I liked this book for many reasons. One of the reasons I liked this book was because it contained many different traditions the author had partaken in when she was a child. One of these traditions was she would play “Old Granny Gobble” with her family. This book has a very dark feel when you read it. For example, the author says, “The whole world stood motionless.” The girl in the story is very upset when her father may not make it home for Christmas. However, once the young girl wakes up on Christmas morning and sees her father downstairs, the story changes from sad to happy. The illustrations also emphasize the mood of the story. When the illustrator draws the pictures of the cold outside, he uses dark colors. However, when the illustrator draws Christmas morning, the colors are much brighter because the family back together again. The big idea/message of this story is to pass down the tradition of the Glastonbury rose which is said to bloom on every Christmas day. This book is written like it is being told and not written. This is one of the characteristics that makes it traditional literature. Some of the aspects in this culture is the food they eat, Oyster Stew, visiting the hog pens during the winter, and playing the game, Old Granny Gobble.