ANDRE THE SQUIRREL AND THE CHRISTMAS GIFT "In the woods of the great northwest old growth forest," these opening lines were enough to capture my attention and the rest of the story just kept on reeling me in its heart warming tale of Andre' The Squirrel and The Christmas gift. The author, Roy Durham has managed to create a character that goes through a series of events and in the process evolves into a loving and caring friend, from the obnoxious and selfish person that he was. Illustrations by Melissa Tandoc are a treat for the eyes. The sketches add to the charm of the story and are a perfect accompaniment to it. The sketch of Andre' on the red velvet cloth is my favourite; he is like Aladdin on his magic carpet. The main characters of Roy's story are animals and it teaches us all, children and adults alike, a valuable lesson about love, friendship and caring for each other. I would love to curl up with this merry tale and spend my Christmas feeling good about myself and the wonderful world we live in. Come join Andre' in his journey and witness the miracle called Christmas with him and all his friends. Sulekha Rawat