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Our Blog: Written in the Stars
A Christmas Like Helen's (Library Binding)
$16.00
Special Order - Subject to Availability
Description
At Helen’s home, there are no telephones or electric lights. Cars have not yet been invented, so she and her sister and brothers must walk a mile to school, even in freezing weather. Without refrigeration, they must harvest ice from the pond.
But at night she and her family gather around the woodstove to hear stories of castles and princes in hiding. They take horse-drawn sleigh rides, snug under buffalo robes and wool blankets; skate in the moonlight; and on Christmas morning have real maple syrup for breakfast.
With absorbing details of country life and elegant, hand-colored woodcuts, this book captures the strength of family, the magic of Christmas, and the love of place all year long.
About the Author
Caldecott Medalist Mary Azarian is a consummate gardener and a skilled and original woodblock artist. Many of her prints are heavily influenced by her love of gardening, and her turn-of-the-century farmhouse is surrounded by gardens that reveal an artist's vision. Mary Azarian received the 1999 Caldecott Medal for SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. She lives, skis, and gardens in Vermont.
Praise for A Christmas Like Helen's…
Fun, love and respect permeate this volume, a reminder of the riches implicit in simpler holiday joys.
Publishers Weekly, Starred
Azarian's beautifully composed and carefully researched illustrations draw the reader into Helen's era, into a quieter time of candlelight, sleigh bells, and family stories shared around the woodstove.
Kirkus Reviews, Starred
Best suited for reading aloud, this gorgeous book might inspire grown-ups to share their own family stories with the children in their care.
School Library Journal
The language is lovely, and Azarian's trademark woodcuts, hand-tinted with color, are as endearing as ever. Warm and welcoming.
Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
