Noni the Christmas Reindeer [A Rand McNally Junior Elf Book] (1979)

As a child, when that special time of year drew near, the teacher asked us who our favorite reindeer is. There were many calls for Rudolph; he has a song, after all. A few liked Comet, because comets are cool. A couple preferred Vixen because, as we had learned that a female fox is called a vixen, "Girl reindeer can pull the sleigh, too!" Because of this, we decided that Dasher, Dancer, and Prancer must also be female.

Noni has always been my favorite, because even though she was too small to pull the sleigh, she didn't sulk until Santa found a use for her on his team. Against the odds, she put in the time and earned her place. I feel this story teaches children a better, more wholesome lesson than "the most famous reindeer of all". ( )