Home for Christmas

Rollo the troll leaves his mountain home to live among humans, believing their life must be better than his own. He tries fitting in with different groups of people in the village below, testing out various roles and activities. The story takes place during winter in a Nordic setting, illustrated with Jan Brett's signature border artwork featuring trolls, animals, and scenes from Scandinavian folk art. The detailed drawings show both Rollo's adventures and hints of parallel events happening around him. Brett's tale explores themes of belonging, self-acceptance, and the realization that what one seeks may already be waiting at home. The narrative draws from Nordic folklore traditions while delivering a message that resonates across cultures.

Readers value the detailed Nordic-inspired illustrations and the troll character Rollo's journey home. Parents note the book works well for ages 4-8. Likes: - Cultural elements teach children about Scandinavian folklore - Border illustrations tell parallel stories - Messages about family and belonging resonate - Works as both a Christmas and year-round story Dislikes: - Some find the plot predictable - A few mention it's too long for very young children - Text density can make bedtime reading challenging Ratings: Goodreads: 4.15/5 (1,274 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (156 ratings) Sample review quotes: "The illustrations pack so much detail into each page that we discover new things every time we read it." - Goodreads reviewer "My 5-year-old asks questions about the side panels and loves tracking the secondary characters." - Amazon reviewer "Beautiful art but the story drags in places for toddlers." - Barnes & Noble reviewer

The Hat by Jan Brett A missing hat leads to a chain reaction of winter woodland animals borrowing and passing along clothing items.

The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett An arctic retelling of Goldilocks features an Inuit girl who discovers a polar bear family's igloo.

The Mitten by Jan Brett Forest creatures squeeze into a lost white mitten during a snowy winter day.

The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore Traditional Christmas poem unfolds through detailed illustrations of a family's Christmas Eve experience.

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett A girl prepares Santa's reindeer for Christmas Eve through training sessions at the North Pole.

🎄 Jan Brett wrote and illustrated this heartwarming tale while being inspired by a trip to Norway, where she studied the country's traditional architecture and native wildlife. 🦊 The story draws from Nordic folklore, particularly the tradition of "nisse" - household spirits who look after farms and their animals. 🎨 The book features Jan Brett's signature border artwork style, with detailed side panels that give readers hints about what will happen next in the story. 🏠 The architectural details in the illustrations accurately represent traditional Norwegian buildings, including the distinctive grass-covered roofs common in Scandinavian homes. 🐾 Rollo, the main character troll, was inspired by Brett's observations of real Arctic foxes during her research trips to northern Scandinavia.