A Child's Christmas In Wales

Title: A Child's Christmas in Wales
Author: Dylan Thomas
Illustrator: Chris Raschka
Pages: 48
Genre: Children's Christmas
Yearly Count b: 91

This is the first time I have been exposed to the book by Dylan Thomas. Since I was young we would watch the TV version of this and loved it. Since the book was selected for the online book club, Travel the World (from a comfy chair) this month, and it is really short I read right through it. I read it to my little boys. They were mostly curious as to why kids would think it was fun to throw snowballs at cats. My two little ones have three cats and they knew that was a naughty thing to do for sure! I couldn't help but see them smile during the description of the fire where the slipper is being waved around. It is neat being able to share this with my kids.

I like reading it allowed, the words flow so strongly from the lips and even though my boys are too young to understand their beauty, sharing beauty even at their age is priceless to me. It is all about exposure to the arts at this point and to give them wings. Even if the beauty goes over their heads, the pictures are so amazing that they stare at them the entire time. Chris Raschka is the artist and the book received A New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book for his illustrations. I don't think I need to say much more than that, other than that they are somehow earthy in tones and colours, rustic in their perfection and perfectly, intensely real as well. The lines are jagged, and imperfect and yet the detail of the paintings brilliantly glows through to form a whole image that is nothing less than spectacular.

So, there you go, the words are amazing...many of you have heard this short story of Wales, and the pictures I believe equally match the performance of the words, a marriage meant to be (at least in my book ;). I am going to institute the tradition of reading this book allowed to my kids, even when they can read on their own, or when they can read on their own they can read it to us! I think every household should own a copy of this book!

Here is the inside of Dylan Thomas' writing shack, yes he had a writing shack in Wales. I would guess most writers have a special place they like to write....this one looks pretty neat to me!

It is interesting that many times when a gift is so strong, other areas are very weak, almost as a compensation. Check out Dylan Thomas, as he is listed under the neurotic poets! If you love to read about all the strange things these amazing writers can do, head there they have tons of info on weirdies for sure (I mean that in the sweetest possible way, as I am a weirdie as well).