Milo’s Christmas Parade

Palmer, who has designed and built floats and balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, imbues her hero, a scrappy little opossum, with similar aspirations in this festive tale. This year, Milo decides to “take matters into his own paws” and realize his dream of joining the Christmas parade. In bustling mixed-media illustrations that incorporate diverting details, the author-illustrator shows Milo, assisted by his familial passel of possums, determinedly building a float bed (tail wrapped around tools) and trimming his costume (a pincushion perched on his head). On parade day, his float is upended when it gets caught in ropes tethering a helium balloon, but Milo springs back into action, on the fly constructing a sturdier, sleeker model that “rocketed down the road on pure passel power.” Meshing Christmas, parade, and animal themes, Palmer gives triple kid appeal to her festively hued story, which culminates in well-deserved triumph for Milo. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)