Yoon's consummate hero Penguin returns in this story on the importance of Christmas cheer. It's Christmas Eve, and Penguin's friend Pumpkin is lamenting their lack of a real Christmas tree. There may be no evergreens at home, but Penguin knows what to do. He and his crew pack up their Christmas presents and decorations and leave home to find Pinecone (first seen in Penguin and Pinecone, 2012), who has grown into a beautiful evergreen. With the decorations and presents on display, the penguins settle down to sleep, dreaming of their Christmas wishes. But disaster strikes when a late-night storm pulls a full-on Grinch, blowing away all the decorations and presents, and it's up to Penguin to make sure the spirit of Christmas stays strong, even without all its trappings. Yoon's digital illustrations of Penguin and his pals are as heartwarming as ever, and this is as nondenominational as a Christmas story can get. Penguin's good-hearted earnestness has won him plenty of admirers, and this holiday tale won't turn them away.

Spending time with friends and loved ones is a big part of what makes the holidays special; when one of those friends is a pine tree, so much the better. This fifth Penguin picture book sees the return of Pinecone, whom Penguin befriended in his first picture book in 2012. Now fully grown, Pinecone becomes the perfect Christmas tree for Penguin, Pumpkin, and their fellow penguins, but after a storm blows away the ornaments on the tree and the presents underneath it, Penguin uses a bit of ingenuity to create replacement gifts (sticks, it turns out, make great knitting needles, drumsticks, and fishing rods). With their rough black outlines and bright colors, Yoon-s digital graphics again create a cozy polar environment for the story, which emphasizes creativity, togetherness, and generosity as key elements for a memorable Christmas. Up to age 3. Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2 In the title character's sixth adventure, he leads his family from their icy home to the heart of the forest, where Pinecone (introduced in the first book) has grown into a tall treeperfect for Christmas adornments. After a pleasant trimming party, all go to sleep with heads full of wishes. But during the night, a blizzard wreaks havoc. In the morning, not only are all the decorations gone but so are the presents. Grandpa reminds everyone that the true joy of Christmas is being with loved ones, but Penguin goes off into the snow and returns with creative gifts to fulfill each wish but his own. His wish had been to share Christmas with the whole forest. As the sun melts the snow, the ornaments are discovered on the surrounding trees. Old and new friends gather at nightfall to see the beautiful array, making Penguin's wish come true after all. VERDICT The noncommercial message and charmingly illustrated characters will surely delight fans of this picture book series. Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library