Monday 16 December 2013

The Best Christmas Scenes and Stories!

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, but there’s nothing quite as Christmassy as a Christmas story: Christmas how it should be. Where it snows, and Father Christmas brings presents. And so to get you in the mood, here are my selection of Christmas scenes and stories from (mainly) children’s books. Do you agree with the list, or have I missed something? Leave a comment, and let me know!
 

Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
There can be few things as quintessentially English as The Wind in the Willows, and here Kenneth Grahame delivers a very English Christmas indeed. Mole and Ratty are taking a winter’s walk, when Mole smells as scent that’s familiar yet lost: his little house that he hasn’t returned to since the day he met Ratty. He’s filled with both homesickness for Mole End, and shame at its dreary shabbiness. Ratty is (as ever) the steadier of the two, and calms and comforts Mole, whilst praising his home. They’re then joined by some field-mice carollers, who accompany them for a miniature feast and mulled ale: “soon every field-mouse was sipping and coughing and choking (for a little mulled ale goes a long way) and wiping his eyes and laughing and forgetting he had ever been cold in all his life.” The scene raises Mole’s spirits from despair to joy in the company of friends, and in home comforts, which are the twin pleasures of all sensible animals in Wind in the Willows. It also nicely shows the underlying structure to Mole and Ratty’s bromance. A lovely scene, and one that will never cease to make me smile.

The Snowman, Raymond Briggs
There are very few cases where an adapted film is superior to the original book, but I think in this case, the wonderful cartoon definitely manages it. It’s never been bettered (sorry, Snowdog; although you are cute). The book is very charming however, and like the film, is entirely wordless. The tragic final picture will haunt snowy days forever, but my favourite part is the sudden run, jump and soar into the air. Absolute magic.



The Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
If you don’t count that one with the baby, this must be the Christmas story. It’s a great tale of redemption: we can really enjoy Scrooge’s miserly villainy, because we know he’ll come good in the end. Once he’s met the lovely Ghost of Christmas Past, the jolly Ghost of Christmas Present, and the deeply scary Ghost of Christmas Future, he repents of his meanness and starts to care about others. Mr Fezziwig’s party is a fun Christmassy scene, but the classic moment has to be when Scrooge awakes on Christmas morning: “What’s to-day, my fine fellow?” asked Scrooge. “Why, CHRISTMAS DAY.” “Do you know the Poulterer’s? Do you know whether they’ve sold the prize Turkey that was hanging up there? Go and buy it. I’ll send it to Bob Cratchit’s!” whispered Scrooge, rubbing his hands and splitting with a laugh.” What a classic. And The Muppets Christmas Carol is of course the best film version.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is a controversial one. Tolkien hated it, and one can see why: having Father Christmas (or indeed, Christmas at all) in a world without humans is rather a surprise. But give logic a rest, and enjoy the fairytale magic of the scene. In the bewitched land of Narnia, where it is “Always winter, and never Christmas”, the goodies are trying to reach Aslan in order to defeat the White Witch, and rescue their turncoat brother Edmund. Are the sleigh bells they can hear the White Witch’s? Don’t worry, it’s just Father Christmas! Peter gets a sword and shield (“Tools, not toys,”), Susan gets a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a magic horn, and Lucy gets a healing potion and a dagger. Poor Edmund never gets a thing from Father Christmas, who never seems to make a repeat appearance, so it just goes to show – if you make his naughty list, even becoming a king and being titled “the Just” isn’t enough to get you back on the nice list.

It may be tempting to dismiss the Father Christmas scene as silly, but it shows that the White Witch’s power is waning – and it’s an essential plot device for Prince Caspian. And it’s nice and Christmassy. So there!


The Empty Stocking, Richard Curtis and Rebecca Cobb
Speaking of naughty lists, Richard Curtis, he of Blackadder fame – alright, and Four Weddings and Notting Hill – has written a picturebook. And the result is as fun as you’d hope, even if it isn’t an out and out comedy. Santa is coming, which is fine for Sam, who is a good little girl. But what about Charlie, who can be really
rather naughty? Santa comes, and this being a story, things don’t turn out quite as they should do. Which twin will wake up to an empty stocking? The illustrations are lovely, with pictures by Rebecca Cobb, whose story Aunt Amelia was included in my Top Picturebooks of 2013.

