This was absolutely ADORABLE. I was so obsessed with it. Not only was it a great Christmas tradition story, but it was also a story that focused so heavily on community and individuality all at the same time! Giving Gal wanted to make sure that Tianna felt welcome, but also wanted to make sure that she was doing something that SHE HERSELF was good at. That was just so sweet to me. I may or may not have cried. That's totally fine.

I absolutely need a physical copy of this!

This was just about so sweet you’d get a tooth ache from reading it! The illustrations were so wonderful! There’s a great message to the story. There’s also an added game in the pictures.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

I've got to start by saying that this book portrays a much better way to make a whole bunch of cookies than how I did it. A group of friends getting together to spread out the work. Genius! Unfortunately for the characters in this book, one friend, Tianna, doesn't have a job because she just doesn't think she's good enough to do any of the main cookie making jobs like rolling dough into balls or frosting cookies. Giving Gal encourages her through everything, telling her that lumpy dough balls would still taste delicious and things like that to let her know that it's the effort that really counts. But they finally find the perfect job for her, helping her feel confident that she's able to contribute in a meaningful way.

I'm sad to report that the illustrations were all chopped up in pieces on my device, but what I could see was colorful and fun. And the added seek and find would probably have amused even me if I could have done them. The way the illustrations came through in the ARC on my phone just wasn't conducive to that though. I probably wouldn't want to read this book to my kids too terribly often, but once a year around Christmas might not be awful. Overall I give it 3.9 out of 5 stars.

This book has a great message and is in festive spirit. Giving Gal and her friend are baking cookies and figure out that everyone is good at something.
The art reminds me of books i read in my childhood, they where in watercolor and hand drawn. So while this is cute, I didn’t love it as much as I hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

: "I received a copy of this book via Netgalley Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I absolutely love the Giving Gal series and have recommended it to many peers and friends. The illustrations are wonderful and completely compliment the wonderful stories. The positive message is heart warming and very relatable for children and adults alike.

Lastly, the search for hearts is a wonderful addition that keeps children engaged

This sweet picture book tells the story of a young girl named Giving Gal and her friends on a special day called the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. When Giving Gal's new friend Tianna arrives at the event that has become an annual tradition, Giving Gal offers Tianna lots of encouragement and a variety of jobs but Tianna doesn't feel confident in her abilities to do any of the jobs they normally do. Just then, Giving Gal thinks of a new task that is perfect for Tianna. The friends work together to have a wonderful holiday and look forward to the fun they will have at the next holiday. This book would be perfect for discussions about growth mindset and positive self talk as well as working together and being thankful for others. It is a positive book and would be great for homes or classrooms. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 4-8 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

I wish I had Giving Gal when I was little. This art was so vibrant and colorful, and all the characters looked great. The message of this was so sweet. Its all about friendship, perseverance, and being supportive.

Even for a children's book, I thought some of the more scenes were too quick and I thought I was missing a page. Still, this was super cute and Giving Gal will be at home in any children's library. This is an especially great December for little girls.

Making Children kind, giving, compassionate & encouraging should be the priority of all parents. There is learning for everything in this world except values which can only be given at early stage of life by parents. Instilling values makes a person civilized and of good character.

Giving Gal, 'Gabi' is one such child who always encourage her friends. She never let her friend down, not even in their own eyes. They planned to meet for festival and do some activities to enjoy and have fun with learning but Gabi's frienf Tianna is kinda girl with low confindence in her. Gabi on other hand is enthusiastic for all activites make Tianna realise that she is and can be more good at all those acts too.

Moral is to be always positive in nature and do not let anybody feel dissapointed in company. I like the content and illustrations also. However there is some editing issue as page #22 & #23 are tilted anti-clockwise by 90 degrees than they should be.

Giving Gal and the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza is a perfect read for the holidays. It teaches kindness, strength, and excitement that comes with trying new things. I also loved the diversity in characters. The illustrations are so beautifully detailed paired with a gorgeous array of colors. Thank you to NetGalley and Giving Gal, LLC for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a sweet book. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous. It had a great message. I think kids could learn a lot about encouraging others and helping them find what they're good at. Overall, a great Christmas book that kids and adults could both enjoy.

