Charles Dickens rescues Christmas with A Christmas Carol

During this week in 1843, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being A Ghost Story of Christmas. Let me tell you a little known fact (although, quite well known to the literary world): we can thank Charles Dickens for saving our modern day celebration of Christmas!  Yep, Charles Dickens, the Victorian author, saved the celebration of Christmas when he published the instantly popular A Christmas Carol!

An authorial context: Dickens authentically represented a broad range of British population through his true depictions of life among various socio-economic backgrounds. Essentially, through his writing, he became a voice for the abused, ill-treated lower classes and raised awareness to better working conditions, living conditions, child labor reform, etc.  His vivid characters unforgettably imprint themselves to memory and everyday conversation, point-in-case: "Scrooge" has become a vocabulary word, a noun meaning miser or the like.  Consequently, Dickens' characters and authenticity endeared him to the vast reading public and made him equivalent to a modern day rock-star.  Seriously, he is recognized as one of the very first "celebrities" in history.

Christmas needed rescuing? Due to Oliver Cromwell's influence in the mid 1600s (a.k.a. the English Civil War), the British slowly neglected the Medieval traditions of caroling and feasting during the Christmas season until Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband, mid 1800s) gallantly reintroduced the Germanic traditions of caroling and cards and, most significantly, introduced the Christmas tree.

What was Dickens's part in this rescue?  Well, even though Prince Albert did his part to reintroduce English and Germanic Christmas traditions, he worked against the routines and national mindset established by the Industrial Revolution. You see, British businessmen, manufacturing employers, and mill owners had grown quite stingy -- think Scrooge -- by treating Christmas as just another 10-12 hour workday.  So the impoverished, working class toiled through Christmas Day without any additional compensation.

So, in late 1843, Dickens published A Christmas Carol, creating some of the most memorable characters in literature.  And in contrasting a stingy Scrooge with a poor suffering Tiny Tim Crachit and jolly Christmas celebrators Nephew Fred and Fizziwig against the backdrop of ghosts past-present-and-future, Dickens lured the public into a benevolent celebration of Christmas.  Consider: wouldn't you rather be identified with Fizziwig than with Scrooge?!!

The rest is, as they say, history: Christmas once again became a season of giving and charitable behavior on both sides of the Atlantic.  Dickens, through his story, helped reestablish our present day mind-set of Christmas as a season of renewal in goodwill, "peace on earth to all men," and familial bonds.

"And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!" (Dickens 158).

The featured edition: In discovering P. J. Lynch's illustrated version of A Christmas Carol (c. 2006), I have found the quintessential copy of Dickens' enduring tale.  What amazes me is how well Lynch captures Dickens' characters!  This is an illustrator who not only knows his author's works, but must have researched those illustrators who worked so closely with Dickens -- think ocd authorial input on each illustration.  I'd like to think that if Dickens were alive today, he wouldn't be more pleased with Lynch's representation of his classic Christmas tale. Take time this holiday season to read Dickens A Christmas Carol, and if you get the opportunity, read P. J. Lynch's beautifully illustrated edition.  I guarantee you, if the story doesn't haunt you, the illustrations will.

Disclaimer: it's very difficult for me to give credit where credit is due because I'm working from memory on this post.  I'm writing from decades of reading and admiring Charles Dickens and his many works.  I'm also writing from memory of various college lectures, in particular from a Dickens Seminar course.

Milly-Molly-Mandy

The eldest sits mesmerized each night when I read our latest library find.  The child would have me read chapter after chapter, but this reader needs to take a breath.  Saying Milly-Molly-Mandy an up-teen number of times can really wind a reader.  Whew!  . . . Thank goodness each chapter is a story in and of itself - complete with "Once upon a time . . ."  However, the kids seem enchanted by that repetitive name.

Welcome to the world of Joyce Lankester Brisley's creation!  Best I can gather, Brisley was an English author writing about cottage childhood in the English countryside during the 1920s. 

Meet Milly-Molly-Mandy (short! for Millicent Margaret Amanda) and her friends Billy Blunt and Susan -- along with her extended family -- in the twenty-one tales collected in The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook and published in 1928.

Frankly, Brisley's stories are quite simplistic, especially compared to our technologically chaos induced enhanced society.  And that's where I think the charm must lie.  It seems that the kids are mesmerized precisely because Brisley's tales speak to that independent, industrious, curious nature welling deep within them.  In reading about Milly-Molly-Mandy's adventures, kids get a glimpse into the spirit of discovery that speaks to their souls.

Honestly, the publishers (Kingfisher) sum it up best:
The stories of Milly-Molly-Mandy and her family and friends have charmed generations of children since they first appeared in 1925. This collection of twenty-one classic tales about this resourceful and thoughtful little girl reflect with accuracy the dilemmas and challenges of a child's world. Young children today will love to hear how Milly-Molly-Mandy decides to spend her first penny, looks after a hedgehog, and spends her first night away from home. These timeless stories are perfect for reading aloud, for older children to read by themselves, or as a story before bedtime, and will bring back many happy memories for many parents and grandparents. The book's endpaper feature a two-page map of Milly-Molly-Mandy's village complete with drawings of cottages, fields, streets, and shops making it easy for children to follow Milly-Molly-Mandy from place to place.

