Christmas Picture Book Reviews 2020

2020 has certainly been a chaotic year for many, with this Christmas season in particularly having to be done differently to usual. I have found that having a good book to read always helps during these stressful times and these Christmas books will certainly help to make your Christmas a little brighter. This time I will be reviewing one classic, one brand new book and one that features a character beloved by many.

Title: The Polar Express.
Author/Illustrator: Chris van Allsburg.
Publisher: Anderson Press.
Published: 1985.
Format: Paperback.
Source: My own copy.

I was very lucky to be able to watch Chris van Allsburg talk recently, as well as receive a signed copy of the 35th anniversary version of The Polar Express, one of his most famous books. The story tells of a young boy who boards a train one night to the North Pole, with other children joining him and a breathtaking view of the sights around. When the children arrive at Santa's place, one of them will receive the first gift of the year.

This is a magical yet poignant tale of the power of belief, and is vastly superior to the film adaptation of it. It comes complete with the beautiful photorealistic illustrations that Allsburg is renowned for, all mixed with a magical adventure. The descriptions of the sights that the children see, as well as the fact that they receive hot chocolate and get to sing Christmas carols, really made me want to ride the Polar Express itself! Definitely a classic worth checking out.

Title: The Twelve Days Of Christmas or Grandma is Overly Generous.

Author/Illustrator: Alex T. Smith.
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books.
Published: 2020.
Format: Hardback.
Source: My own copy.

A very humorous take on The Twelve Days Of Christmas. Eloise's grandma is very generous...a little too generous. As the days go by, her gifts for Eloise keep on increasing and, whilst the book starts off in the same way as the original poem, it takes an entirely original turn once it gets to the seventh day. Eloise's reactions are mixed - sometimes she's delighted and sometimes she's unsure whether these gifts are what she really wants. And the twelfth provides the biggest surprise of them all...

I got a good chuckle from the humorous and often surprising situations that Eloise finds herself in, with the trademark illustrations of Alex T. Smith really adding to them. I also loved the Edwardian touch to Eloise and her grandmother's outfits as a reference to when the original was first published. Like Smith's other Christmas book I reviewed last year, How Winston Delivered Christmas, this is a perfect read for Christmas time and a particularly funny one at that too.

Title: Winnie and Wilbur Meet Santa.Author: Valerie Thomas.
Illustrator: Korky Paul.
Publisher: Oxford University Press.
Published: 2016.
Format: Hardback.
Source: My own copy.

I've always enjoyed the antics of Winnie the Witch and her cat Wilbur. This time, her adventures see her having to help out Santa after he got stuck in her chimney. Now he needs her help in delivering the presents to the children in time. As always with Winnie and Wilbur, things don't go so smoothly...

For those who know about this series, you will be pleased to know that this book is complete with the same slapstick and zany antics that Winnie and Wilbur are known and loved for, topped off with the irreverent and humorous illustrations of Korky Paul. But it's the added bonuses exclusive to this book that really make it stand out. From the endpages featuring drawings of the characters from children who love these stories to the pop-up features at the end of the book, this is definitely a Christmas treat worth having.

Mr. Bunny's Chocolate Factory

Title: Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

Author: Elys Dolan
Publisher:  Oxford University Press
Published: 2017
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

 I've had a great Easter so far, going on Easter egg hunts (you are never too old) and eating the chocolate that I find. This celebration has now passed and the chocolate is almost gone. However, unlike any chocolate Easter egg, this treat of a book will last the whole year round and can be consumed again and again.

At the centre of the story is the chocolate factory owned by Mr Bunny, who runs his business with an iron fist. The hens that are employed by him and Edgar, the unicorn that works on quality control, are ordered to overwork in order to produce the Easter treats on time, with work conditions worsening and getting more hectic throughout the book, until finally, the chickens have had enough and Mr Bunny is forced to change his ways and become a better employer. This is a humorous and energetic tale and the brightly-coloured and expressive illustrations by its writer and illustrator Elys Dolan, along with the speech bubbles used to tell the story, are sure to entertain the reader over and over again.  As a bonus, there is a side-tale about the plight of Debbie, a newcomer hen, who goes missing on her first day at work, and the hens who are desperate to find her whilst they fight for better conditions in the workplace.

