The story of Christmas

Gr. 2-4. Cooney begins by conveying the feeling of excitement that surrounds Christmas and then slips easily into examining the holiday's history. The religious significance of Jesus' birth is first related, followed by explanations of older midwinter celebrations (for example, Yule and Saturnalia) that show the blending of various customs into one special season. Krupinski's gouache-and-colored-pencil illustrations reflect different cultures and time periods and are suitably celebratory. There is a lot of information in this little book, including recipes for rolled Christmas cookies and instructions for making a clove-covered orange, and a pinecone bird feeder. (Reviewed Sept. 15, 1995)0060234334Kathy Broderick

Central to this story of winter celebrations is Jesus' birth, but the evolution of other cultural traditions and customs associated with and even predating Christmas also receive attention: the Roman Saturnalia, Twelfth Night, the origin of the Christmas tree, the different incarnations of Santa Claus. Attractive gouache and colored-pencil illustrations capture the festive moods of the season. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This revision of Cooney's Christmas (1967) is aimed at a religiously diverse audience. The word Christian has been all but eliminated; the New Testament quotations have been omitted. Herod's charge to the Wise Men, the Slaughter of the Innocents, and the Flight into Egypt are gone. What remains is a good brief history of ancient midwinter festivals and how they became melded with the Christian celebration. Present-day European and American customs are described (Santa's visits are presented as fact); end matter includes a recipe and directions for making a clove-studded orange and a pinecone bird feeder. Krupinski's pretty illustrations are appropriately nostalgic. Institutions concerned about the religious content of their materials will be comfortable with this presentation; Christian readers may find it somewhat blunt. (Picture book. 6-9)