Review of Giving Gal and the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza by Stephanie L. Jones.
Giving Gal, Tianna, and their friends and family have their annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza! Tianna, however, doesn’t seem to find anything she is good at to participate in the preparations. Everybody has a job, but Tianna. Giving Gal, as a loyal and kind friend, helps Tianna to find a way to take part.
This picture book teaches children kindness, true friendship, and enthusiasm!
The illustrations are absolutely amazing, and they follow the plot perfectly!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all children aged 3 to 5 wanting to hear a story of true friendship and Christmas preparation!

What a sweet Christmas book! My 8 year old daughter and I read this together and she loved it as well as finding the hidden hearts on some of the pages. Highly recommend! We are also going to find the original Giving Gal book to read together.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Fear not busy parents – this one is an activity book in the vein of “I Spy”, only better (because it’s Christmas themed”). Not only are these vintage-esque illustrations so much fun, but this one centers on the Giving Gal’s annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, to which she has invited a new friend, Tianna. Unfortunately, the day doesn’t initially go quite as planned. But in typical Giving Gal nature (a fantastic ro-model and person for the little ones to read about), her encouragement, kindness, and efforts to make everyone feel loved, special, and included, end up saving the day.

The illustrations are so cute, vibrant, and artsy! This book is a lovely gift idea for young little girls. Adorable story! Love the holiday baking and all of the festive-ness.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Perfect for this time of year, Giving Gal is a sweet story about friendship and not letting yourself get discouraged.

First and foremost, it has the most charming illustrations throughout. The images are very detailed and the each image fits what is being portrayed within that scene. I loved the important messages for young children including the concept of a supportive friendship. Through the friends interaction at the cookie extravaganza, children are shown that is okay to feel sad or discouraged at times, however, we are all unique and can contribute something to the task, we just need to figure out what it is we like, or are good at.

I think this would make a perfect Christmas gift for the littles in your family. I cannot wait to share it with my six-year-old son, as he also struggles with feelings of discouragement from time to time. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Giving Gal LLC and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that I would easily gift because of the illustrations and how everyone comes together. I love the different character representations and the artwork takes me back to my favorite childhood memories with the right values. A great tradition of baking cookies together. Love the interactive double page.

p.s I have no idea why there is a double page without text that shows one of the characters very sad. The pages before say nothing about it, and the next ones even less.

Giving Gal and the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza is a cute story about friendships, kindness, and of course baking sweet treats for Christmas.

The characters are somewhat cute. Though they reminded me of those Cabbage Patch Kids from back in the day. The other illustrations, however, were just adorable. And I loved the Find the Hearts activity in the book.

Giving Gal would make a great gift for any sweet preschooler. Three and a half stars rounded up.

I received a digital copy of the book from Giving Gal, LLC. through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

The illustrations in this book are really lovely and my favorite thing about it! The digital copy I received unfortunately messes up the pictures, so that was really a bummer for my kids and I. The story was good. It had a nice and positive message. It wasn't as great as I had expected, but still a good Christmas time children's read.

Thank you to Giving Gal, LLC and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.

This was a cute book with maybe even cuter illustrations! I really liked how the Giving Gal was so encouraging and nonjudgmental towards her friend. A lot of good lessons in friendship in this children’s book. There are also pages where you get to search for items on the page, which I thought was fun. The beautifully detailed illustrations would have made this a favorite for me as a kid. A great book for kids during the holidays! I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Giving Gal and the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza is a children’s story written by Stephanie L. Jones.

Summary: Giving Gal is so excited for the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, and even more excited that her new friend Tianna is coming to help.

But Tianna feels like she can’t do anything right. Can Giving Gal help Tianna find her own special talent?

My Thoughts: This book is such a great one. In a time where selfishness and living in your own bubble sometimes seems to reign supreme, it’s refreshing to read a children’s book that promotes encouraging others, being positive, and making friends.

The artwork in this book is absolutely wonderful as well. There is so much to look at-so many tiny and beautiful details.

This is a gorgeous book with a great message and would be an excellent addition to any child’s Christmas collection.

I would like to thank Giving Gal, LLC for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!