 
Jesus’ Christmas Party, Nicholas Allan
And yes, another Nicholas Allan picturebook! His book Heaven appears on my ‘Picturebooks dealing with death’ post, and The Royal Nappy is on the ‘Royal baby’ post. But what can I say, he makes good books! Here, the Innkeeper is trying to have a good night’s sleep, but keeps getting interrupted. Firstly by Mary and Joseph, then some shepherds, and three kings – and as for those angels…! Nicholas Allan sometimes deals with serious topics, but is always fun – and this is as fun and humorous a nativity story as you could want. NB: His book "Father Christmas Needs a Wee" doesn't count as a serious book, though it probably feels pretty serious to him.

 Hogfather, Terry Pratchett

Alright, this one isn’t even Christmas, actually. Because on the Discworld, people celebrate Hogswatch, when the Hogfather rides his magical flying pigs, and delivers presents. But the Hogfather has disappeared, and the one person who can take his place for the night is… Death, with the help of his granddaughter, Susan. Even though Death is, well, Death, he’s a decent sort of chap. He cares. And he knows that if he fails his mission – then the sun won’t rise the next morning. As funny, inventive and insightful as ever, this Discworld novel makes for a great alternative seasonal treat. The standout scene isn’t especially… Hogswatchy, but a discussion between Death and Susan on the nature of the Hogfather (or indeed, Father Christmas):

“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
"So we can believe the big ones?"
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
"They're not the same at all!"
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"
MY POINT EXACTLY.”

 Lollipop and Grandpa’s Christmas Baby, Penny Harper and Cate James
Lollipop and Grandpa is a fairly new picturebook series, and a thoroughly charming one, too. They introduce childhood experiences (going swimming, exploring the back garden, having a wobbly tooth etc) and use imagination to turn the day into an adventure! This book manages to combine two picturebook staples: Christmas, and babies. Lollipop is sure that her new baby brother is going to ruin Christmas. But Grandpa is on hand to help out, and even if they can’t cook a turkey, they can still make it a fun Christmas! And does the baby spoil Christmas? What do you think?



Harry Potter, JK Rowling
Thanks to Harry Potter’s annual structure, it fits nicely with special times of the year (Hogwarts students: be extra careful in Spring Term, as the story’s climax will be approaching), which means that there are lots of Harry Potter Christmasses to choose from. But as wonderful as Hogsmeade is, the one that sticks in my mind the most is his very first Christmas at
Hogwarts (in Philosopher’s Stone), where Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised. Erised – desire, backwards – “shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.... However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.” Harry aches to be in a loving family with his parents, and you can feel his heart breaking. Beautiful but melancholy.
 

Compare that with Harry’s final Christmas in the series, (Deathly Hallows) where Harry returns to the house his parents died for the first time. Standing in the graveyard, he discovers their graves, whilst Hermione hears the carol concert inside the church, and realises that it’s Christmas Eve. The (once again) beautiful melancholy is interrupted by one of the creepiest passages in the whole series: Bathilda Bagshot turning into scary snake lady. After a frantic battle for their lives against Voldie’s snake and Horcrux Nagini, Harry spends Christmas Day out cold. Not a good one.


The Nativity Play, Nick Butterworth & Mick Inkpen/ The Christmas Show, Rebecca Patterson
Both of these picturebooks are a fun look at children’s nativity plays. Butterworth’s Nativity Play sticks more closely to the story of Jesus’ birth, but with bad donkey outfits. Patterson’s Christmas Show doesn’t go into the details of the Christmas story, because the narrator isn’t really listening, and isn’t sure which part he is. But it doesn’t matter if he sings the wrong lines – because his Granny thinks he was brilliant! The Nativity Play is perhaps the better one for families looking at the story of Christmas, but they’re both good entertainment.


It’s a long list, but there are plenty of others. What are your favourite Christmas scenes and stories? Should I have had The Night Before Christmas? How the Grinch Stole Christmas? The Nutcracker? (There’s a gorgeous pop-up version, that’s almost like being at the theatre!) Raymond Briggs of course did a good Father Christmas – and so did Tolkien. What are your favourite Nativity stories? Do leave a comment and let me know!

Thursday 5 December 2013

Nelson Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom": The Picturebook

Nelson Mandela will be mourned around the world. He was a great man who inspired world change in a way only a few in a century manage; a man who united people in peace rather than war.

His death will no doubt cause some children to wonder who he was: knowledge one generation takes for granted becomes vague the next. If children want to find out more about him, they may like this picturebook for older children, based on his acclaimed autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. It's an easy to read but informative book, and is a great starting point for children who want to learn more. Or for people who won't get through the 800 page book.

And if they like that, then they could find a worse book to follow it up with than Barack Obama's inspiring Of Thee I Sing.