THE CHRISTMAS ELVES Henriette Major. Illustrated by Stéphane Poulin. Translated by Alan Brown. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart, 1988. 32pp., cloth, $14.95. ISBN 0-7710-5473-4. CIP. Subject Headings: Christmas stories. Christmas decorations-Juvenile fiction. Kindergarten-grade 3 / Ages 5-8 Reviewed by Norma Charles. Volume 17 Number 3 1989 May Two elves, Bing and Bong, are very disappointed one year when their usual crop of Christmas decorations is a dismal failure. They decide to head south to Somewhere Else, hoping to find a better harvest. They hitch a ride on a passing wild duck to a tropical island in the Caribbean. There they meet another pair of elves who, of course, have had a bumper crop of beautifully coloured Christmas decorations. The two pairs strike a trade deal, although what the northern elves have to offer to trade for those beautiful decorations is unclear. The adventure is imaginatively illustrated by Stéphane Poulin using chunky, heavy shapes and muted tones of blue, brown and green. The book size, a full 8 1/2 x 11 inches, and the small amount of text on each illustrated page make it a good choice for group readings. It would make a welcome addition to libraries lacking seasonal material for the Primary set. Norma Charles, Van Horne Elementary School, Vancouver, BC.