Benji Davies produces picture books in the ‘timeless classic’ mould: luscious productions like the Storm Whale series, that already feel like big budget adaptations of something you’ve known and loved for years. In the Snowflake we follow two converging narratives: a young girl, Noelle, dreaming of snow at Christmas and a solitary snowflake, born from … Continue reading
The final book in the original quartet of stories from Brambly Hedge sees snowfall deep enough for the community of mice to organise a Snow Ball. Rather than dig in and rely on their own reserves to see them through, these rodents survive through sharing resources and community events. Jill Barklem’s world is a fascinating … Continue reading
The Moomins aren’t a naturally Christmassy species. They prefer to spend their winters tucked behind an old boiler, or huddled together in their drawing room. You wouldn’t have thought the irascible Hemulens would have much truck with the celebration either, other than to give them something else to get cross about. But in The Fir … Continue reading
‘It was Christmas Eve and twelve of the clock, when the message was heard, on the wind in the trees, on the air, underground and humming through wires and slipped into dreams.’ Can it Be True? follows the news of the birth of the miraculous child. From the blood beaked owl and the scurrying shrew … Continue reading
‘Jingle, jingle, jingle here. Jingle there. Jingle Christmas everywhere.’ Let’s step out of the cold and return to the New York Plaza hotel once more to spend Christmas with its most famous resident, six year old Eloise. If you’ve not met her before, she’s the part feral product of wealth and delegated parenting, who may … Continue reading
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a version of the Twelve Days of Christmas quite like this. George Buchanan takes the central premise and plays it out to its full comic potential. Set against the backdrop of a snowbound house straight out of the Good Life, we meet a young couple.Boy attempts to explain the … Continue reading
Here’s a book – in fact a series of books – that deserve to be much better known, at least in the UK. Ernest and Celestine, the creation of the Belgian author and artist Gabrielle Vincent, are a musical bear and his adopted daughter, a sensitive young mouse. It will appeal to anyone whose enjoys … Continue reading
Welcome to tygertale’s third (THIRD!) advent calendar. Each day I’ll be revealing a christmas or winter themed children’s book ranging from seasonal classics, through obscure vintage finds to brand new holiday favourites. Continue reading
A latke is a potato pancake, traditionally eaten during Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights that ends tonight. Oil is central to Hanukkah, and this is where the Latke’s troubles begin. Nearly everything in this world is born screaming, and the Latke was no exception… fashioned from grated potato, chopped onion, beaten eggs and a … Continue reading
Here's a little treat for anyone missing Maurice Sendak this Christmas. Not an undiscovered book I'm afraid, but a story by one of his contemporaries, another New York author/ illustrator from Poland, Uri Shulevitz. Snow, first published in 1998 has that same distinctive mid-century style. His stylish caricatures are both crooked and curved. Beyond the … Continue reading
The Moomins aren’t a naturally Christmassy species. They prefer to spend their winters tucked behind an old boiler, or huddled together in their drawing room. You wouldn’t have thought the irascible Hemulens would have much truck with the celebration either, other than to give them something else to get cross about. But in The … Continue reading
