The Christmas Thingy

Eight-year-old Jessica Atkins wants a monster for Christmas. Not a big, mean monster; more of a friendly little one to play with when she comes home from school, and maybe scare away the mice who live in her big old London house.

But the old housekeeper, Mrs. Murgatroyd, warns her against wishing for a monster in this house. Exactly one hundred years ago the Christmas Thingy visited this very house and stole away with a load of Christmas presents.

As Mrs. Murgatroyd's mum used to say: "Like a rose must bloom and a pig must squeal, a cow must moo and a thingy must steal. It simply must."

Be careful what you wish for, Jessica...

The Christmas Thingy is a heartwarming story for children (and adults!) of all ages -- and a delightful fantasy for every day of the year!

From Publishers WeeklyBilled by the publisher as "a heartwarming story for children (and adults!) of all ages," this Yuletide tale from two distinguished contributors with their roots in SF/horror is nothing less but little more. The story of how young Jessica, burdened with a permanent leg brace and consequent loneliness, finds her Christmas wish granted when she hopes for a monster, "a friendly little one to play with," moves nimbly via both the words of veteran author Wilson (All the Rage, Forecasts, Sept. 24, etc.) and the more than 30 pages of full-color paintings by Clark, a World Fantasy Award winner. The titular thingy shows up under Jessica's bedroom weeks before Christmas; the complication is that, as the family's housekeeper says, "Like a rose must bloom and a pig must squeal, a cow must moo and a thingy must steal"Aspecifically, Jessica's Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, taking them back to Thingyland. Before it can do so, though, Jessica gives it a present, the first it's ever hadAleading to an inspired solution to its natural kleptomania. Wilson's story is pleasant and cheerful, but never grips the emotions as some other Christmas tales do (say, Peef: The Christmas Bear). More impressive are Clark's deep-hued, often kinetic paintings, which depict the thingy as a kind of smiling, tentacled mushroom. This isn't an instant Christmas classic, but it's a good bet for those who like their Christmas cheer spiked with a hint of SF and spookiness. (Dec.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.