Christmas Cricket [Hardcover]

Eve Bunting (Author), Timothy Bush (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2002 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

In a California garden on a rainy night, Cricket feels small and worthless. He hops up some steps and finds himself in a place filled with light and warmth and a tall, sparkling tree. He begins to sing but is scared into silence by two voices, one big and one small. It is then that he makes a marvelous discovery. Eve Bunting’s text is filled with her customary tenderness and charm, and Timothy Bush has captured its mood in his luminous illustrations. Together they create a memorable holiday book about a cricket who discovers that though he may be small, he is not insignificant.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A cricket who feels "small and worthless in the bigness of night" finds his way into a cheery house and onto a Christmas tree, where his song is mistaken by a child for the voice of an angel. Bunting (see also The Bones of Fred McFee, under "Halloween," and One Candle, under "Hanukkah"), relates this affectionate tale in taut prose, and Bush's cricket's-eye-view watercolors seem almost to glow. In the end, as Cricket gazes at his reflection in the face of a shiny angel ornament, he ponders an adult's comment that angels sing "in the voices of crickets," then realizes that "he was small, then. But not worthless." The cricket's progression from the darkness of night to the luminosity of the revelatory scene underscores his growing sense of wonder. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Feeling "small and worthless in the bigness of night," Cricket sneaks into a home and onto a Christmas tree, where he begins a song. A child thinks he hears the tree's angel and his dad explains that "angels sing in the songs of birds, and frogs and people and crickets." Hearing this, Cricket realizes he's small, "but not worthless," and he rubs his wings together for joy. Masterfully imbuing a brief moment in a tiny insect's life with significance that resonates for readers of any age, Bunting presents a simple yet touching story for holiday sharing. Vivid watercolor illustrations capture the insect's perspective with drama and humor.-S. P.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (October 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618065547
• ISBN-13: 978-0618065547
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 11 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,201,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eve Bunting has written more than 200 books for children, many of which can be found in libraries around the world. Her other Clarion titles for very young readers include My Big Boy Bed, which was also illustrated by Maggie Smith, and Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. She lives in Pasadena, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Song of Angels....., November 18, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas Cricket (Hardcover)

"It was cold in the garden. Cricket felt small and worthless in the bigness of night..." He hops up icy steps, under a big door, across sleek floors, into a warm room, "and over to a tall tree with stars clinging to it." He hopped onto a branch and began to sing. And that's when he hears the voices of father and child discussing the songs of angels. "Did you know that angels sing in the songs of birds, and frogs and people and crickets?" the big voice asked..." The child didn't know that and neither did Cricket. "He was small, then. But not worthless. What a great discovery!" Eve Bunting's simple, gentle text is poetic, and complemented by Timothy Bush's stunning and expressive illustrations. Together word and art celebrate the wonders of the holiday season in a warm and touching way. Perfect for little ones 3-7, Christmas Cricket is just right for quiet, read aloud cuddling, and is a sweet and lovely story to help ring in the holidays. "And in his hiding place Cricket rubbed his wings, one against the other for his own joy, and sang and sang, and sang."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT AND BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS STORY., June 26, 2011

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Cricket (Hardcover)

I like Christmas stories and when our children were small, and then many years later when our grandsons took their place at reading time, in the evening, when all was quite before bedtimes, I use to love to read these stories to them. While this book was published after those delightful days, I can assure you that this book would have been in that special, and large, pile of books reserved for bedtime reading.

This is the story of a very lonely, small and seemingly insignificant cricket caught in the bigness and gloom of the night. It is raining and our little guy is feeling quite sorry for himself and a bit worthless. As chance would have it he ventures from the bush where he is crouched, goes up a flight of stares, under a door and finds himself in a new and strange world.

After traveling through the house he finds a very strange tree aglow with lights and strange ornaments. He climbs into the tree, feels rather comfortable, and begins his song.

A father is talking with his child and the child suddenly says, "Dad? I thought I heard the angle sing," a small voice said, so close that it scared Cricket into silence. Upon investigation, the father finds the cricket and we hear him say...one of the best lines in the book:

"Did you know that angels

sing in the songs of birds,

and frogs

and people

and crickets?"

This a story of self realization; the realization that no matter who you are, not matter how small your voice, that you really do count in the big picture of life.

I love the art work by Timothy Bush in this one. The text allows the reader to become very somber, serious, sad and then extremely happy and mellow. This is one of those books that much depends upon the skill of the reader to hold the child's attention as it is not a slam-bang adventure story full of bells and whistles. This one will actually require the adult reader to (gasp!) work a bit. No, the reader must read it correctly and if done right, it will give the child much to think about and ponder. Like adults, children can become intellectually lazy and end up as one of those people without imagination whose only accomplishment in life will the ability to turn on a T.V. screen with the remote. It is our job as adults to try to prevent this.

All in all, an excellent read.

Don Blankenship

The Ozarks

3.0 out of 5 stars Lovely sentiment, December 20, 2010

By 

R. Korb - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christmas Cricket (Hardcover)

I love the concept of this book--the cricket at Christmas in California perhaps. The sentiment is lovely--no one is worthless. The grace of the written word fell a little short of wonderful. While the message is beautiful, this is not a Christmas book that my children ask to be read again and again.