 The title of this book is The Smallest Gift of Christmas. Written by Peter Reynolds. Look at this giant stocking and these three smaller stockings. This one says Rowland. There was a little boy named Rowland. Rowland was eager for Christmas Day. He raced downstairs to see what was waiting for him. He looked around for his presents. He was so excited. But when he saw his present, it was the smallest gift he had ever seen. He was not impressed. Had he waited the whole year for this tiny gift, Rowland closed his eyes and hoped and wished as hard as he could for a bigger gift. And when he opened his eyes, there was a bigger gift. You called that big? Rowland asked. He had been wishing for something much bigger. He closed his eyes and wished a little harder. That one isn't much bigger than me. Rowland said, I'm not very big. He stomped and yelled. He looked outside. Big? That's not even as big as my house. When I say big, I mean big. He yelled with his scarf and hat and coat on. Rowland stomped off. Sure, there was a bigger gift for him somewhere. In the distance, he saw a present wedged between two buildings. That, Rowland thought. That is pretty big. But still not big enough. Rowland was determined. He climbed up a ladder into a rocket. So off he went in the rocket to search the universe as the rocket went through the universe. He searched and searched, but all he could see were billions of stars and no presents. Rowland peered into his telescope. He could just make out a tiny dot in the distance. His home. His family. Now, just a speck growing smaller and smaller. Rowland realized that he was very, very far from home. He was far from his family. And if he continued to search, that little dot would disappear. Rowland never thought he'd want something so small. So badly, he closed his eyes and hoped and wished with all his might for that tiny speck, the smallest gift. As the rocket headed toward it, the dot grew bigger and bigger. As Rowland's rocket landed gently, Rowland realized that the smallest speck was his biggest gift. Rowland was home. You see now, Rowland with his family, hugging them tightly, his mother, his father, his sister, all holding each other near. He was home now. What was the smallest gift? Family. A small gift in actuality means the most. It's the most cherished gift of all, even when you want a bigger and bigger and bigger gift. Like Rowland going out in his rocket, searching the universe for the biggest gift. And then realizing, he wanted the smallest gift of all that had the most meaning and was the most cherished of all gifts. The story is trying to tell you. Appreciate small gifts. Small gifts can bring very good things. G-I-F-T Gift E-A-G-E-R Eager H-O-P-E Hope D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E-D Determined Determined P-E-C-K A small speck R-O-C-K-E-T Rocket That is the end of the story. I hope you enjoyed it.