Ages 5^-8. Like the illustrations in How Georgie Radburn Saved Baseball (1994), the pictures in this modern-day holiday parable are sturdy and filled with realistically executed details, and the principal characters appear larger than life: nice, apple-cheeked Mr. Merriweather and very scary-looking Mr. Clack, whose chiding sets Mr. Merriweather on a frenzy of holiday house decorating that causes him to alienate his neighbors, forget his devoted family, and lose sight of Christmas. This is no sentimental Christmas yarn despite the final message. In fact, there's a biting edge, as neighbors form a vicious mob and rip down Merriweather's twinkling displays. All ends on a note of comedy and camaraderie, however, with Mr. Merriweather finally able to put Christmas in perspective--and get on to preparations for Easter. The setup (and the comedy) has an adult feel, and a double-page sideways spread stops the smooth flow of the story, but the brilliant colors, depth, and meticulous details of the artwork will be enough to attract plenty of older children. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.