It's a Very Merry If Not You, Then Who? Christmas
Christmastime is coming! Every year, millions of people gather with their friends and families to practice beloved holiday traditions. Some families may hang Christmas lights and ornaments, while others take to the ice for some skating or hockey. But have you ever stopped to wonder how any of these inventions were first created? What are the origin stories of the contraptions that make Christmas Christmas?
It’s this exact question that It’s a Very Merry If Not You, Then Who? Christmas (Weeva Publishing) sets out to answer. David and Emberli Pridham’s newest addition to the If Not You, Then Who? series harnesses children’s wide-eyed wonder for the Christmas season, all while teaching a lesson about the holiday’s history from their signature STEM perspective.
Revamping a Christmas Tradition
Siblings Brooke, Noah and Graham are all baffled. Why is Grandpa traveling to Florida and back for a few short days, just before the Christmas holiday? What’s so great about Florida that makes all that travel worth the hassle?
It turns out that Grandpa is visiting his childhood friend, Alfred. As boys, the two of them would skate in the Christmas Day relay race. Ever since, they’ve made it a mission to visit each other every winter — although according to Grandpa, it’s been years since he’s skated. “But maybe we can restart the tradition someday.”
Inspired by her grandpa’s story, Brooke goes to see what all these Christmas traditions are about. Watching her father put up lights and her mother hang ornaments, Brooke sees that these customs mean a lot to her family — and she wants her grandpa to feel the happiness of an old tradition, too.
She comes up with the perfect idea: an ice-skating rink right there in the front yard, for the whole family to skate on. There’s just one problem — she has no idea how to make one. But when it comes to the Fairley family, they’ve never let such a challenge get in the way of innovation. And with some scientific ingenuity, they’ll make this a Christmas for the whole family to remember!
‘Tis the Season for Innovation
“Christmas is … a time for creativity and ingenuity,” the Pridhams say in the book’s foreword. “This is exemplified everywhere from artificial trees, Christmas lights, lighted Christmas stockings and snow-making machines. Children often save their best ideas for the holiday season.” It’s this spirit of invention and discovery that carries through the narrative, informing young readers as they progress through the story. Every few pages, It’s a Very Merry If Not You, Then Who? Christmas includes an engaging graphic about the invention of several Christmastime staples that have become synonymous with the holiday itself. The engaging text will intrigue readers young and old — for example, did you know that it was the Thomas Edison who first created Christmas string lights?
Along with its educational value, the story also teaches children the importance of traditions and encourages them to celebrate the holiday with all the generations of their family. By inventing a new way for her grandpa to recreate his yearly skate with his friend, Brooke demonstrates to kids how they can use ingenuity to connect with those around them.
It’s a Very Merry If Not You, Then Who? Christmas is available for purchase here, as well as at the links below.
Check out the book trailer!
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About the authors:
Husband and wife David and Emberli Pridham have always been inspired by children’s educational books and thought it would be fun to write one together based on family, inventions, and how they are used in everyday life. They hope to inspire little ones to use their imaginations and spark curiosity at a young age. The series is a fun read for adults too.
