Christmas is a wonderful time of the year; it’s a season that is just brimming over with enchantment and excitement. With its twinkling lights and colourful decorations, bustling Christmas markets filled with mulled wine and mince pies, carols being sung, colourfully wrapped gifts exchanged and the hopeful anticipation that snow will fall on Christmas morning is just magic. In William’s Winter Wish, a young mouse named William, is desperate is to see it snow on Christmas Day. This gentle story combines the wonder of winter with themes of family, honesty and the power of wishes into a heartwarming Christmas read.
William’s Winter Wish is a 32-page picture book written by Gillian Sheilds and Rosie Reeve. It is a story of family and wonderful winter wishes.
William adores his visits to his Grandpa’s house as not only does he get to see a beloved relative but he delights in playing with toys, gets to nibble chocolate biscuits and can listen to the cuckoo clock chime. But what he loves most on his visits is his Grandpa’s beloved snow globe – a miniature world encased in a glass dome, filled with swirling snowflakes, as it seems to hold the magic of winter itself. During one these visits, William is gazing out of the window at the cold, bleak and frosty winter landscape and wishes that it would snow. Curious, he asks Grandpa if it snowed when he was a child, with Grandpa giving his answer by sharing his treasured photo albums that are filled with long-ago memories of snowball fights, snowmouse-building and skating on frozen ponds. This moment of nostalgia, while great, just strengthens William’s longing for a snowy Christmas.
Moved by his grandson’s wish, he hands William his beloved snow globe and encourages him to shake it hard and make a heartfelt wish. William does so with all the hope he can muster. But when snow doesn’t arrive the next day, or the day after, he takes matters into his own paws. He sledges down the stairs on a rug, skates across the kitchen tiles and even builds a snowmouse out of cardboard boxes. His charming and imaginative attempts leave his mother exasperated and William increasingly frustrated – all he wants is some real snow.
Not one to give up, he is determined for his winter wish to come true so he decides to try again, but this time he needs to wish even harder. On a return visit to his Grandpa’s house, in his eagerness and vigorous shaking of the snow globe, he accidentally breaks it. Although Grandpa tries to reassure him that it was an accident, William is devastated – not just because he has broken his grandpas most precious prized possession, but because he sees the sadness he sees in his grandfather’s eyes. Wanting to make amends for his mistake, William sets out to rectify it.
Overall, I thought that William’s Winter Wish was a heart-warming story. With cute animal characters and a charming tale children will love it. While it may only be a short read at 32 pages, it makes perfect reading for Christmas as it’s gently explores themes of honesty, taking responsibility for your own actions and emotional growth – qualities that are perfect not just for the festive season but throughout life. It’s an excellent tale of family love, consideration for others and magical winter wishes.
Through William’s experiences, young page turners will learn some valuable lessons with its warm and accessible writing. Children will easily relate to William’s longing for snow and adore the imaginative and creative ways that he tries to recreate it.
While the story, and messages contained within it, is excellent, the illustrations by Rosie Reeve elevate the story with their soft, inviting colours and expressive characters. Each page just glows with enticing warmth and perfectly complement the text, helping young readers visualise the events as they unfold. These wonderful illustrations bring William’s world to life, making the emotional beats of the story even more resonant.
This book is a delightful addition for any child’s bookshelf – perfect for winter reading, more so during the lead-up to Christmas. It’s a fun story that celebrates family bonds, festive magic and the qualities that can shape children’s lives. With its heartfelt message, William’s Winter Wish is sure to become a favourite for children and adults alike, one that will come out every winter. Perfect for Young Page Turners who are looking to add a little snow-dusted magic to their holiday reading list.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
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