A Houseful of Christmas

Product DescriptionA traditional, heart-warming family Christmas celebration in the tradition of Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came.Every Christmas, Granny's house is brim full of family and festive cheer--carols and presents and plenty of food, bows and gift wrap for Fat Cat to play with, and lots of company for Granny and her dog, Edgar.This Christmas, snow starts to fall and it doesn't stop. Instead of going home, the whole family hunkers down for a cozy night in Granny's warm house.Whhhhh went the wind,but everyone was snug.Shhhhhh went the snow,but everyone was together.Even during a blizzard, there's no place better than Granny's house for Christmas.From Publishers WeeklyIt's the more the merrier when a boisterous clan makes its annual descent on Granny's house in Joosse's (Mama, Do You Love Me ) animated and knowing story. Decorations, gifts, carols and, of course, dinner with candied-yam casserole are all part of the "Christmas fuss," vivaciously relayed in rhythmic language. And when "whhhh-ing" wind and "shhhhh-ing" snow make travel hazardous, Granny happily hosts a snug family sleep-over. Lewin's (Click, Clack, Moo) sweet and humorous pen-and-watercolor artwork rises to the cheerful occasion. Ages 4-8.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalreS-Gr 2-Every year Granny decorates, prepares her candied-yam casserole, wraps packages, and waits for the whole family to arrive for Christmas. Soon the house is full of family and festivities, while "Whhhhh went the wind. Shhhhh went the snow.-Tick tick tick went the grandfather clock." Snowed in, everyone-grown-ups, kids, and animals-camps out with blankets on the living-room floor. The clutter, chaos, affection, and fun of these once-a-year activities burst into life in Lewin's funny and tender pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations. Written with economy and an ear for large-family dynamics, A Houseful of Christmas makes a perfect, cozy read-aloud for one-on-one or group sharing.-S. P.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From BooklistAges 4-7. Each year the family gathers at Grandma's house for Christmas. Grandma bakes and wraps and decorates; Edgar the dog loves the fuss; Fat Cat doesn't. So begins this homey but humorous tale that shows Grandma getting busier in each spread, while Fat Cat gets sulkier. The family arrives, a happy jumble of people; and when it's too snowy to drive home, Grandma invites them all to a giant sleepover on the living room floor. Fat Cat's mood finally improves when he finds a comfortable chest to lie down on. Hectic, yet warm--that's the Christmastime of the text--but it's Lewin's artwork, watercolor washes outlined in thick black ink, that really captures all the frenetic fun. Also nice is the spread washed in winter blue that shows the family nestled against pillows, bundled in blankets looking as though they are settled under snowdrifts. So many books try to convey the spirit of the holiday; this one succeeds by stressing one word: family. Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedReview“It’s the more the merrier when a boisterous clan makes its annual descent on Granny’s house in Joosse’s animated and knowing story. Lewin’s sweet and humorous artwork rises to the cheerful occasion.”-Publishers Weekly, Starred Review“The clutter, chaos, affection, and fun of these once-a-year activities burst into life in Lewin’s funny and tender pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations. Written with economy and an ear for large-family dynamics, A Houseful of Christmas makes a perfect, cozy read-aloud.”-School Library Journal“So many books try to convey the spirit of the holiday; this one succeeds by stressing one word: family.”-BooklistAbout the AuthorBarbara Joosse has written more than twenty books for children, incluing the ever popular Mama, Do You Love Me , illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. Ms. Joosse lives in Cedarburg, Wisconsin with
Author: Joosse, Barbara

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Binding: Hardcover

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0805063919

ISBN-13: 9780805063912