Christmas Reading

It’s almost Christmas!

Before I get even busier in the next couple of days, here’s this year’s roundup of Christmas reading: The Night Before Christmas, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and A Christmas Carol, books #171-175 for 2010.

And to all my readers, a very merry Christmas!!!

The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, illustrated by Tomie de Paola, hardcover with dust jacket

The 411: The classic “Night Before Christmas” poem is said to have influenced today’s plump and jolly image of Santa Claus, with its famous first lines “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” Well-loved illustrator Tomie de Paola comes up with his take on this classic to mark his 100th illustrated book, and uses watercolor and inks to render the poem in full color, set in a mid-19th century New England Town, showcasing New England quilt designs from his own collection for the page borders.

My take: I have quite a number of versions of The Night Before Christmas, and so far this is the most unique. Tomie de Paola’s illustrations are simple but exuberant, and I love how he incorporates so much character into his artwork. The quilt motif adds a festive note to the book. I do wish this book was reprinted using today’s technology, though, as I’m not sure the colors are meant to be that dark, perhaps it was a limitation of 80’s printing. Nevertheless, it’s still a gem of a book, and a great addition to my growing collection of The Night Before Christmas books.

My rating: 4/5 stars

P.S. Thank you to Iya for giving me this book as a present!

The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton, hardcover with dust jacket

The 411: Before it was a movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas started as a poem written by animator Tim Burton. This picture book — Tim Burton’s first — showcases the irreverent poem that inspired the cult Halloween-Christmas mashup movie, and original art by Tim Burton.

My take: I loved The Nightmare Before Christmas movie, and I’ve been searching for years to find a copy of this picture book, and it finally paid off one evening as I foraged around in a bargain bin. It’s quite different from the film, mind you, and it stars only Jack Skellington, Zero, and Santa Claus, but it ‘s hard to resist the charm of Burton’s witty ditty. Not recommended for very small kids, though, as the macabre imagery (and the thought of Jack Skellington taking over for Santa) may be a bit too much for them to take. But highly recommended to fans of Tim Burton and the film.

My rating: 4/5 stars

The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen, retold by Tor Seidler, illustrated by Fred Marcellino, hardcover with dust jacket

The 411: “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” is actually an original tale by Hans Christian Andersen, unlike his other more popular works that were based on folklore. Critically-acclaimed illustrator Fred Marcellino, best known for his Caldecott Honor book Puss in Boots, brings to life this beloved holiday classic about a one-legged toy soldier and the paper ballerina he loves from afar.

My take: “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” is one of my all-time favorite Christmas stories since I was a kid (my favorite classic cartoon is The Brave Tin Soldier), and I was thrilled to find this picture book, by one of my favorite illustrators, too (I fell in love with Puss in Boots)! The story is sad and hauntingly beautiful, and Fred Marcellino’s delicate pastels wonderfully capture the magic and emotion of this holiday tale.

My rating: 5/5 stars

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Don Daily, hardcover with dust jacket

The 411: “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a popular holiday tune, with its laundry list of merry makers. Don Daily reimagines this classic song in this wonderful book of breathtaking art where animals bring the beloved verses to life.

My take: I own a lot of holiday books, but this is by far one of the most beautiful I have (and a steal at less than a hundred bucks, too!). I just love how Don Daily has interpreted the Twelve Days of Christmas in this picture book: a chef partridge holding up a tray of pears; the two turtledoves are colonially-styled in curly white-haired wig, ruffled cravat, bonnet, and bow; the three hens are playing French horns; four calling birds in top hats and collars; five golden rings juggled by two bears; six geese in Mother Goose bonnets; seven swans in elegant evening wear; eight (cat) maids a milking; nine lady pigs in tutus; ten stag lords in fine frock-coats leaping over the side of the mountain; eleven rabbit pipers in jester outfits; and twelve teddy bear drummers! It’s so beautiful I was rendered speechless after my first reading, and it just calls out for you to turn page after page over and over again!

My rating: 5/5 stars

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, hardcover with dust jacket

The 411: This holiday classic has enchanted readers since its publication in 1843, and is often credited with popularizing the modern form of Christmas, although Dickens wrote the book as a critique against the capitalism of the Christmas season. This book showcases the complete and unabridged novella by Dickens, illustrated by the award-winning P.J. Lynch.

My take: I’ve been saving this book for Christmas since I found it at the Manila International Book Fair this year. I’ve read A Christmas Carol many times in the past, but they’ve always been condensed editions, and I’ve always wanted to read the story in full. I was glad I got this beautifully illustrated edition, which is one of the best I’ve seen — PJ Lynch’s watercolor and gouache paintings are exquisite, and this edition is produced with wonderfully thick and smooth paper, reinforced binding, and ornate design.

My rating: 5/5 stars