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MaryM
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St. Ann wrote:
Thank you, Mary.
I was just worried how the man and woman were introduced and wondered why nothing of "husband and wife" or "married" came up.
I was wary of sneaky political correctness creeping it's way into the story... |
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Hey, Stephanie, getting back to this. I didn't hone into this when I read the book, so after your post had to go back and read with those new eyes.
It didn't strike me as strange when I read it initially because so many of the gingerbread man stories start something like "Once upon a time there was a little old woman and a little old man, and they lived all alone. They were very happy together, but they wanted a child and since they had none." so that was what I was hearing in my own head while reading it. (And Galdone's version) In these folktales where these children are created by childless folks, sometimes there is a "man and his wife", sometimes just an old man, sometimes just an old woman (but they always seem to be old....  ) but often just the couple reference.
But you are right that first few sentences really is an awkward way of saying that - "Once there was a woman and a man who had been together for many years. They got along well and loved each other very much. Their only sadness was they they did not have a child." I think the storyteller didn't want to say little old man and little old women but adding they had been together for many years adds the age element in a different way.
So while author might have a personal agenda and chose that wording (because I have no idea), there is nothing else in the story to further that. I think there is always an assumed marriage when children read these folk or fairy tales about "little old women and little old men together". Anyway, that is my take on it - reading the story I just had a sense of old folktale couple with the "created" child.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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Got it but hadn't been able to review. It is a a cute story, if you like talking forest animal stories. Ties in the Swedish tradition of a tomte bringing gifts at Christmas. There is nothing related to the faith or the true meaning of Christmas so it is kind of funny to refer to it as an Advent story. But for someone looking for a read aloud, just for fun, way to count down the days until Christmas, it would fit that criteria.
I also read Winter Candle which is the PC/cultural awareness entry for the year. Follows the adventures of an inner-city apartment where an old lumpy candle is passed around and used for various celebrations - Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Kwanza - then to help a tenant find his way home. Not even a Christmas use, if you can believe it.  Not a keeper.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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Oh and forgot to include this one - really a compilation book from old sources so not new - yet is new.
Everything I need to Know About Christmas I Learned From a Little Golden Book
Have you seen any in this new series? They are really cute. It is the second one I have seen - another published next month. It is a compilation of illustrations from different Golden Books woven together to tell a new story of important lessons in life. This one is specifically about Christmas and what to do and what happens. It does include some of the religious themed Golden Books. It is cleverly done and if you love all the vintage illustrators of Golden Book's golden era you should enjoy it.
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
Oh and forgot to include this one - really a compilation book from old sources so not new - yet is new.
Everything I need to Know About Christmas I Learned From a Little Golden Book
Have you seen any in this new series? They are really cute. It is the second one I have seen - another published next month. It is a compilation of illustrations from different Golden Books woven together to tell a new story of important lessons in life. This one is specifically about Christmas and what to do and what happens. It does include some of the religious themed Golden Books. It is cleverly done and if you love all the vintage illustrators of Golden Book's golden era you should enjoy it. |
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I haven't seen the Christmas one, but Melinda sent me Everything I Need to Know last year and we just loved it.
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
Got it but hadn't been able to review. It is a a cute story, if you like talking forest animal stories. Ties in the Swedish tradition of a tomte bringing gifts at Christmas. There is nothing related to the faith or the true meaning of Christmas so it is kind of funny to refer to it as an Advent story. But for someone looking for a read aloud, just for fun, way to count down the days until Christmas, it would fit that criteria.
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I checked this out from our library. It's long...so now I understand it's supposed to last through Advent. I agree with your assessment, Mary.
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LeeAnn
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Suzanne, thank you for mentioning Jan Brett's book tour. Several of my friends were able to see her in Leavenworth on Sunday. I wouldn't have known about it if you hadn't mentioned it. :) Hope your trip over to Spokane was fun.
A favorite new Christmas book this year is A Treasury of Wintertime Tales. Published by Taschen, this is a BIG book of older picture book reprints, most of which I've never seen before. Here is a list of the included stories/illustrators.
