Before red-nosed Rudolph there was a little doe with a dream and her name…her name was Dasher. Life was not easy for the reindeer family of Mr Finnegan’s Travelling Circus and Menagerie. After a hard day’s work entertaining the crowds, Dasher loved hearing the stories that mama shared. The one about the magical North Star was her favourite. So when she has the chance to follow it, she does just that. But North Star dreams have to wait when she stumbles upon a troubled Santa and a sleigh full of presents that need to be delivered. Dasher doesn’t know it but she is about to change Christmas forever… ‘Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer!, Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!’ Father Christmas’ reindeer are loved by all but do you know how it all came about? In Dasher, Matt Tavares crafts a stunning origins story and offers a plausible explanation for how Dasher and her family became the most famous sleigh-pullers in the world. Bristling with atmosphere, beautifully illustrated and captivatingly written, this is a must have for family story time. I have always taken for granted that Father Christmas simply had eight reindeer, now I know the truth. And what a sparkling and moving truth it is. What begins with a note recalling a time long before reindeer when Santa’s sleigh was pulled by a single horse named Silverbell gets more magical with each turn of the page as Dasher ventures from parched lands, through darkened woodlands, takes to the skies and finds a forever home in a winter wonderland under the North Star. Readers will be with Dasher every hoof-step of the way as the brave and courageous doe sets out into the unknown to chase a dream before bringing her family together and rewriting Christmas legend. Unforgettable and unmissable, Dasher and her herd will capture the imagination and ensure the wonder and magic of Christmastime are well and truly kept alive.
Sure to be a favourite for years to come and is worthy of classic picture book status. Recommended for 5+.
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