A young boy’s grief and a heartfelt Christmas wish give away to a magical adventure of hope.It’s the first Christmas Eve without his loving parents, and a grief-stricken child named Gabe has a sad heart. Mourning their absence, the despondent boy makes a wish that changes his lonely night into one of adventure. Through a dreamily illustrated text, author Katrina Doucet masterfully weaves a poignant story of hope about dealing with loss.

At bedtime in his grandparent’s house, Gabe is missing his parents on his first Christmas Eve since they passed away. He comforts himself by holding the last cherished gift they gave their son, a beautiful snow globe. Tears falling, he looks out the window to find a reindeer just like the one in his snow globe. As the globe begins to glow, Gabe closes his eyes, making a wish to see his parents again. He opens them to find himself magically inside the snow globe, along with the reindeer, whose name is Comet.

The pair fly together until they reach the North Pole, where Gabe is surprised to see a vibrant and quaint village full of festive lights, holiday music, friendly animals, and candy. He is shown around by friendly elves, but the lively Christmas cheer makes Gabe mourn the wonderful holidays he shared with his parents, deepening his grief. Comet brings him to a sparkling and magical pond, where Gabe looks at his watery reflection and releases a cascade of emotions: sadness, longing, and anger.

When Gabe looks down again, what’s reflected back is an image of his loving parents embracing him. They are always with me, Gabe realized as he rubbed away his tears. When it is finally Christmas morning at his grandparents’ house, he is surprised with another loving gift that conveys that parents’ love endures forever.

Katrina Doucet’s moving story gently addresses the difficult topic of grief, its associated many emotions, and how to heal and move forward in a healthy way. A wonderful read-aloud, Gabe’s Christmas Wish brings a meaningful message of hope, helping families and educators of young children bridge this challenging subject.