages from the first, holding the reader’s attention, the vocabulary is varied and interesting but may contain some language that an early reader would find tricky, this is a book that would be best enjoyed with an adult. The story bounces along nicely and does plenty to keep a young reader engaged, with a joyful conclusion. The illustrations are lively and distinctive, and the words on the page also change colour and shape to reflect the word’s meaning, improving readability and engaging younger readers effectively. I award 4 stars.
Not Available to buy at The Book Dragon