So readers, check out the book and tell me what you think.  What do your kids think?  Are you familiar with Brisley's stories, or was this as new to you as it was to me?  I'd especially love to hear from my readers hailing from or living in England.

Mouse and Mole

(c. 1993)

We've made some new friends here at my house, friends whom the kids absolutely adore.  And if it was possible, they'd invite them over for a snack and play date.  Would you like to meet them too?  Think of Mouse as a phlegmatic personality: rational, steady, kind, laid-back, and content.  Now contrast him with Mole . . . ah, how to describe Mole.  Well, he needs coddling.  He's not the brightest bulb in the package.  But he's endearing.  And it's Mole's personality that drives the light humor in the Mouse and Mole tales, the delightful creation of author Joyce Dunbar and illustrator James Mayhew.

(c. 1996)

The illustrations first won over the Mister and the Missus, and now we find ourselves saying to each other "Hello, Daffodil!" or "Meet Humphrey Stick."  Yes, the illustrations made us stick around to hear the stories and to discover the illustrator: none other than James Mayhew, already a household favorite.  You see, we first stumbled on Mouse and Mole courtesy of our dear friends Rich and Lori and the DVD they gave us.  The only other time I've recommend that you check out or purchase a DVD was Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit series.  So that should tell you something about the quality of this set of vignettes.  Since each story is brief, you don't have to read (or watch) the entire book (or DVD) in one sitting, which makes for a wonderful bedtime collection and a wonderful collection for a maturing reader.  And, my personal favorite, each vignette depicts a particular season, so when you've completed the whole series, you've experienced a spring, summer, autumn, and winter Mouse and Mole.

(c. 1993)

I especially think that this review from Practical Parenting expresses the our affinity for Mouse and Mole: "Warm and witty illustrations . . . perfect to snuggle up with on a chilly afternoon."

(c. 1996)

I also like the subtle character development in the Mouse and Mole series.  Just read it!  And you'll find yourself chuckling not only with the storyline but with the images they create.  We all know a Mouse.  And we all know a Mole.  And we've experienced uncannily similar situations with each.  I guess the best way to explain the series is likening it to a British version of our American friends Frog and Toad.  In fact, the dedication of the first Mouse and Mole says "for dear old Frog and Toad" with the illustration of Mouse and Mole reading Frog and Toad books.

Note: I was grieved to discover that this wonderful series has fallen out of print.  However, do check your local library, as ours holds the DVD collection.  Also, I had no trouble acquiring the complete set from online bookstores.  But please don't confuse them with a more recent collection listed under the same title yet written and illustrated by a completely different person.

Mr. Gumpy's Outing

I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been raiding my mother's bookshelves again.  I just love the stories I grew up hearing read.  What's even better is passing them down to my children.

Today I'm going to keep it short and sweet.  Read Mr. Gumpy's Outing (c. 1970) written and illustrated by John Burningham.

Mr. Gumpy is not to be confused with Mr. Grumpy!

It's a rollicking good time!
It's endearing.
The kids love it!!!
It's a great way to teach sequencing skills.
It's available in our local library.
So check it out, and read it again and again!
Need I point out how wonderful the pictures are?!

Interesting fact: John Burningham is married to the award-winning children's books illustrator Helen Oxenbury (stay tuned for more to come by her).

Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car (c. 1973) is a fun follow-up to Mr. Gumpy's Outing.

Piggins

What a delightful surprise!  One of my favorite children's illustrators Jane Dyer has paired up with the highly acclaimed children's author Jane Yolen in a collaboration that has given us none other but Piggins (c. 1987).  Piggins, the puzzle solving pig, adds skill and dexterity to his proper position as butler to the Reynard household.

Oh, yes, this is a children's mystery series in the spirit of Masterpiece Mystery.  Set in the Edwardian Age, Piggins is said to be "a sophisticated English mystery parody for the primary set."

So check out the Piggins books for the children while Masterpiece Mystery runs their mystery series this summer.  And see if the kids can figure out the mystery before Piggins.  Rather unlikely, dear sir.

Pat Hutchins

Pat Hutchins is another fantastic British author / illustrator that you must read.  Today, I'm just featuring two of her books.

From the moment you open up The Wind Blew, Hutchins' illustrations transport you to a "blustery windy day" as my eldest describes.  Even as you gloss past the title and copyright pages, trees bend as the wind carries leaves and seed pods.  Discover what else the wind snatches from people along its windswept path set against the backdrop of an English countryside with a few recognizable British landmarks.  Through her rhyming verse, Hutchins delightfully personifies wind as a mischievous, good-natured prankster, making this quite a captivating story.

