View source for Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas Adventure by Emily Bearn

{{infobox1 
|title= Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas Adventure
|author= Emily Bearn
|reviewer= Ruth Ng
|genre=Confident Readers 
|summary= A Christmas adventure about two funny, friendly little mice.
|rating=4.5 
|buy= Yes
|borrow= Yes
|pages=144 
|publisher= Egmont
|date= November 2009
|isbn=978-1405250269  
|sort=Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas Adventure
|cover=1405250267
|aznuk=1405250267
|aznus=1405250267
}}

I do look forward to a good children's story, and having read Tumtum and Nutmeg's [[The Pirates' Treasure (Tumtum and Nutmeg) by Emily Bearn|previous adventure on a pirate ship]] I was particularly looking forward to this one.  It's Christmas, and our two friendly little mice have been working hard, preparing delicious treats and temptations ready for Christmas Day.  One evening they go upstairs to check on the children who live in their house, Arthur and Lucy, and find their letters to Father Christmas.  Last year the children didn't get any presents because their chimney was blocked up and Father Christmas couldn't get in.  They've asked for the same presents again this year, hopeful that this year Father Christmas will manage to find a way through even though their father refuses to unblock the chimney for fear of drafts.  Tumtum and Nutmeg are worried anyway that the letter won't reach Father Christmas in time, and that the children will be disappointed once again.  They decide to take matters into their own hands and set off to visit the terrifying Baron Toymouse in Toy Kingdom to see if he can help.  However, with clockwork cats to contend with, and the capture of Tumtum by the evil Baron, Christmas could turn out to be an even bigger disaster than they'd thought...

I really love the nostalgic feel to these stories.  So many children's books nowadays seem to be vying to be so cool and contemporary that sometimes it feels as if some of the magic of childhood has been lost.  It's nice to be able to sit down to an exciting story of talking, adventurous little mice with a guaranteed happy ending.  The illustrations throughout the book really help to make it special, just simple pen and ink pictures that help the tale along.  The stories themselves remind me of The Borrowers, with these little mice living secretly in a broom cupboard in Rose Cottage.  They look out for the two children of the house, and in providing them help often end up in dangerous, and exciting, situations.

Nutmeg is very conscientious, always wanting to do the right thing.  Tumtum is often ruled by his rumbly tummy, but he also has a good heart, and he loves Nutmeg dearly.  In this adventure the mice call on their old friend, General Marchmouse, to help them defeat the evil Baron.  There is plenty of exciting action, with toys galore joining in on the fight, and my only quibble was that the book is so short, as I would've quite happily read a much longer version!  Still, as it is, this short little book it would make a lovely gift for a young reader to try to read by themselves, or as a bedtime story with its exciting chapters, and is a nice addition to the other Tumtum and Nutmeg stories. 

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

Tumtum and Nutmeg can also be found in a [[The Pirates' Treasure (Tumtum and Nutmeg) by Emily Bearn|pirate's adventure]] and [[Tumtum and Nutmeg: A Circus Adventure by Emily Bearn|Tumtum and Nutmeg: A Circus Adventure]]. 

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