From the Office of Book Acquisitions:
Christmas is just a couple weeks away and things are really getting cozy here at the Parker home. The tree is up and dressed, stockings are hung by the chimney with care, lights are strung up around the roof, there's ginger cookies on the counter, and Alison got out the big stack of Christmas children's books for us to read. The kids are too old for these books, but whatever, we all love reading them no matter what age we are.
I thought for this week I'd share my 5 favorite Christmas children's books. These are books I find exceptional, both in story and art, and think they belong in every home library. I wish I could show you all the art inside of them! You'll just have to check them out from the library, or order them for yourself to see all the amazing illustrations.
And of course I'm always on the look out for good Christmas books. If there's one you think I should know about, one that you love and read every year, let me know!
1) The Broken Ornament by Tony DiTerlizzi
I'm a long time fan of Tony DiTerlizzi. Tony is a remarkable storyteller and illustrator. His characters are infused with life and magic. This book only came out last year, but I can see it becoming a classic. In this book, Jack accidentally breaks an ornament releasing a fairy who turns the house into what is essentially an extension of the North Pole with elves, reindeer, snowmen, and more filling up the rooms.
Tony's website: LINK
Get the book here: LINK
2) I'll Be Home For Christmas by Holly Hobbie
Holly Hobbie is a master of watercolor and this book is one of her finest. I look at some of these illustrations and scratch my head at how she thought to work the paint that way, and how I would've screwed it up. What's most impressive about her art is the light. A good chunk of the story in this book happens under moonlight, and somehow she makes those pages as vibrant and bright as the interior shots.
Holly Hobbie's wikipedia page: LINK
Get the book here: LINK
3) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Illustrated by Carter Goodrich
My copy of this book has seen better days, it looks like someone spilled eggnog on it or something. This is a special book. Charles Dickens used to do readings of a Christmas Carol for public audiences. (Can you imagine attending one of those?!) When he first started doing these they took 3 hours for him to read an edited version of the book. The more of these he did the more he trimmed and refined the story down. Keeping just enough to have the dramatic effect he was going for without any of the fluff, he got it down to a hot 90 minutes. He recorded all of these cuts and changes in his personal hand-annotated prompt copy of the book, essentially making the perfect read-aloud version of A Christmas Carol, and that's what was turned into this book.
And that would've been enough to make for a great little Christmas book, but then the publisher went and got a young Carter Goodrich to illustrate the thing, and he just knocked it out of the park. Goodrich would go on to design characters for almost every animated film from 2005 and on. I'd really like to see this story animated with the characters he designed for this book. Amazing.
Carter Goodrich's portfolio: LINK
Get the book here: LINK (out of print, you can only find used copies)
4) When Santa Was A Baby by Linda Bailey, Illustrated by Genevieve Godbout
I just got this book a couple weeks ago. I had been made aware of Godbout's work from a Mary Poppin's book Alison got me from Disneyland. When I was looking her up I saw she illustrated a Christmas book, so I bought it as a little treat for myself. Godbout has a vintage 50's flair to her work. Her edges are soft, her colors are rich, and her shape language reminds me of Mary Blair.
Genevieve Godbout's portfolio website: LINK
Get this book here: LINK
5) Santa Calls by William Joyce
This copy has been well loved over the years. I probably owe it to myself to get a new one. This is, hands down, my favorite of all Christmas Books. It has mystery, adventure, and peril. It has a beautiful message about friendship and loyalty. It's filled with clever details, and artistic flourish. (I mean, just look at that monogram on the cover, would ya?) This is what a picture book should be, if you are ever looking for an example.
William Joyce is also one of my all time favorite creators. He's a storyteller at heart with southern charm (he's native to Louisiana) and a unique 1930's meets space-age visual style. He can spin a yarn with the best of them, and even his Instagram account is filled with stories on every post. If you ever want a master class in how to compose an image for a square canvas, study his books.
I also have the honor of calling him a friend. We met back in 2003 where I was an assistant of sorts on some projects he was doing, and we've kept in touch all these years.
William Joyce's Website: LINK
Get the book here: LINK
That's it! Hope you are able to hold these books in your hands some day. Merry Christmas!
-Jake