In Good-Night, Owl!, nocturnal Owl tries to sleep but is thwarted.  Count along as the narrator names the hindrances to that rest.  This book onomatopoeically articulates the wonderful sounds of woodland tree dwellers through repetition, employing wonderful learning tools for the younger set.  But best of all your children will enjoy the humorous unexpected ending so much that they'll insist you immediately read it again.  Mine belly-laughed out loud!  Note: the title is a bit of a misnomer . . . tongue-in-cheek I'm sure.  The kids might not pick up on that, though.

Readers, what is your favorite Pat Hutchins story?

James Mayhew

Rarely do we get to hear an artists' process of how he composes a work.  So I know you'll be pleased along with me when you read the story behind the composition of the Katie series straight from the author, James Mayhew, himself.  Check out his blog (http://jamesmayhew-katiespictureshow.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-it-all-began-part-six.html), and you'll find a talented illustrator whose personal story gives even more depth and meaning to the Katie series.  Now, I know you're going to want to check out Mayhew's Katie books!  And do let me know if you can get your hands on any that I haven't featured!

Art History

I was looking for some books in which to introduce famous works of art to my children.  Then one day as I eavesdropped -- accidentally, I might add . . . okay, maybe I was snooping a little after the cover caught my eye -- in another person's hold que at the library, I ran across the book Katie Meets the Impressionists.  Quickly, I scribbled the title down on a scrap of paper and came home to further research it.  This is what I discovered:

James Mayhew cleverly introduces specific periods, artists, and works of art to children through his  adventurous stories where the beguiling character, Katie, runs into "close calls" while jumping in and out of the art museum's paintings.  Note that Mayhew has published many more "Katie" books; these were the only ones I could get my hands on.

Katie Meets the Impressionists ~ focuses on the Impressionists painters and features: The Luncheon and Field of Poppies by Claude Monet; Girl with a Watering Can and Her First Evening Out by Pierre Auguste Renoir; The Blue Dancers by Edgar Degas.  I find the story and illustrations of this particular book the most charming in the series.

Katie and the Sunflowers ~ focuses on the Postimpressionists, specifically: Sunflowers and Cafe Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh; Breton Girls Dancing and Tahitian Pastorals by Paul Gauguin; and Still Life with Apples and Oranges by Paul Cezanne.  This is my second favorite story of the series.

Katie and the Mona Lisa ~ focuses on masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance, specifically: Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, An Angel with a Lute by one of Leonardo's students, St. George and the Dragon by Raphael, Primavera by Sandro Botticelli, and The Lion of St. Mark by Vittore Carpaccio.

Katie's Sunday Afternoon ~ focuses on the Pointillists, specifically: Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Bathers at Asnieres, and Entree du port de Honfleur by Georges-Pierre Seurat; Woman Hanging up the Washing by Camille Pissarro; and Portrait of Felix Feneon by Paul Signac.

On another note, Dogs' Night by Meredith Hooper and illustrated by Allan Curless and Mark Burgess gives a fanciful introduction to paintings (4 specific) in the National Gallery in London.  As the story goes, each year the dogs jump out of their paintings for a frolic.  But this year, mayhem ensues when several return to the wrong paintings.

 

Note: These books are recommended for ages 4-8.

So readers, please weigh in with any other child friendly art history suggestions?  I'm just an eavesdropping novice in this genre.

Seasons

Okay, how many of you out there enjoy reading about the changing seasons as much as we do?  It's so much fun to identify spring, summer, fall, and winter by the different clothing we wear, alterations in nature, traditions we take part in, specific songs or poetry we sing, the food we eat, and the seasonable rhythms we fall into.  The first three books pictured below are our most loved "reads" on the seasons.  The kids select them several times each month.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

A Book of Seasons by Alice and Martin Provensen ~ This is our very favorite book about the changing of the seasons!

The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provensen ~ Not only does this book guide you through the seasons, it guides you through each month through the perspective of a farmer evaluating his family's annual duties.  I recommend this for the older young children.

Mama Loves by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Kathryn Brown ~ a nostalgic book that subtly chronicles different seasons of the year through a child's point-of-view, written in blank verse, of what his/her mother loves to do with him/her.  Another one of the kids' very favorites. Note: makes a wonderful Mother's Day gift to mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers.  My own mother gave this to me for my very first Mother's Day.

Out and About by Shirley Hughes ~ contains several individual poems to identify each season of the year with delightful illustrations from the English born Shirley Hughes.  Ask: what season does this poem remind you of?

Colors by Shirley Hughes ~ poetic word lists for each color, with Hughes' lovely illustrations.  I recommend this for the tots.

Around the Year by Tasha Tudor ~ With her noted illustrations from yesteryear, Tudor chronicles each month with nineteenth century tasks.

A Child's Year by Joan Walsh Anglund ~ Anglund's Hallmalk card like illustrations feature each month.  I suggest this for the youngest children.

My Favorite Time of Year by Susan Pearson ~ one family's story of experiencing the changing seasons.  It's a little wordy for the young ones to sit through.