"Christmas Lists" is a witty and charming love story about two single parents, Carlota and Bill, each with a precocious first-grader. Carlota's Johnny is an "impestuous" lad, and Bill's Annie is a delightful lass. Carlota and Bill end up making beautiful music together.

The story brings forth some good psychology of game competition between parents and kids - the "Hauser Handicap." This is a system of fair play in games between elders and "youngers." Here it uses checker games as a good example for a healthy, well-balanced experience of winning and losing - some good intergenerational...