A collection of stories, poems, legends, folktales, and carols relating to Christmas.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
Fifteen carols plus two new songs with music by Yolen's son, Adam Stemple, who also did the arrangements; a baker's dozen of Yolen's appealing poems; nine legends, retold with disarming simplicity; comparative information on several kinds of Christmas traditions (food, plants, animals, carols, gift-giving); even a brief verse play--all appropriately introduced by the ninth chapter of Luke. DePaola provides his best: simple, decorative images with a delightful variety of rich color combinations, pleasing borders, and judiciously deployed white space. Like the happiest of Christmas mornings, an inviting treasure trove of the familiar blended with the new. Index. (Nonfiction. 3-11) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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More About the Author
Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic book for every age,
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This review is from: Hark! A Christmas Sampler (Hardcover)
My Mother bought this book quite a long time ago but I always love looking through it even as an adult. It is a terrific way to introduce children to the many sides of Christmas and short histories of various rituals (like having a Christmas tree) associated with the holiday. The Tomie De Paola's illustrations are brilliantly colored and beautifully add to the tales, songs and legends that Jane Yolen shares with the reader. There is something for everyone and shows many people common themes from different cultures. I think one of my favorite parts of the book would be the piece on the many different figures that visit people at Christmas. It explains a bit about their history and what they do. Among them are Old Befana, Sinter Klaus, Bishop of Myra, Father Christmas and the fairly modern version of the American Santa Claus as created in the famous 19th century poem, "A visit from Saint Nicholas".
The perfect addition to anyone's Christmas collection.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hark! A Christmas Sampler,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Hark! A Christmas Sampler (Hardcover)
A lovely book about Christmas and winter traditions. Colorful illustrations and clear text. Bought used, to share with my grandchildren, in excellent shape and extremely modest in cost.
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