6 More Christmas Picture Books
Ho Ho Hoeeere we go again!
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Last year we recommended some Christmas books. It was fun, and it seemed to go well! So here are six more. Mac was complaining that, last year, Jon didn’t choose any actual Christmas books, just books that had snow in them, which made Mac look like a Dickensian caroler by contrast. But to be fair, one of Jon’s books last year WAS partially about The Nutcracker, and Mac’s idea of himself at Christmas IS a Dickensian Caroler. So this year Jon only chose one snow book and his other two are actually about the holiday at hand.
Let’s start with Mac’s first choice, a literal Christmas carol.
A Partridge in a Pear Tree by Ben Shahn
Published as a softcover in 1949 and reissued in the 60s by the Museum of Modern Art, A Partridge in a Pear Tree is a pretty straight-ahead adaptation of the carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Both the original printing and the MoMa edition are very pretty pieces of bookmaking, and the carol’s cumulative structure works well as a picture book.
But the main attraction is the art. Ben Shahn draws various kinds of birds. Ben Shahn draws many milkmaids. He draws leaping lords. That’s the pitch. It worked on me! Also, the hand-lettering is gorgeous. (Are you a “gold rings” or a “golden rings” person? I go “golden” and I’m glad Shahn agrees.)
I guess a lot of people find this carol annoying. I love it! In the last few years, it’s moved into my top five. But yeah, a caveat: if you hate this song, maybe don’t track down a copy of this book. Contrariwise, I’ve found it’s way more fun to sing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” than to listen to it, so maybe reading this book aloud will be a turning point for you. Plus Ben Shahn draws twelve ladies dancing...
—MAC