Friendly Beasts: an old English Christmas Carol

by Tomie DePaola

Hardcover, 1981

Status

Available

Call number

CHRISTMAS

Publication

Putnam Juvenile (1981), Edition: 1st Peppercorn paperback ed

Description

In this old English Christmas carol the friendly stable beasts tell of the gifts they have given to the newborn Jesus.

User reviews

LibraryThing member uufnn
Tomie dePaola is an American writer who has created over 250 children's books. The reviewer for "Booklist said of "The Friendly Beasts. . ."The simple strains of this old Christmas melody are superbly reflected in the graceful, delicate, yet strong images that dePaola brings to the page. . .A
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Christmas remembrance to be long treasured."
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Using the classic English Christmas carol, The Friendly Beasts, for his text, celebrated American picture-book artist Tomie dePaola creates a lovely holiday title here. As the verses describe the gifts that the animals of the stable gave to the Christ Child, the artwork alternates between
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depictions of those animals, and wordless two-page spreads depicting scenes from the Nativity Story. The complete carol, with musical notation, is included at the rear...

The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol is a beautiful book, and dePaola is in top form here. His style is unique, his people and animals instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever picked up one of his titles. As someone who grew up with his books, I find it rather difficult to analyze his work at times, but it sometimes strikes me as being a delicious blend of Renaissance and folk-art styles. Whatever the case might be, it appeals to me greatly, and this one was no exception. The text here reads very well, and would make, with its repetitive structure, for an excellent read-aloud. This may be my favorite presentation of this carol, which can also be found in picture-book form in Helen Ward's The Animals' Christmas Carol, Sarah Chamberlain's The Friendly Beasts: A Traditional Christmas Carol and Rebecca St. James' The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol. Recommended to dePaola fans, and to anyone looking for picture-books featuring Christmas carols.
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Awards

Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Honor — Picture Book — 1982)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades K-3 — 1983)

Language

ISBN

0399207392 / 9780399207396

Barcode

9305

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