It’s the week before Christmas, and Lucy the terrier has a lot on her to-do list. She has to prune the garden, clean up the poo, tidy the house, make treats, and shop for groceries and gifts. And she can’t forget her annual letter to Santa!

Once she marks these tasks off her list, then she has to wrap the presents, decorate the tree, make eggnog, have a cup of tea (or maybe a whole pot), write and mail cards, visit friends, and snap up toys on sale! Will the chaos never end?

No, because she still has caroling ahead, decorating the house, and more … but she also realizes being the good girl she always is remains important too. She doesn’t have any time to play or rest.

But on the day of Christmas Eve, she wonders: what does Christmas actually mean to her? Is it only for presents or something more important? She realizes her greatest holiday wish is not collecting goodies, but seeking the real meaning of the holiday. She sets off to ask her friends what Christmas means to them, visiting the swans, birds, fish, cow seal, sheepdog, black dog, pelicans, horse, children, and adults, and learns from all of them what the holiday really means: giving, sharing, and loving.

Cullen’s rhyming book, which is part of Lucy’s Early Reader Series, is aimed at ages 4 – 7 and illustrated by photos of Lucy and her friends.