This collection of
holiday-themed short stories is an essential selection which will give students
an opportunity to sample writing from Young Adult authors such as Rainbow
Rowell, David Levithan, Holly Black, and Gayle Forman. I especially enjoyed the
story “It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown” by editor Stephanie Perkins: in
a Christmas tree lot, a girl finds the perfect video voice for her project, the
perfect tree, and an understanding, supportive boyfriend. The romance was light
and fun as it was in “Angels in the Snow” by Matt De La
Peña featuring a Latino NYU student and also in “Star of Bethlehem” by Ally
Carter which uses exchanged identities to start new traditions. A few stories involve fantasy elements,
including “The Girl who Woke the Dreamer” by Laini Taylor. Several of the others felt a bit long for
“short” stories, but maybe I am just not quite in the holiday mood as of yet. Overall, My True Love Gave to Me will have appeal to fans of both holiday romance and YA writers. And this collection just may encourage readers to give themselves the "present" of a longer title by any of these talented authors.
