View source for Sing Along With Me: We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Yu-hsuan Huang

{{infobox2
|title=Sing Along With Me: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
|author=Yu-hsuan Huang
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=A classy board book which brings the old Christmas song to life - and you can scan a QR code to hear a recording.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=12
|publisher=Nosy Crow
|date=October 2016
|isbn=978-0857636782
|website=
|video=
|aznuk=0857636782
|aznus=0857636782
|cover=0857636782
}}

I'm not normally a great fan of Christmas-themed books: after the day they're a bit old hat - for the adults if not for the children, but just occasionally something comes along that's so well done that an exception can be made.  As soon as I touched ''We Wish You a Merry Christmas'' I could feel the quality: it's a chunky board book with added extras. The fun starts on the cover: there's a slider (look for the red ring with the yellow arrows) which makes a penguin (I think!) and a fox appear and disappear from behind a Christmas tree.  As the animals move you can see pictures of two more animals playing in the snow.

There are clear instructions as to how you can download the free audio version of the book: it's a nice touch in a book full of nice touches.

''We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas!''

Playing outside in the snow is fun: building a snowman is even more better.  There's another slider here and you can help the animals to put the heads on their snowmen.  One of the heads rises above the top edge of the book, but it's remarkably strong and won't bend easily.  (Yes, I tried.  It was ''research'' of course and not because I'm a bit wilful like that.)  Penguin and fox are busy with something else though - they've got a sledge full of presents to deliver.

''We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!

Sledging is fun too and we've another slider which takes the animals up and down the hill.  They're not the only ones enjoying themselves: there's ice skating and skiing going on too.  Fox seems to have got the easier job with regard to the presents - he's just carrying one small box, whilst penguin has to pull the sledge.

''Glad tidings we bring to you and you kin!''

Do you know, I always thought that it was ''you and your king'' - apparently it's another commonly misheard lyric.  Fox and Penguin have reached their destination - a lovely little cottage where someone's been putting up fairy lights.  The ladder's still outside, but the shutters are down in the house - until you slide them up.  You can see who's inside the house ''and'' who has been putting up fairy lights.  This was the only slider which I found a little difficult to work at first, but it soon eased.

''We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!''

It's lovely and warm inside but if you look ''outside'' and turn the wheel slider you'll be able to see who has just been to deliver the Christmas presents which everyone is opening.  It's a gentle, timeless story with lots to discuss on every page.  The book's sturdy, even for a board book. It will stand quite a lot of loving - and there are rounded corners which are so much better when the book gets used as a missile.  The shelf life might be quite short, but it will put away for another year, another child, or even another generation.  I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Slightly older children will enjoy [[Little Grey Rabbit's Christmas by Alison Uttley and Margaret Tempest]].

{{amazontext|amazon=0857636782}}
{{amazonUStext|amazon=0857636782}}

{{commenthead}}