Good and Perfect Gifts

An illustrative retelling of The Gift of the Magi, this little book is set in the American South.  In the original tale, the wife cuts off her hair to buy a chain for her husband's watch while the husband sells his watch to buy combs for his wife's long hair.  Later they find out what happened and are sad that their presents they gave our not useful but happy with what they have received as it represents a sacrifice on each other's part and shows their love.

This retelling is faithful to that idea, but the husband and wife live in a trailer in a small Southern town.  They are poor, but love each other very much.  The wife sells her mama's quilt to buy her husband a tool chest while the husband sells his tools to buy his wife a chest for her mama's quilt.  In the end, the wife remembers a passage from the Bible: Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17) and is happy that they have each other, that Christmas is not about the gifts but who you spend it with.

It was a very cute book and the pictures look like wood carvings.  I liked the illustrations, but found the attempt at relating the accent awkward.  I thought the Southern twist very fun and a great way to update the story.  The Gift of the Magi has always been one of my favorites and I enjoyed this version of it.