1. The Cowboy's Christmas by Joan Walsh Anglund
2. A Trip to Gingerbread Land by Einar Nerman
3. Winter and the Children by Hilde Hoffman & Beatrice Braun-Fock
4. Nine Days to Christmas by Marie Hall Ets & Aurora Labastida
5. Marilyn and the Snow children by Sibylle von Olfers
6. The Friendly Beasts by Laura Nelson Baker & Nicolas Sidjakov
7. The Night Before Christmas by Moore/Smith
8. The Red Horse by Elsa Moeschlin
9. The Twelve Days of Christmas by Ilonka Karasz
10. Moy Moy by Leo Politi
11. Too Many Mittens by Florence & Louis Slobodkin
12. Children of the Northlights by the d'Aulaires
13. The Ballad of the Snow King by Tadeusz Kubiak & Zbigniew Rychilichi
A nice variety of sacred & secular stories for Christmastime.
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knowloveserve
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LeeAnn wrote:
Suzanne, thank you for mentioning Jan Brett's book tour. Several of my friends were able to see her in Leavenworth on Sunday. I wouldn't have known about it if you hadn't mentioned it. :) Hope your trip over to Spokane was fun.
A favorite new Christmas book this year is A Treasury of Wintertime Tales. Published by Taschen, this is a BIG book of older picture book reprints, most of which I've never seen before. Here is a list of the included stories/illustrators.
1. The Cowboy's Christmas by Joan Walsh Anglund
2. A Trip to Gingerbread Land by Einar Nerman
3. Winter and the Children by Hilde Hoffman & Beatrice Braun-Fock
4. Nine Days to Christmas by Marie Hall Ets & Aurora Labastida
5. Marilyn and the Snow children by Sibylle von Olfers
6. The Friendly Beasts by Laura Nelson Baker & Nicolas Sidjakov
7. The Night Before Christmas by Moore/Smith
8. The Red Horse by Elsa Moeschlin
9. The Twelve Days of Christmas by Ilonka Karasz
10. Moy Moy by Leo Politi
11. Too Many Mittens by Florence & Louis Slobodkin
12. Children of the Northlights by the d'Aulaires
13. The Ballad of the Snow King by Tadeusz Kubiak & Zbigniew Rychilichi
A nice variety of sacred & secular stories for Christmastime. |
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LeeAnn, thank you for the heads up on this! Some of those titles are treasures indeed and there are others I've never heard of. It'd make a lovely gift...
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SeaStar
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I have figured out that my library system gets all their new Christmas books in February 
So, from 2014 I recently had a chance to read A Little Women Christmas.
It's a retelling of the Christmas when Mr. March comes home (finally) from the war. Beth has been sick, and Jo has just cut her hair to help raise money for expenses.
Knowledge of the Little Women story line is helpful here, but even without it, the story works, and I can't think how the story could be better illustrated. The period details are there, along with all the love the March family has for each other. I especially like the use of light- windows, firelight, etc.
May have to give this one to dd next year.
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MaryM
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So glad you added A Little Women Christmas, Melinda. It's crazy - I thought I had posted about it. I guess intending to and actually doing it is a different thing...  . I just took it back the library this week. I did enjoy it, I thought the illustrations were lovely. I wasn't sure how purists would like it - it is very abridged (as it likely has to be for a picture book) and I didn't think the language does justice to the original. But over all a nice intro to a younger crowd.
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SeaStar
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St. Nicholas and the Mouse of Myra
This is a graphic novel for kids... not technically a picture book, but I was not sure where to put it 
Wondering if anyone had a chance to see a copy of this. Amazon is the only place I have seen it.
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SeaStar
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MaryM wrote:
Oh and forgot to include this one - really a compilation book from old sources so not new - yet is new.
Everything I need to Know About Christmas I Learned From a Little Golden Book
Have you seen any in this new series? They are really cute. It is the second one I have seen - another published next month. It is a compilation of illustrations from different Golden Books woven together to tell a new story of important lessons in life. This one is specifically about Christmas and what to do and what happens. It does include some of the religious themed Golden Books. It is cleverly done and if you love all the vintage illustrators of Golden Book's golden era you should enjoy it. |
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I finally got to read through this one- just love all the pictures from the LIttle Golden books!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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4Real Forums : Picture Book Discoveries
Topic: New Christmas Books - Published 2014
