Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Puffin (2009), Edition: Re-issue, Paperback, 32 pages
Description
Pictures and brief text follow a rather disgruntled Santa Claus on his annual rounds.
User reviews
LibraryThing member nbmars
Off-beat story of Santa Claus and how he spends his days on December 24 and 25. Comic-book format with little dialog, but what there is of it reflects a very British sense of humor. Father Christmas is grumpy about having to go out in the "blooming snow" but does his job and then returns for a hot
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shower and some nice cognac from "good old Fred." A fun change from the usual Christmas treacle. (JAF) Show Less
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Presented in comic-book form, this delightfully humorous holiday tale features a grouchy Father Christmas, one who struggles out of bed on the important day, trudges through his morning chores and his breakfast, and then sets out - complaining all the way, ha ha! - on his annual trek around the
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1973, Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas is quite a treat, visually speaking, with a suitably rosy-cheeked, chubby hero, one whose "sweet" appearance is hilariously contrasted with his somewhat curmudgeonly attitude. Mileage will probably vary with this one, but I enjoyed its prickly sense of humor, appreciated many of the little details - Father Christmas telling his reindeer to "Keep still you silly deers," or complaining of getting socks and ties as gifts - and finished it with a distinct sense of regret, that I never encountered it as a child.
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world. From the difficulties of letting himself into various homes - sooty chimneys, too-thin chimneys, no chimneys - to the challenges of weather - "blooming snow! - this Father Christmas has plenty to keep him kvetching, until (finally!) he reaches home again...Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1973, Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas is quite a treat, visually speaking, with a suitably rosy-cheeked, chubby hero, one whose "sweet" appearance is hilariously contrasted with his somewhat curmudgeonly attitude. Mileage will probably vary with this one, but I enjoyed its prickly sense of humor, appreciated many of the little details - Father Christmas telling his reindeer to "Keep still you silly deers," or complaining of getting socks and ties as gifts - and finished it with a distinct sense of regret, that I never encountered it as a child.
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LibraryThing member iBeth
I'm not sure this is the same edition that we have--we got it from the library and then we purchased a used copy. But the copy we have is terrific! A very grouchy Santa Claus wakes up and grumbles his way through the morning, delivering presents, and then home to his own dinner. Apparently, from
Brigg's Santa is much like your grandpa. He grumbles but he lovingly cares for his animals, delivers all presents no matter how challenging (including a present to a lighthouse and another to Buckingham Palace), and doesn't rest until his chores are all done. At the end of the book, he "breaks the fourth wall" and wishes a happy christmas to the reader.
This book works for kids at many ages because the drawings are so intricate and engaging.
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the llustrations, the story takes place in 1940s Britain. The illustrations are wonderful, telling the story in a "graphic novel" fashion, with cutaway views of homes and smaller panes arranged in sequence from one to the next. Each time we read the story, we see more details. (Warning: there is one very small, tasteful, drawing of Santa sitting on the toilet--my kids giggle each time they see it, but the more conservative readers might object.)Brigg's Santa is much like your grandpa. He grumbles but he lovingly cares for his animals, delivers all presents no matter how challenging (including a present to a lighthouse and another to Buckingham Palace), and doesn't rest until his chores are all done. At the end of the book, he "breaks the fourth wall" and wishes a happy christmas to the reader.
This book works for kids at many ages because the drawings are so intricate and engaging.
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LibraryThing member xuesheng
Father Christmas is a picture book with few words that shows frame by frame of Santa's activities on his busiest day of the year, December 24. This Santa could be your grumpy neighbor--he doesn't like snow or winter, chimneys or even Christmas much. He complains about some of the snacks he's left.
He loves his dog, cat, and his "silly deers." He revels in his end of the day activities - bath, preparing and eating dinner and climbing into bed, but his overall mood is captured best in the last frame, "Happy Blooming Christmas to you, too!"
This is a very cute book, but it's one that seems to be written for adults. "1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up" recommends this for children 3+, but I'm not sure small children would appreciate grumpy Santa.. Older kids might get a kick out of him. The pictures and their detail are lovely.
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He loves his dog, cat, and his "silly deers." He revels in his end of the day activities - bath, preparing and eating dinner and climbing into bed, but his overall mood is captured best in the last frame, "Happy Blooming Christmas to you, too!"
This is a very cute book, but it's one that seems to be written for adults. "1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up" recommends this for children 3+, but I'm not sure small children would appreciate grumpy Santa.. Older kids might get a kick out of him. The pictures and their detail are lovely.
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Subjects
Awards
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration (Winner — 1973)
V&A Illustration Award (1977)
Language
Original publication date
1973
Physical description
32 p.; 9.6 inches
ISBN
0140501258 / 9780140501254
Local notes
Father Christmas awoke from his dream of summer in the sun, and there it was on the calendar, December 24th, Christmas Eve, the start of his longest night's work of the year.