Charlie is getting ready this morning to go out of Town but before he left we were spending time together. So we sat down this morning at my desk to drink our Coffee when Charlie picked up Little Elf’s To-Do-List (A Magical List Book) which is a picture book for younger children.
Even though I like to do one #Holiday at a time and not read Christmas books until the day after Thanksgiving having this book sitting on my desk and Charlie asking if we could read it meant the world to me so of course I said yes. Charlie would read a page then I would read a page and we laughed and talked about the book which was a lot of fun.
I have a question for you. Have you ever wished you had a magical to-do list that would help you get everything done? I know I have! Between Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, baking cookies, and trying to keep everything organized, sometimes I need a little Christmas magic myself.
That’s one of the reasons I fell in love with Little Elf’s To-Do List: A Magical List and Charlie and David also said they would like to have a magical to-do- list.. This festive picture book combines Christmas fun, adorable illustrations, and a gentle lesson about getting things done one step at a time. And let me tell you, this little elf looks like he’s having the time of his life!
Little Elf’s To-Do List: A Magical List is written by Helen Kemp Zax and illustrated by Kirsten Eve Egan. The book is published by Abrams Appleseed, an imprint of Abrams, this Christmas-themed picture book follows Little Elf through a very busy day as he prepares for Santa’s big night.
The moment I saw the cover, I was hooked! Little Elf is wearing green-and-red-striped pajamas with a green toboggan and a fluffy red pom-pom on top. He’s got a little reindeer in front of him, and I immediately thought, I wish I had a stuffed reindeer! How about you?
The Christmas trees, the house sitting up on the hill, the little dogs, and the other adorable characters make the whole scene feel magical. And OMG, there’s a penguin! Suzzane would love that penguin! The cover also has Christmas Lights that makes it extra special for little readers. Who doesn’t love a little sparkle at Christmas?
The book’s message is simple: Join Little Elf and his friends as they use the magic of organization to get through a busy day. Now, if only someone could give me one of those magical lists! Come along with me and lets see what Charlie and I find inside the book that captures our attention.
When you open the book, you’re greeted by candy canes, presents, and all kinds of Christmas goodies. You keep turning the pages, discovering more of the festive illustrations before you even settle into Little Elf’s adventure. Which makes reading this picture book so much more fun.
Then the fun begins! Little Elf pops out of bed at daybreak and flings the shutters open wide. I’ve always wanted shutters in my house, but I’ve never had any. Have you ever had shutters? I think they would be lovely! Then Little Elf gets dressed in his jolly outfit, and before long, we’re getting a peek inside an elf’s house.
OMG, we’re in an elf’s house! And there’s a slide! At least, it looks like a slide to me, and the idea of having a slide inside a house sounds like so much fun. Little Elf zips down the workshop slide, and there’s a penguin flying through the air while a bear slides along with him.
I wish I had a slide to zip down when I go to work! Laughing out loud. Can you imagine how much more fun getting ready for the day would be if we could slide into work instead of walking? But then I might not get any work done because Charlie and his friends and even David would be in my office using the slide.
Once Little Elf gets to work, we discover that Santa’s workshop is a very busy place. The elves are organizing the workbench, gathering tools, and getting everything ready. Before long, they’re busy building toys for Christmas. Watching them organize their supplies made me think about my own desk. I really need to get mine organized! Would you like to help me?
How about you? Does your desk always look the way you want it to, or does it sometimes need a little Christmas magic? As Little Elf works through his list, we get to see more of the workshop and the wonderful characters who help make Christmas happen.
And guess what? We see Mrs. Claus! Do you see her? There are also some late-arriving letters, but thankfully, Santa gets them in time before the elves begin loading the sleigh. Can you imagine if those letters had arrived too late? Santa and I would have been in a world of hurt when we began to deliver presents.
Then there’s a snowball fight! Anyone want to play? Charlie said he wanted to and so do I. Then of course, all that playing and working makes the elves hungry. And what do you suppose they have to eat? Cookies, naturally! Because what’s Christmas without cookies? Please, save some for me and Charlie and I need a glass of milk.
The illustrations are filled with little details that make you want to slow down and look at everything. Every time you turn a page, there’s something else to discover. From Candy Canes, to Rudolph, and a Little Christmas Humor and the elves even get busy painting stripes on candy canes.
Now, I have a question for you. When you think of candy canes, what colors come to mind? I always think of red and white. But in this book, we see red, green, and white candy canes! Doesn’t that sound yummy. I thought candy canes were red and white. What did you think? Laughing out loud.
And then, just when you think things couldn’t get any more exciting, we see Rudolph! Yes, Rudolph! The elves are helping make his nose glow red. Isn’t that funny? I thought his nose glowed all the time! What about you? Apparently, even Rudolph needs a little help getting ready for Christmas.
The book continues with Little Elf and his friends working through their busy day until it’s time for Santa to head out into the night. And there he goes, up into the sky! I’m not going to tell you everything that happens on those pages because you really need to sit down and read this book for yourself. The story is so much fun, and the illustrations are absolutely delightful. I want you to have the same chances to discover all those little details that made me smile.
After all the excitement, we finally reach the end of Little Elf’s busy day. Our little elf is fast asleep with his animals, and his completed to-do list rests on the windowsill. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a finished list, isn’t there? Especially when you’ve had a day full of things to do!
