Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes [Hardcover]

Clyde Watson (Author), Wendy Watson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 2003 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A cozy collection of holiday verse

Who is that knocking at the door?
It’s old Father Fox with surprises galore!
Licorice & lollipops, lemons & limes
A bundle of toys & a bag full of rhymes . . .

Over thirty years ago, Father Fox’s Pennyrhymes became an instant classic and was a National Book Award Finalist. Now Father Fox returns with new rhymes especially for yuletide that conjure up the excitement and mystery of the season: playing in the snow, making hot apple cider, hiding presents – all at the warm and loving home of the Fox family.

The verses feel like classic children’s rhymes, and rich paintings capture all the cheer and beauty of Christmastime.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Fans of Father Fox's Pennyrhymes (HarperCollins, 2001) will welcome this glimpse into the family's yuletide celebrations. Rhyming text accompanies cozy images of the large, raggedy, but joyous foxes as they prepare for Christmas. For the most part, the verses lack the folksy, nursery-rhyme quality of Pennyrhymes and aren't particularly memorable, but the illustrations of the busy and ebullient foxes are enticing. As a whole, this book has plenty of warmth, charm, and Christmas spirit.-E. M.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr.2. Clad in patched clothes and a Santa cap, old Father Fox looks as spry as ever, springing across the jacket of this crowd-pleasing book of Christmas verse. Those who remember the classic Father Fox's Pennyrhymes (1971) will find the new book, with its oversize format and larger-scale illustrations, better suited to sharing with groups of children. The short verses create some precise, pleasant images: "The kitchen is bursting with uncles & aunts / With buttery fingers & floury pants," but it is the artwork that will draw children to the book and keep them amused and absorbed. Full of lively details, the ink drawings are washed with glowing watercolors, in tawny browns, muted blues and greens, and jewel-bright details in red and yellow. A Christmas treat for children who will enjoy the bustle and the quiet pleasures of this friendly fox family. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (October 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374375763
• ISBN-13: 978-0374375768
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 10.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,703,993 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun children poems, September 21, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes (Hardcover)

The eighteen Fox poems are XMAS treasures;
their pretty pictures provide beautiful sights.
While the young children will laugh with delight;
adults will adore these rhyming pleasures.

Harriet "keep my day job - Father Fox will never hire me" Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes, August 31, 2005

By 

E. Krejny "book lover" (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes (Hardcover)

Cute and clever book, with wonderful illustrations. The rhymed story evokes many fun Christmas traditions.

3.0 out of 5 stars More penny - less Christmas, November 10, 2010

By 

nancy weber (irving, tx United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Father Fox's Christmas Rhymes (Paperback)

I had loved Father Foxes' Pennyrhymes and delighted in reading it to my four children - so much so that it dissolved in shreds over time. I just bought two of the Christmas Rhymes for grandchildren and was a bit disappointed, The darkness of the green I found a little heavy, and the drawings on Pennyrhymes was a little finer, I thought. Also the poetry was a tad lurchy. But it is so much better than most of the things for children these days that the grandchildren will still have Christmas for Christmas.