The Book Worm :‘Osbert’ makes fun holiday reading

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By Terri Schlichenmeyer | Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:12 AM CST | () comments

Time’s running out.

You’ve probably already counted the days til Christmas, so you know you can’t waste any more time writing your letter to Santa. You want to give it plenty of time to get to the North Pole.

Just be careful what you ask for. In “My Penguin Osbert” by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, illustrated by H.B. Lewis, a little boy finally gets exactly what he wants for Christmas, with some not-so-Merry results.

Every year, when Joe sits down to write his letter to Santa, he tries to be very specific. One year, he asked for a red race car with all sorts of cool features, and he got one — only it was three inches long.

He asked Santa for a trampoline once. He described it with great detail but he got a pogo stick instead.

This year, Joe didn’t take any chances. In a long letter, he told Santa that he wanted a penguin. Not a stuffed one or a plastic toy. A real, live, breathing penguin named Osbert, straight from Antarctica. Joe even included a drawing so there would be no way Santa could misunderstand.

On Christmas morning, Joe got out of bed really early and guess what was under his tree ... a penguin, just like he wanted! Around the penguin’s neck was a tag that said his name was Osbert. Santa had listened!

Joe really wanted to introduce Osbert to everyone and he wanted to open the rest of his presents but Osbert wanted to go outside and play. There was snow on the ground and it was dark and cold, but Joe had asked for Osbert and now he had him, so they went outside.

Later that night, when it was time for bed, Osbert wanted to take a bath. After a long day of playing, Joe just wanted to go to sleep, but he had asked for Osbert and now he had him, so they got in the tub.

Oops. Osbert — like most penguins — liked to play in an icy-cold bath.

Penguins don’t like chocolate chip waffles for breakfast, either. They like cold, mushy herring. And they like to build igloos with food from the freezer, which kind of makes a mess. Joe learned all this a little too late, but he had asked for Osbert and now he had him.

Maybe Santa will listen one more time.

Are you tired of reading the same old Christmas books aloud every December? Then “My Penguin Osbert” is a wonderful antidote to the same old holiday theme.

Joe’s adventures with the gift he really wanted will make kids giggle, because they’ve undoubtedly written letters just like his. You’ll be charmed by H.B. Lewis’ illustrations and by author Elizabeth Cody Kimmel’s story because it will make you remember a time when you, too, asked Santa for the impossible.

If the letter to Mr. Claus hasn’t gone out yet, there’s still time. But be careful what you ask for, though, and ask for “My Penguin Osbert.” If you’re good, you just might get it.

Terri Schlichenmeyer can be contacted at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.