Synopses & Reviews
A cozy, visually rich celebration of Christmas to pore over
Readers are off to the North Pole in this brimming holiday treat. On each page, a deceptively simple item--stocking, snowman, reindeer--pulls readers into a nostalgic, exquisitely detailed moment of the yuletide journey: a trip in Santa's sleigh, supper with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, watching the elves hard at work, and finally arriving home in time for Christmas morning.
Secret clues, plus hidden allusions to classic Christmas carols, elevate this from a gorgeous book to an interactive holiday treasure hunt--a natural fit for the whole family at Christmastime.
Review
"Carries with it the magic of Christmas: the unexpected, the warmth, the wonder."
Review
"[A] deceptively simple tour de force filled with tiny, hidden surprises to delight inquisitive readers."
Review
"At first glance it's a simple Christmas vocabulary concept book...but Jay's jewel-toned, folk art-like paintings tell a different story (several intertwined ones, in fact) in this visually appealing volume."
Synopsis
Based on Raymond Briggs's classic, this beautiful illustrated Step into Reading book describes the exciting things that happen to James and his magical snowman.
About the Author
Raymond Briggs was born in London in 1934. At the age of 15, he went to Wimbeldon Art School to learn how to draw, as he wanted to become a cartoonist. But there he was told that cartooning was not a profession for gentlemen and that he ought to be a painter. Raymond then went on to the Slade School in London to study painting as a full-time student. During his spare time, he began work on a portfolio of illustrations of all kinds, including jackets and a wide selection of drawings to take to publishers. After illustrating for advertising, newspapers and books, Raymond discovered that book illustration inspired him the most, since it offered far greater variety and freedom than anything else. Raymond has always found it unfavorable to sustain a consistent illustration style for a long period of time. He is always seeking to try something else new and different with his work. Some of Raymond's best known works are The Snowman , The Man , and The Bear . The setting for The Snowman is based on Raymond's own house and garden, which is in Sussex, England at the foot of South Downs, a few miles from Brighton.