A Mustache Baby Christmas (Review #3), written by Bridget Heos, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Karina L.
Summary: A Mustache Baby Christmas is a well-illustrated children’s book that is about an unusual boy named Mustache Baby, who is born with a mustache. Likewise, his friend Javier is born with a beard. On Christmas Eve, Javier’s beard turns white and he becomes Santa Baby. Since being Santa was too pressuring for him, he lucky had Mustache Baby offering help to make the toys. However, Mustache Baby eventually decides to keep toys for himself, which then puts him on the naughty list. That is until a visit from Santa Grownup reminds him that it is much more fun to give than to receive.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Overall, this book teaches children a lesson about the value of giving. Children should be taught to not only work toward their own interest but rather for the kindness of others too. This book is a good representation of the consequences of not being thoughtful towards others and always expecting something in return. The illustrations are very bright and colorful, thus making the story more engaging and appealing towards children. The story is based on Christmas, which is a holiday that children highly enjoy, as it is based on time spent with family and full of happiness. There are many emotions perceived in the story, such as when mustache boy learns about the gift of giving and how it impacts himself along with the other characters in the story. The tone of the story shifts from being thoughtful to selfish, which is where the children would gain interest in story, as it depicts the change in the character and how it impacts the plot of the story. As a result, this book is a perfect holiday gift for any family, or especially children who highly enjoy Christmas.