Two Tengu Tales From Japan, retold by Duncan Ball, illustrated by David Allan

https://christmaspresspicturebooks.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/two-tengu-tales-front-cover1.jpgKenji let out a scream and jumped to his feet. He had heard of these forest goblins with their red faces and long noses but had never seen one.
’Now what could be so terrible that it would make a young boy cry?’ the tengu asked.

When Kenji’s mother is ill, he seeks help from his wealthy uncle, who refuses to lend them money. But a kindly tengu comes to his aid, giving him magic sandals which produce money when the wearer falls over. The catch is that ever coin leaves the wearer slightly shorter. Kenji is careful, but his greedy uncle soon hears of the magic, and learns the hard way that being greedy is dangerous.

‘Kenji’s Magic Sandals’ is the first of Two Tengu Tales from Japan. In the second story, ‘The Invisible Cloak’, greedy Hikoichi tricks a tengu and steals a coat that makes him invisible. But when the invisibility wears off in a public place, Hikoichi is left exposed and naked.

Two Tengu Tales from Japan are folk tales, retold by Duncan Ball from traditional Japanese folklore. The illustrations, inspired by classic Japanese art bring the mythical, magical tengu and the villages of classic Japan to life.

Suitable for classroom sharing or private reading, Two Tengu Tales from Japan offer an engaging introduction to Japanese folklore.

Two Tengu Tales from Japan, retold by Duncan Ball, illustrated by David Allan
Christmas Press, 2015
ISBN 9780992283865

Two Fearsome Fairy Tales from France, retold by Adele Geras, illustrated by Fiona McDonald

Two Fearsome Fairy Tales from FranceA long time ago, in a faraway land, lived a widowed merchant with three daughters. The youngest was so lovely that everyone who saw her wondered at her beauty. Her name was Belle and she was as good and kind as she was beautiful.

Continuing their series of retold fairy tales from around the world, Christmas Press has combined the talents of author Adele Garas and illustrator Fiona McDonald Two Fearsome Fairy Tales from France. While the two tales – ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Bluebeard’ may be familiar to many readers, these are not saccharine versions but more traditional tellings of the tales. The illustrations, too, have a traditional feel to them, with a blend of full colour pates, ornate borders, smaller coloured illustrations and some grey scale.

This hard cover offering will appeal to fairy tale lovers and older readers.

Two Fearsome Fairy Tales from France, retold by Adele Geras, illustrated by Fiona McDonald

Available from good bookstores and online.

Once Upon a Christmas, edited by Beattie Alvarez

I slid down the icy balustrade outside our town house. The chill of the evening fairly took my breath away, then, I was airborne. I landed in the flurry of snow at the base of the stairs, startling the band of carol singers who had just crossed the street.
Father opened the door and took in the scene. ‘Please forgive us,’ he said to the carol singers. ‘My singers who had just crossed the street.
Father opened the door and took in the scene. ‘Please forgive us,’ he said to the carol singers. ‘My daughter has no fear.’
Michael Pryor The Spirit of Christmas

For adults who remember the Christmas Annuals of their childhoods, Once Upon a Christmas will feel familiar, while for children who may not have encountered such an offering, it will prove an unexpected treasure. With over 150 pages of stories, poems, illustrations and more, the anthology celebrates a huge variety of Christmas traditions and imaginings.

The stories are from different cultures, and represent both Australian Christmas settings and traditions as well as those from around the world and in different time periods. The range of genres is also wide including historical fiction, modern fiction, speculative fiction, nonfiction, humour, and poetry. Black and white illustrations throughout are complemented by coloured plates in the centre of the book. Creators whose work appears in the book include Susanne Gervay, Ursula Dubosarsky, Duncan Ball, Sophie Masson and more.

Once Upon a Christmas is a book which will be treasured.

 

Once Upon a Christmas

Once Upon a Christmas, compiled and edited by Beattie Alvarez
Christmas Press, 2014
ISBN 9780992283858

Available from good bookstores and online.

Two Selkie Stories from Scotland by Kate Forsyth, ill Fiona McDonald

A long time ago, on Midsummer’s Eve, as the sun was setting over the wild ocean waves, a young Scottish laird named Dougal McPhee was riding home to his stern grey castle. A faint haunting song reached his ears, blowing on the wind over the cliffs from the shore below.

Peering over the edge he saw a dozen people with wild hair and dark eyes, men, women and children, all with wreaths of seaweed upon their heads, dancing and laughing and playing on the sand.

A long time ago, on Midsummer’s Eve, as the sun was setting over the wild ocean waves, a young Scottish laird named Dougal McPhee was riding home to his stern grey castle. A faint haunting song reached his ears, blowing on the wind over the cliffs from the shore below.

Peering over the edge he saw a dozen people with wild hair and dark eyes, men, women and children, all with wreaths of seaweed upon their heads, dancing and laughing and playing on the sand.

‘Two Selkie Stories from Scotland’ retells two ancient tales. The first, ‘The Selkie Bride’ tells the story of the love of a laird for a Selkie woman and his efforts to make her happy away from her ocean home. The second, ‘In the Kingdom of the Seals’  recounts the tale of a seal-hunter trying to make a living and a Selkie who shows him the world beneath the waves. Each story is illustrated in colour with Celtic design header and footer. This is a sturdy paperback in large format, ideal for sharing with young children at bedtime.

Traditional tales are part entertainment, part life-lesson. Selkie stories are common around the beaches and islands where seals come ashore. They are magical stories imagining humans able to live both on land and at sea. What a wonderful imagining! They teach young readers about respecting animals and appreciating that each creature has its place in the world. But primarily they are great tales, to be shared and preserved for all readers. This offering from new publisher Christmas Press is the first in a planned series of traditional tale pairs from around the world. Recommended for young readers, and anyone with a love of traditional stories.

 

cover in a4

Two Selkie Stories from Scotland, Kate Forsyth ill Fiona McDonald Christmas Press 2014 ISBN: 9780992283827

Two Trickster Tales from Russia, retold by Sophie Masson

‘How dare you steal my…’ the bear roared, then stopped, and sniffed the air. he snatched the porridge and gulped it all down. he licked the bowl and licked his lips. ‘Little girl,’ he growled, ‘you will stay and cook for me, or I will crack your skull like an egg!’
There was nothing Masha could do but stay.

When Masha is kept captive by a greedy, but not-too-smart bear, she has to bide her time until an opportunity arises for escape. On the other hand, when a beautiful, but easily fooled, rooster is preyed on by a cunning fox, he needs the help of his wilier friends to get him out of trouble.

Two Trickster Tales from Russia, as the title suggests, offers two retold folktales from Russia. With a lovely blend of traditional tale, well paced narrative and humour, coupled with a mix of colour and black and white illustrations, the book gives young readers a taste of stories from another time and culture.

Available in paperback format, Two Trickster Tales from Russia is the first title from new Australian publisher Christmas Press, and is also available in Audiobook format, with the reading complemented by music and sound effects which help to bring the tales to life.

A quality production Two Trickster Tales from Russia is delightful.

 

Two Trickster Tales final draft cover

Two Trickster Tales from Russia, by Sophie Masson, illustrated by David Allan
Christmas Press, 2013
ISBN 9780992283803