Ayla’s Christmas Wish by Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo

Title: Ayla’s Christmas Wish

Author: Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo

Genre: Christmas

Publisher: NLA Publishing

Published: 1^st November 2023

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Price: $24.99

Synopsis: Christmas is coming, and Ayla wants a snowman just like in her book, but there is no snow to be found in her drought-stricken town, not even a drop of rain. Only bales of hay. 

Ayla’s Christmas Wish is inspired by the small, south-west Victorian town of Tarrington, which runs a hay bale design competition each year. This book compares European Christmas traditions with the reality of a hot, dry Australian summer. Behind the story of Ayla wishing for a snowman, there is a town wishing for rain.

This story celebrates a community at Christmastime and highlights the importance and beauty of small-town resilience. 

~*~

Ayla lives with her family in Tarrington, a small country town in south-west Victoria – a town that is deeply affected by drought. Ayla is getting excited as her family prepares for Christmas – the tree, the food, the presents, the decorations. But there is one thing missing: a snowman. Whenever Ayla looks outside, all she can see is dry brown land and haystacks. Her family tries to find snowmen in decorations and books for her – but Ayla wants a real snowman – and when she goes to bed, she makes a wish…

I love Christmas books, and always try to read a few. Usually, they’re snowy and filled with Santa or elves, or they’re a version of A Christmas Carol. I love these books. In recent years though, I have been encountering more books that celebrate Christmas in a different way – the way Australians celebrate it. Everyone has their own traditions, and some might be influenced by traditions from other countries, but what doesn’t change – whatever end of December holiday people are celebrating in Australia – is that it all takes place in midsummer, which means no snowmen.

Ayla’s story has many levels. It looks at what people expect Christmas to be, what the reality is, and the way a community comes together to help celebrate in their own way. I loved that Pamela brought the joy of Christmas and the true story about a community spirit to life. There was something very Australian in this book – a way for Pamela to unite what she experienced in England growing up and what she does for Christmas in Australia. It showed the way Australians come together in our communities and the unique ways communities create their own celebrations and traditions.

Tarrington isn’t a place I am familiar with – and this book brings it to life. I also liked that the characters used what they had at hand to create their Christmas and Christmas traditions – like the haybale building competition, turning haybales into Christmas characters like Santa and a snowman. It feels like it could be akin to snowman building contests in America. This Australian take on an activity like that is refreshing to see and will be relatable for people who live in the country.  I think it may also inspire new Christmas traditions in Australia too – for people who don’t have haybales but have a beach – a sandman might be an option, or many other ways of celebrating. I loved that this book has a section at the back about the history of Tarrington and the haybale tradition, and then acknowledges the various ways we celebrate Christmas as well as those who might celebrate something different around the same time.

It’s a lovely book, and I loved the checklist as well as the illustrations, which as always, tell the story as much as the text does. The colour palate evokes the sense of drought in a small country town, making you feel like you are there with Ayla and her family. I think it will be a great addition to any Christmas collection this year.