This story made me laugh out loud when I read it and still puts a smile on my face every time I revisit it. Fans of Elys’s previous books, including her debut masterpiece Weasels, will be delighted that she has produced yet another brilliant book. This is a lively and hilarious tale that will appeal to both children and their parents alike and the ideal book to read not only at Easter time, but throughout the whole year.

New Christmas Picture Books

The twelve days of Christmas are over so I thought that I would recommend some books for next year! I was lucky enough to receive some brilliant new Christmas-themed picture books and I would like to review three that particularly stood out to me.

 

Title: The Mouse That Cancelled Christmas

Author: Madeleine Cook

Illustrator: Samara Hardy

Publisher:  Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Format: Paperback

Source: My own copy

 

In this lively tale, the forest animals are getting ready to celebrate Christmas and get into the spirit of it. However, the mouse is so obsessed with safety that he worries that the festivities will be too dangerous for them all and tries to cancel them. Eventually however, the animals work together to find a way to help the mouse loosen up and the Christmas festivities to continue. This is a very funny story with endearing pictures that helps to teach the message about the importance of the Christmas spirit and celebrating with your loved ones. The cast of animals, including the eponymous mouse himself, are memorable and funny like the story itself.

 

 

Title: Ollie’s Christmas Reindeer

Author: Nicola Killen

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Published: 2016

Format: Paperback

Source: My own copy

 

This heart-warming picture book tells the story of a little girl named Ollie who hears the jingle of bells one night and sets off into the snow in order to investigate. Upon finding a belt with silver bells on it and the reindeer that it belongs to, both a magical journey and a long-lasting friendship begin. I found this to be a very sweet story with endearing pictures to match, and the cut-outs that lead to the next page serve as an excellent bonus. The red and silver highlights add just the right level of festivity to the lovely monochrome illustrations. In the same way that Ollie will always remember her newfound friend once the tale has ended, this story will also remain with the audience with its charm and lovable cast.

 

Title: A Dot in the Snow

Author: Corinne Averiss

Illustrator: Fiona Woodcock

Publisher:  Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Format: Hardback

Source: My own copy

 

This story is about a polar bear named Miki that heads out on its own one day and notices a small red dot in the distance. As they get closer to each other, the dot is revealed to be a friendly young girl and she and Miki become friends with each other. They play together in the snow and eventually, in helping the Dot, Miki is able to find the courage to dive into the chilly waters when beforehand he did not want to. It is a very sweet tale with lovely illustrations inside, complete with the red of the girl's coat and the sparkly glitter on the front cover. The characters are extremely likeable and the friendship between Miki and the Dot is something special indeed.

 

Pugs of the Frozen North

Title: Pugs of the Frozen North
Author: Philip Reeve
Illustrator: Sarah McIntyre
Publisher: OUP
Published: 2015
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy

 

“Pugs Of The Frozen North” is the third book created by both Phillip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, and I was lucky enough to attend a workshop focusing on it at the Guardian Offices in London. The book contains the same humour and depth as their first two collaborations “Oliver And The Seawigs” and “Cakes In Space”.

After the Lucky Star is crushed by ice, the cabin boy Shen escapes with 66 pugs and meets up with Sika, who plans to enter the Great Northern Race so that she can ask the Snowfather to cure her grandfather. Upon entering the race with the pugs taking the place of huskies, they find themselves up against a colourful cast of contestants and encountering snow trolls, sea monsters and noodle-eating yetis. The story contains many memorable characters including the adorable pugs themselves that help the heroes to make it through the race. Some of the contestants in the race remind me of characters from the classic TV series “Wacky Races”; for example, the moustache-twirling antagonist brings to mind the memorable villain Dick Dastardly. However, this is intertwined with an original plotline by Reeve in order to create a new and fascinating story that will appeal to all ages, not just fans of “Wacky Races”. Additionally, McIntyre includes stunning drawings on every page, which help to engage the child even more with the already amazing storytelling. The end papers have pictures of all the 66 adorable pugs in the book, along with their names. I had great fun trying to work out who they were named after, with some more obvious than others (Ardagh for example).

In conclusion, I love this book as much as I love Reeve and McIntyre's previous two books and would recommend this to people of all ages. Both of the creators have achieved in producing a well-written story with beautiful illustrations that you will want to read over and over again.