The story gently reminds young readers that even a busy day can feel manageable when you take things one at a time. Instead of worrying about everything that needs to be done, Little Elf works through his tasks and celebrates the magic of getting them finished.
And when the work is done, he gets a sweet good-night kiss from Mrs. Claus. What a lovely way to end a Christmas adventure! The book even has a special surprise at the end: a secret flap that reveals the items on Little Elf’s list checked off in magical ink. It’s a delightful little detail that gives children another reason to explore the book.
Now, I would like to share why I Love Little Elf’s To-Do List which I believe is the is perfect book for little children, but I don’t think it’s a story you read once and then stick on a shelf. This is the kind of book families can bring out year after year and hand down to there children’s children..
You can read this book during the Christmas season, but the lesson about organization is useful throughout the year. Children can learn that they don’t have to accomplish everything at once. They can take one task at a time, enjoy the process, and feel proud when they finish.
The illustrations also make this a wonderful book for reading together. Children can look for the animals, explore the workshop, and discover all the little details hiding throughout the pages. And let’s not forget the rhyming! Helen Kemp Zax brings the story to life with playful verses that make reading aloud entertaining.
David was able to read the book, on his own which is a Godsend for someone who struggles with reading and Charlie and I enjoyed looking at the illustrations together. It’s always fun when a book gives the family something to talk about, laugh about, and enjoy together.
I also love that the story makes organization feel like an adventure instead of another chore. If Little Elf can get through his busy day one task at a time, perhaps there’s hope for the rest of us! I was excited to learn that there are other books in this magical list series, including Little Witch’s To-Do List and Little Bunny’s To-Do List.
Oh, my goodness! Little Witch’s To-Do List would have been so much fun to include in our Interactive Halloween Gift Guide! And Little Bunny’s To-Do List sounds like a wonderful choice for Easter. These books offer families opportunities to enjoy the same playful approach to organization while celebrating different seasons and holidays. I love discovering books that can become part of our family’s reading traditions.
You will find Little Elf’s To-Do List: A Magical List on my Christmas Gift Guide Wish List, and it’s also a wonderful choice for our 10-Minute Reading Challenge. Ten minutes spent reading together can create memories that last much longer than those ten minutes.
You don’t have to finish an entire book in one sitting. You can take your time, look at the pictures, talk about the story, and let the children point out their favorite characters. That’s part of the fun! I can already imagine families bringing this book out every Christmas, remembering the funny illustrations, and enjoying Little Elf’s adventures all over again.
I’m so excited to add this book to our list because I absolutely loved the story. It made me smile, gave me plenty to laugh about, and reminded me that getting things done can be a little more enjoyable when we take things one step at a time. If you’re looking for a Christmas book that combines adorable illustrations, playful rhymes, family reading time, and a gentle lesson about organization, I encourage you to check out Little Elf’s To-Do List: A Magical List. And if you happen to find a magical to-do list that works for grown-ups, please let me know. I could use one!
Book Details
- Title: Little Elf’s To-Do List: A Magical List
- Author: Helen Kemp Zax
- Illustrator: Kirsten Eve Egan
- Publisher: Abrams Appleseed, an imprint of Abrams
- Format: Illustrated children’s picture book
- Perfect for: Christmas read-alouds, family reading time, young readers, and introducing children to organization and to-do lists
- Great for: Christmas gift lists, holiday reading traditions, and the Greatful Moments 10-Minute Reading Challenge
About the book:
From baking cookies to sculpting snow families, Little Elf works through a long holiday to-do list―one item at a time―in this festive Christmas-themed picture book that introduces early time-management skills.
Perfect for Christmas or everyday read-alouds, Little Elf’s To-Do List offers a gentle lesson in how small steps can make even the busiest day feel manageable.
Little Elf is very busy from morning to night―and a to-do list is a huge help. From baking cookies to wrapping presents to packing the sleigh and celebrating takeoff, this Elf has many jobs to complete before bedtime. But it’ll all get done; one thing at a time. And when all the tasks are finished, Little Elf is rewarded with a perfectly completed list and a sweet good-night kiss from Mrs. Claus.
The sparkly glitter stamped on the front cover is sure to delight young readers, who will discover another surprise when they unfold a secret flap at the end of the book to see every item checked off in magical ink.
Pile sleigh mile high with presents / Make Rudolph’s red nose glow
Sing joyful Christmas carols / Cheer Santa’s “Ho ho ho!”
Meet the Author: Helen Kemp Zax
I love to write poetry, especially rhyming poems. In 2025 Abrams Appleseed will publish two of my picture books—Little Witch’s To-Do List and Little Bunny’s To-Do List. These are first two titles in The Magical List Book series. I am co-winner of the 2021 YorkMix International Children’s Poetry Prize, 2018 MG Katherine Paterson Prize winner, and 2019 Finalist.
I received two Honorable Mentions in the 2024 Lyrical Language Lab rhymed poetry contest and was a Finalist in their unrhymed poetry contest. My poetry appears in many anthologies including Clara’s Kooky Compendium of Thimblethoughts and Wonderfuzz, The Sea’s Song, Imperfect II, and Things
We Do and in magazines including Cricket, High Five, The Caterpillar, and The Dirigible Balloon. I received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where I won the Critical Thesis prize. I live in Washington, DC with my husband and Aussiedoodle Huckleberry Finn.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, which means I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through my link, at no additional cost to you. All opinions and reactions are my own.
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Greatful. Thankful. Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
