Peter Spier's Christmas! 
Peter Spier ~ Doubleday, 1983
Though there are millions and millions of people in the world who celebrate Christmas but will never see one as idyllic as this... still, you can't help but look at these pages and feel a huge sense nostalgia and warmth for the season. In true Peter Spier style, we see the holiday played out from beginning to end. From the big events like trimming the tree and the Christmas Eve church service to smaller moments like the UPS man arriving and the selection of a frozen turkey. More true to life for the suburban family than anything, Peter's uber-detailed Christmas begins at the shopping mall and ends in a huge heap on the curb with all the joy, wonder and frivolity that comes in between.
Told without words in illustrated, blocked scenes, the pictures will melt even the most Scroogy heart. If you could package up a roaring fire, egg nog and the twinkling lights of Kringle-time and put in into a book, well.... you'd have this one. Even if you don't celebrate the season, it's hard not to marvel at the artistic talent it takes to create a Christmas as perfect as this.
Also by:The Fox Went Out On a Chilly Evening
The Star-Spangled Banner
Noah's Ark
Gobble Growl Grunt
Rain
Little Bible Storybooks
Bored -- Nothing To Do!
Just wanna say, Christmas has never been a part of my life and a lot of the time I feel completely oppositional to the public institution of it...
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is so awesome and beautiful. I grew up with Spier's Noah's Ark and love his beautiful attention to detail. I loved the movie A Christmas Story for its heartfelt depiction of American life, and I can't wait to find a copy of this at my local library!
Oh, I want this book! I love Peter Spiers books. We have the Noah's Ark one, the People one, and the Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night. Spiers art is so wonderfully detailed and makes me want to turn the pages until I have seen every single illustration.
ReplyDeleteI love your site! Thanks for all the time you put into scanning in order to share these wonderful pictures from vintage books.
Julie
@ Best Homeschool Buys
I am 30 years old and married now, but I still ask my mom to "read" this book to me every Christmas.
ReplyDelete