Children’s book reviews: A myrrhy little Christmas

A most seasonal offering is The Twelve Days of Christmas (Orchard Books, £10.99) sumptuously illustrated by the talented Jay Ray. Styled in 1920s fashion, it transforms the traditional words into a subtle story of gentle romance. The richly coloured and intricately detailed pictures are a joy to behold and readers young and old will be captivated and delighted by the developing story. With so much to see and enjoy, this charming book will be a perennial favourite.

Also retold is the fable of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse (Templar, £12.99) by Helen Ward. The country mouse lives a quiet pleasant life enjoying the changing seasons until his cousin from the city comes to visit. The city cousin beguiles the country dweller with tales of fine dining and spectacular events, persuading him to leave his country home. But where is the grass really greener? Helen Ward’s wonderful illustrations depict two contrasting environments from a mouse’s eye view.

To mark its 125th anniversary, the Commonwealth Educational Trust has published A River of Stories (£18.99). In keeping with its ethos of giving children the opportunity to grow up understanding the world around them, this is a collection of folk tales from across the Commonwealth. The book is lavishly and distinctively illustrated by the award-winning Jan Pienkowski using silhouettes relieved by rich splashes of colour. This is a beautifully produced book, and will take children on a voyage of discovery from Botswana to Vanuatu.

There’s another journey courtesy of Jules Verne. This edition of Around the World in Eighty Days (Templar, £14.99) is illustrated by Robert Ingpen and is a delight from cover to cover. The well-known tale of Phileas Fogg’s attempt to circumnavigate the globe in his allotted time has lost nothing of its humour and excitement with the passing of the years. And being firmly set in a world without air travel, it has novelty value for today’s well-travelled readers. The changing scenery of Fogg’s journey is entrancingly illustrated by the brilliant Ingpen. He is equally as able to bring to life people, places and modes of transport and these illustrations are a perfect partner for Jules Verne’s timeless prose.

Birth to five years

Just Right (Nosy Crow, £9.99) is a heart-warming Christmas story. Birdie Black’s tale is of how a roll of soft red Christmassy cloth is made into just the right number of gifts for everyone, from the Princess to Billy the little mouse. The text has some repeated phrases with which children will be joining in by the end. The illustrations by Rosalind Beardshaw create a warm glow and have a fairy-tale quality to them. I especially love the final double-page spread which sees the givers, the recipients and all the soft red Christmassy presents skating on the pond.

The original Christmas story is retold in Jesus’ Christmas Party (Red Fox, £5.99). Nicholas Allan lets us see the Nativity through the eyes of a tired and increasingly grumpy innkeeper. He’s trying to sleep but he keeps on being disturbed by Mary and Joseph, a bright star, some shepherds, three kings and then some loud singing. So he goes to see what is happening. There is a profound impact in this version, and the illustrations showing an ever more irritated innkeeper contrast beautifully with the story we know is unfolding round the back.

James Mayhew’s new series brings to life the stories of classical ballets. Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake (Orchard Books, £5.99) tells how little Ella Bella finds herself in the middle of the ballet, meeting Odette, Odile and the wicked Baron von Rothbart. The book moves seamlessly from the real world of Ella Bella’s ballet class to the dream world of the ballet and back again, held together by James Mayhew’s sympathetic illustrations. His varied use of colour and clever depiction of movement make this a truly enchanting book.

Templar is well-known for producing beautiful books but with Black Dog (£12.99) they have excelled themselves. Author and illustrator, Levi Pinfold, has written a simple story about not letting your fears get the better of you and he tells it with humour and lightness of touch. Delightful though the story is, it is the illustrations that make the book stand out. They are a mixture of stylised and realistic, colour and sepia-effect. And they are all crammed with detail and expression. Each time I’ve read the book I have found something new in them that adds to the story. Beg, borrow or buy this book.

Five to ten years

In Utterly Gorgeous Christmas (Scholastic, £7.99) Natalie Abadzis showcases more than 30 stylish and simple craft projects. With bright, clear and fun illustrations she demonstrates how to make decorations, cards and gifts. There are crafts to suit a range of ages, abilities and tastes. My favourite is the snowflake brooch but there are also lanterns, cushions and some reindeer silhouettes. The book really does have something for everyone and includes templates for many of the items.

From Christopher Vine comes a charming title from the Peter’s Railway series, Christmas Steam (Peter’s Railway, £2.99). This little book brings to life every railway enthusiast’s dream of having their own miniature railway. When council cutbacks mean that Santa’s grotto is cancelled, Peter, his Grandpa and their railway steam to the rescue. John Wardle’s watercolour illustrations capture the wintry conditions and festive fun beautifully. This is a gentle, feel-good tale – with some technical details thrown in along the way.

Lulu loves animals and she is delighted to find a cat left on her doorstep but Nan isn’t so happy. But then the cat runs off and Lulu and her cousin, Mellie, search until they find it. Even Nan is happy and is persuaded to take it home with her when she leaves. However, the marigold cat has one final surprise for them all. Lulu and the Cat in the Bag (Scholastic, £4.99) is a simple and amusing tale by Hilary McKay with illustrations by Priscilla Lamont. It is just right for confident young readers whether or not they are cat lovers.

Lauren Child brings us another story featuring Charlie and Lola, Slightly Invisible (Orchard Books, £6.99). Charlie and his friend Marv want to play on their own just once without Lola interrupting or bothering them. They are trying to catch a strange and tricky creature but it turns out that they need some help. This funny story about the power of imagination is, as usual, complemented by Lauren Child’s excellent collage illustrations. The quirky layout of the text melds the two into a fun-filled whole.

Nine to 12 years

The Weight of Water (Bloomsbury, £6.99) by Sarah Crossan is a compellingly beautiful, utterly seductive debut novel. Written in blank verse, it tells the story of Kasienka, who, with her mother, leaves Poland for England on a search or her father. Kasienka is a strong character and she needs to be as she copes with loneliness, alienation and the discovery of the truth about her father. But this is not a story of doom and despair but rather one of courage, hope and possibility. Do not miss it and press it upon your friends and acquaintances.

For 55 years The Silver Sword (Jonathan Cape, £9.99) has been delighting young readers. This small hardback edition of Ian Serraillier’s classic comes with illustrations by David Frankland and an afterword by Jane Serraillier. The story of one family’s experiences during and immediately after the Second World War is told simply, almost starkly at times but the children’s journey from war-ravaged Warsaw to the beautiful Bodensee is vivid and engrossing. Young readers coming to it for the first time will be appalled and thrilled by the family’s adventures.

New from the National Museums of Scotland is The Covenanters (Scotties, £5.99) by Claire Watts. If, like me, you understand less than you think you do about these people and this period, you’ll be very grateful for this interesting and informative book. Claire Watts leads us carefully through a complex but fascinating slice of Scotland’s history and shows us its legacy. The highly readable text is interspersed with illustrations and puzzles. And there is an excellent timeline placing the events of the Covenanting period in a wider historical context. This is a superb addition to the Scotties series, ideal for all ages!

Real girls rescue themselves. So thinks Cat Manno who has always been slightly irritated by the heroines of the classic fiction that she has read with her grandfather. After a road accident, she finds herself pitchforked into a world peopled by the characters from some of these novels. And she gradually realises that, if she is to save her grandfather and find her own way home, there is no point in waiting for a tall, dark, handsome hero to come riding to her rescue. Far Rockaway (Hodder, £12.99) by Charlie Fletcher is a glorious adventure through worlds familiar to avid readers, and a splendid celebration of the power of story.