Together at Christmas

by Eileen Spinelli, Bin Lee (Illustrator)

It's Christmas Eve, and a family of ten mice shivers in the snow. One by one, each mouse finds a place to stay warm, only to discover that they'd rather huddle together on this holiday night. With gently rhyming text and charming illustrations, this picture book is a wonderful readaloud at Christmastime.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Storytime

24 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Eileen Spinelli is an award-winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania. She has written over 100 picture books and novels for children. Her husband is Jerry Spinelli, who also writes books for children.

Reviews

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams]

This book make me feel a little sad. I felt sorry for the animals out on the cold winter night. I felt sorry when they all found lonely although warm places to shelter from the wind and cold. I was so happy when the little mice all got back together to celebrate with friends.

If you like to pair books with aromatherapy as much as I do, I think the perfect pairing for this book would be doTERRA's Holiday Peace. You can only buy it around Christmas time. But that's the time you are usually reading book about Christmas to your children, so you are good.

**Talking points - Do you like spending the holidays with by yourself or with others? Do you look for those who might be out in the cold and bring them in to your circle of warmth? Have you ever been out in the cold and brought into someone's circle of warmth? Tell me about it. Do you have a warm house and plenty of food? When's the last time you thanked someone for it? Who would you thank?

[Gina]

A heartwarming story with sweet illustrations.

[Ashlyn]

This was so cute! I definitely want to read this to my little cousins next winter!

[Kendra]

This is such a cute story that is not like a lot of Christmas stories that are out there. All four of my kids really enjoyed listening to this story. This story has counting down and counting up involved as it goes into a plot of mice trying to find a place to stay warm when in reality they find out that they are better together in the cold. Then by themselves in the snow especially on Christmas. The illustrations were a bit interesting. The background of the picture looked real life-like where the mice in the story looked cartoonish. Not sure if that was on purpose or not but it was an interesting thing to see. I recommend checking this out for Christmas.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin]

In this counting tale with rhyming text, ten mice huddle together in the snow until, one by one, they find more comfortable accommodations. In a heartwarming twist, the warmth of their friendship brings them back together to celebrate Christmas Eve in a Yule log that’s big enough for everyone. Delightfully detailed illustrations depict the rodents and their wintry environment.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Arminzerella]

A rhyming, counting (count down), book that celebrates togetherness during the holidays. 10 mice are huddled together in the snow, and one by one they find shelter. But it's sad to be alone at Christmas, so the mice brave the weather to get back together and after their festivities, one spies a place where they can all snuggle up away from the weather.

Some of the illustrations seem a little out of focus (hazy, air-brushed) in places (I kept adjusting my glasses - is it just me?). Also, as another reviewer mentioned, the rhyme scheme was a little off , so I kept having to go back to reread and make it work. Cute mice, but could have been better.

[Kimmy]

I loved the illustrations in this book, they were beautiful. I also liked the rythm of this story, it flowed nicely. I was surprised to see it was a counting book as the title and the cover have no indication. I think I liked it more finding this out because it grabbed my kids attention right away when counting was involved. I can't put my finger on it, but i kept thinking this book layout didn't match it's story quite right, I think i would have done the placement of the pages a little differently. Nonetheless, I loved it.

[Dewey]

This story was cute enough, but the whole "ten little mice out freezing in the cold" tone of the story was kind of a bummer for me. The ending is nice, but the rest of it just seems like a little bit of a downer. With all of the Christmas and winter picture books out there, you can definitely find better.

[Kendra]

The story is sweet and the illustrations are fitting for the mood and season. Some of the rhymes, however, were weird for me. It's totally a personal thing, but I hate it when part of a couplet is in the middle of a sentence. Just makes it hard to read very smoothly.

[Robin]

A sweet story paired with outstanding illustrations make this book a must read! The 10 mice want to stay warm but it seems that none of the warm spots on this cold winter night are big enough for all of them. Might even be one to buy for your home collection.

[Matthew]

A counting story for Christmas. The mice want to find a dry place to pass the night and they do so one by one. However, they want to spend the holiday together even more. They come together and find a place they share for the holiday.

[Jen]

I loved this book and so have my elementary students. It is a counting book about some mice who are searching for a warm spot on Christmas, but then decide that the best place to be at Christmas is together.

[Aileen Stewart]

This beautiful Christmas book by Eileen Spinelli is a story of ten cold mice who leave their huddle one at a time to find shelter from the storm. Each does indeed find a place of refuge, but in the end they realize something even more important then enjoying a cozy dwelling alone.

[Anthony]

On a cold Christmas eve a family of ten mice each find an individual place to stay warm, and out of the elements. But they all soon realize that they would rather be cold together than spend it warm and alone.

[Jacqueline]

Lovely art for this Christmas/counting story. Perfect for a holiday storytime.

[Paula]

Ten little mice, huddled together in Christmas snow, go off one by one to find warm places to sleep, but soon decide they would rather be together celebrating the special night.

[Peacegal]

Much better than most Christmas picture books.

[Jennifer]

Sweet illustrations, but I just couldn't get into the story/rhymes.

[Vicki]

A book about being together at Christmas time. Wonderful illustrations, great for counting down for the young ones listening.

[Chrissy]

Lovely little winter story, with totally adorable mice

[LJ]

Loved the sweet message and the vibrant full-apread art.

[Anne]

magical illustrations by a Chinese artist
a countdown book
not very Christmasy, very wintry
nice for threes

[Shawn]

Cute story with rhyming prose. Fun to read aloud.

[Sharon]

A Cute Book

This was a nice little story, the kind where the payoff comes at the end with a sweet and tender and joyful resolution.

[Alice]

Don't like mice...don't love Christmas, but it was a cute enough story. About Christmas or counting. Nice illustrations but..mice...ick!

[Amy]

Christmas tale that involves counting backwards mice.

[Danette]

A counting Christmas book.

12/22/17 Read with Julia.
12/3/20 Read with Julia

[Joan Arbogast]

Ten little mice find shelter for Christmas Eve.

[Valerie]

Ahhh, so cute.