Library Lady

This is a delightful adaptation of the Nativity Story that manages to be great fun without being irreverent.

The story of the first Christmas is told from a very different point of view in this charming retelling by Nicholas Allan. The grumpy innkeeper has had more than enough after a busy day and wants nothing more than to retire to bed for a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately for the innkeeper events will conspire against him and as the night progresses he becomes steadily more and more grumpy.  A steady stream of visitors arrive at the inn starting with a young couple and continuing at regular intervals with assorted shepherds, kings and angels and are all told to go “Round the back!” Until at last the furious and exhausted innkeeper is won over by a very special baby indeed.

Such is the success of this lovely book that a whole range of linked resources have been created linked to it including a play-script. This is not at all surprising as it has now been working its magic on young children for more than twenty five years.  Over this time I have shared this book with both my own children and many, many more in libraries. They all love this refreshing take on a story that they know so well.  That is one of the things that makes it work so beautifully when read aloud. Children love that they know what is happening before the innkeeper does.  Great fun can be had guessing who the next visitors may be when the innkeeper hears yet another knock on the door. Children also love to join in with the repetition of the catchphrase too and story-time can become quite noisy with lots of small listeners calling out “Round the back!” by the end of the story.

My copy has the added bonus of push out nativity figures in the back of the book so that children can assemble their own crib scene. Many a lunchtime break has been livened up by a group retelling of the story with these figures. The book and the characters are now more than a little battered but much loved.  This is surely the sign of a brilliant Christmas book.

A pocket sized book with a fairy tale feel and illustrations that are fitting and appealing this would make a lovely Christmas gift for a newly confident reader or a poignant read aloud for slightly younger children.

When Prince Frederico and the Princess Serafina marry, there are huge celebrations and joy rings out across the land. But as time passes the Princess grows sad but is not able to explain to the Prince why. Her unhappiness spreads to all at the royal court and a shadow hangs over the palace and indeed over the country.  The Prince continues to try to raise her spirits without success and the Princess starts to fade away.  As Christmas approaches, Prince Frederico must find a way to warm his new bride’s aching heart. He sets off across the land and comes across a group of travellers who offer him kindness, advice and hope.

This is a relatively short read but a thoughtful one and the manner in which the Princess’s despair is overcome is touching. Very young children may not understand all the implications but the theme of kindness and joy conquering unhappiness may prompt questions and thought. I think the illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark fit the tone of the story very well and they convey the Prince and Princess’s emotions beautifully.

Perhaps one of Michael Morpurgo’s lesser known books this a sweet story for Christmas time and would be a lovely present for competent readers of about 7+.

This story is everything you would expect from an author and illustrator who has come to be regarded by children’s book lovers as the “Queen of Picturebooks.” A tender and thoughtful story set in 1930s Liverpool with lovely illustrations in Shirley Hughes’ unique style, this has a kindly theme of acceptance and friendship that is particularly fitting at Christmas.

Young Bronwen and her little brother Dylan live with their widowed Mam. Every day, in the early hours of morning, Mam leaves the two alone as she gathers other people’s laundry to bring back to their house to wash. Each night at bedtime, if she’s not too tired, Mam tells the children stories. Not fairy tales read aloud from books but exciting stories of dragons and ghosts, for their mother is a proper storyteller. Each Sunday, the little family go to the local chapel, perhaps a reminder of home in Wales.  The O’Rileys, who live next door also go to church, but a different sort of church and one that Mam warns the two small children is not a church for them. Although polite to Mrs O’Riley and her sons Bronwen and Dylan’s mother keeps her distance from them.

But then on Christmas Eve, Mam has to go out to the shops for some last minute items and leaves her children alone for a little while. Bronwen and Dylan hear a ghostly plonk! plonk! plonk! from the washroom that sends them running into the street. They run straight into the arms of Mrs. O’Riley. Far from being scary or “different.” Mrs O’Riley reassures the children and takes them into her home until their mother returns. Once next door the children not only find the family are kind and welcoming but they also solve the mystery of the ghostly plonking. Better still Bronwen and Dylan’s mum makes a new and kind friend.

The wonderful illustrations are so full of detail that you want to slow down as you read this book and take it all in. Young children would learn quite a lot of historical information from this lovely book without actually realising it. Shirley Hughes has a gift for conveying the emotions of small children in their expressions and general demeanour that encourages young readers to empathise with the characters.  Little children can become very worried by the unknown or something they don’t understand despite there often being a very straightforward explanation for it.  Both the story and the illustrations capture this perfectly. As with all this author’s picture books there is a feeling of comforting kindness and reassurance. We all need a bit of that sometimes.

I must confess to a personal reason for liking this particular Christmas picture book even more. My parents are a similar age to Shirley Hughes and were born and brought up in Liverpool too. In fact my dad has memories of visiting T J Hughes’ department store, founded by her father, as a little boy. This book and the illustrations in particular remind me of my own childhood visits to Liverpool and my dad’s stories of life in pre-war Liverpool so I have always felt an affinity to the story and the characters. However you don’t have to be a Scouser to love this, a lovely thoughtful message of kindness and community spirit is wonderful for everyone.