A Christmas Carol (Books of Wonder)

From Scientific AmericanGhostly color illustrations distinguish Carter Goodrich's version of A Christmas Carol. Goodrich's caricatures are well suited to the classic Dickens tale. Dickens read his story aloud on many occasions, and the version presented here is the pared-down one adapted by Dickens himself for reading aloud (in about 90 minutes, down from three hours).Product DescriptionAfterword by Peter Glassman. Here is the condensed version of the holiday classic, as edited by Dickens himself for his many public readings. This delightful version, streamlined for maximum dramatic effect yet retaining all the unforgettable moments, features twenty-one magnificent color pictures by the celebrated New Yorker artist. A Books of Wonder Classic.From The New YorkerGr. 5 and up, younger for reading aloud. There's a new version of A Christmas Carol on every holiday list, but this one is special. It is Dickens' own performance text, cut and adapted by him for reading aloud in 90 minutes. All the great lines are here (well, almost all), including Scrooge's ever contemporary advice on what to do with the poor ("Are there no prisons "). The book's spacious design, with thick paper, clear type, and 21 sepia tone illustrations done in watercolor and colored pencils, is great for group sharing. The pictures are comic and scary but never overwhelming. They pick up the theatrical, larger-than-life scenarios: the brooding, scowling miser alone at his desk; the ghostly visitors; the Cratchit family ecstatic over Christmas dinner.From BooklistGr. 5 and up, younger for reading aloud. There's a new version of A Christmas Carol on every holiday list, but this one is special. It is Dickens' own performance text, cut and adapted by him for reading aloud in 90 minutes. All the great lines are here (well, almost all), including Scrooge's ever contemporary advice on what to do with the poor ("Are there no prisons " ). The book's spacious design, with thick paper, clear type, and 21 sepia-tone illustrations done in watercolor and colored pencils, is great for group sharing. The pictures are comic and scary but never overwhelming. They pick up the theatrical, larger-than-life scenarios: the brooding, scowling miser alone at his desk; the ghostly visitors; the Cratchit family ecstatic over Christmas dinner. Hazel RochmanReviewGr 3 Up. With over 28 different editions of A Christmas Carol in print, it is difficult to make a case for yet another one. This effort, described in the afterword as one in which Dickens himself made all the edits, is far shorter than the versions illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger or Michael Foreman. Its manageable, read-aloud length and shimmering watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations make it an attractive package. The various ghosts are spectral with shimmering chains; innocent and filled with light; huge and rippling; or skeletal limbs and flowing veils, sending forth a greenish aura of death itself. The party scenes are more haunting than merry, the few splashes of color muted by the ever-present golden-brown hues. Goodrich makes effective use of light and color to create this haunting version; the appealing artwork as well as the compact length are solid reasons to add this newest incarnation of the classic story to holiday collections. -- School Library Journal, 10/96About the AuthorCharles Dickens (1812-1870) was one of England's greatest writers. Best known for his classic serialized novels, such as Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations, Dickens wrote about the London he lived in, the conditions of the poor, and the growing tensions between the classes. He achieved critical and popular international success in his lifetime and was honored with burial in Westminster Abbey.
Author: Dickens, Charles

Publisher: HarperCollins

Binding: Hardcover

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0688136060

ISBN-13: 9780688136062