Christmas City: A Look Again Book [Hardcover]

Michael Garland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2002 | Age Level: 5 and up

With its suspenseful treasure-hunt plot, this sparkling holiday picture book offers stunning hidden pictures and intriguing clues that lead to a surprise ending. When Tommy receives an invitation from his eccentric Aunt Jeanne, he doesn't hesitate before hopping into the taxi parked outside his house. He is whisked away to a bustling magical metropolis, but Aunt Jeanne is nowhere to be found. Instead, he discovers her rhyming clues that guide him through the decorated streets and squares of Christmas City--each more lively and beautiful than the last. Fans of the I Spy and Look-Alikes series will delight in poring over the scenes to find and count more than 200 camouflaged objects and creatures before reaching the wonderful surprise Tommy's aunt has in store: a magical meeting with Santa himself!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Christmas City: A Look-Again Book by Michael Garland, a companion to Mystery Mansion, rhyming text challenges readers to spot the more than 200 objects hidden in the computer-generated collage illustrations. Complex layers of pattern and design multiply the fun. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-Fans of Garland's Christmas Magic (2001) and The Mouse before Christmas (1997; o.p., both Dutton) will not be disappointed with this year's offering. On Christmas Eve, Tommy's eccentric aunt sends him a note with rhyming clues and a flying cab that whisks him to the magical Christmas City. More notes lead him around the city to discover its wonders before finally meeting up with his relative. Readers are invited to search for 200 hidden pictures, puzzles, and clues (answers supplied in the back). Glowing, fantastical paintings that look computer enhanced fill each spread with action and unique perspectives. Enthusiasts of the "I Spy" books (Scholastic) and "Where's Waldo" series (Candlewick) or Graeme Base's Animalia (Abrams, 1987) will enjoy poring over this holiday treat.-M. W.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (September 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525469044
• ISBN-13: 978-0525469049
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,666,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Award winning author and illustrator Michael Garland has been out on the New York Times Best Seller list four times.

Some recent Michael Garland books from are; Oh, What A Christmas! Scholastic, Miss Smith Under the Ocean, Dutton Publishers, and Grandpa's Tractor, Boyds Mills

Michael Garland's greatest success has been for writing and illustrating children's picture books. Garland's Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook recently won the California and Delaware State Reading Awards. He is currently working on his thirtieth book as author and illustrator.

Michael Garland has illustrated for celebrity authors like James Patterson and Gloria Estefan. His illustrations for Patterson's SantaKid were the inspiration for Sak's Fifth's Avenue's Christmas holiday window display in New York City. Garland's Christmas Magic has become a season classic and is currently being developed for a for a TV special.

His work has won many honors and is frequently included in the Society of Illustrators and the Original Art of Children's book show as well annuals from Print, Graphis and Communications Arts magazines. Recently, Michael Garland was included on the list of the top one hundred Irish Americans by Irish American Magazine.
Michael Garland is frequently asked to speak at schools, literary conferences and festivals across the country.

http://www.garlandpicturebooks.com

http://childrensbooksheal.com/2011/11/30/oh-what-a-christmas-by-michael-garland/

http://www.valcomnews.com/wp-content/PDFs/CalKids/CK1112.pdf

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=383&id=100000791525187&l=fb121ddf7a

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24741&id=100000791525187&l=59df58a9f5


Michael Garland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely for many ages, November 26, 2003

By 

"93griffin" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas City: A Look Again Book (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful addition to anyone's Christmas book library. The illustrations are stunning, with many, many hidden little things to uncover. It would be a perfect gift for a family with children of different ages- the little ones will love hearing about Tommy's journey, while the older ones will like hunting for the hidden images, going through a tricky maze, and solving the riddles.

My son checked this out of the library and begged me to get it so we could "keep it forever." I will be sending copies of this book to several of our friends this holiday, but I suspect it will be a book kept out and enjoyed all year long.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SPARKLING ILLUSTRATIONS LIGHT UP AN ADVENTURESOME STORY, December 6, 2002

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas City: A Look Again Book (Hardcover)

Could Christmas really be every day? Only in Michael Garland's imaginative holiday treat. With sparkling illustrations as bright as ornaments on a tree and catchy rhyming text youngsters will share an exciting adventure with Tommy.

Tommy is blessed with a unique aunt who sends him a fascinating invitation on Christmas Eve. She invites him to get in the taxi that is waiting in front of his house and come to meet her.

Lo and behold, there is a magic taxi waiting for him and it carries him to an even more magical city where it is Christmas every day. Once there Tommy looks for his aunt but instead finds clues that take him through the wondrous Christmas City in a search of his aunt.

Very much like a treasure hunt over 200 items are hidden throughout the book as well as a holiday message to be decoded.

Youngsters will have as much fun as Tommy does as they turn pages to happily discover the many surprises in store.

- Gail Cooke

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Holiday Treasure Hunt....., December 4, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas City: A Look Again Book (Hardcover)

Michael Garland is back with a holiday sequel to last years innovative, Mystery Mansion. Come join Tommy as his Aunt Jeanne sends him on another creative and inventive treasure hunt. It's Christmas Eve when the invitation arrives telling Tommy to hop into the waiting cab outside his door, and in no time he's soaring through the air on his way to Christmas City. But where is Aunt Jeanne? Follow the cleverly worded, rhyming clues to find her, and along the way solve puzzles and collect the more than two hundred holiday items, some hidden, some in plain sight, including snowmen, angels, reindeer, elves, and candycanes, all the characters from the song, The Twelve Days Of Christmas, Santa's reindeer, holiday greetings in ten different languages, and a series of letters that when arranged, spell out a special message. Mr Garland's bold, bright, and busy computer generated artwork is engaging, and sparkles with energy, dazzling color, intricate, eye-catching detail and playful humor. Imaginations will soar as youngsters 6 and older pore over the pages, and revel in all the fun-filled magic. Christmas City offers hours of interactive entertainment, and sends kids on an imaginative, holiday fantasy adventure of a lifetime.