Pennsylvania Dutch Night Before Christmas

Rating:
Summary: Clear Toy instead of Sugar Plums!
Review: If you ever had "clear toy" candy (still made in Lititz), and know what the words "schusslich" and "nixnootzes" mean, you'll enjoy this version of The Night Before Christmas done by someone who knows PA Deutsch (German) commonly called PA Dutch. Whether or not you grew up in a PA Dutch family, you might learn something. I did! And, there is an explanation of pronunciations (like "ch" for "j" so "just so" becomes "chust so") in the back of the book. There is also a pretty good recipe for Shoofly Pie (similar to mine), but unfortunately none of the great Christmas cookies, like Sand Tarts and Molasses Cakes. I now read this charming parody of Clement Moore's version on Christmas Eve.

Rating:
Summary: Clear Toy instead of Sugar Plums!
Review: If you ever had "clear toy" candy (still made in Lititz), and know what the words "schusslich" and "nixnootzes" mean, you'll enjoy this version of The Night Before Christmas done by someone who knows PA Deutsch (German) commonly called PA Dutch. Whether or not you grew up in a PA Dutch family, you might learn something. I did! And, there is an explanation of pronunciations (like "ch" for "j" so "just so" becomes "chust so") in the back of the book. There is also a pretty good recipe for Shoofly Pie (similar to mine), but unfortunately none of the great Christmas cookies, like Sand Tarts and Molasses Cakes. I now read this charming parody of Clement Moore's version on Christmas Eve.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and somewhat accurate
Review: The author of this book read it to kids on the Pennsylvania Kids Network, and they loved it - but then, kids would love it when a stranger would come in and read legal advertising from the newspaper. Can you really trust the judgement of a group that loves McDonald's and Pee Wee Herman?Nope, this is a book for adults to enjoy, year after year. Kids will never appreciate the naming of the holsteins, or the authenticity of the Plain Sect traditions associated with Christmas. They'll just laugh when the roof caves in.So don't give this book to your kids. Give it to your boss, or to your webmaster - someone who enjoys subtle humor in the style of Shel Silverstein. An adult will appreciate it a lot more.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and somewhat accurate
Review: The author of this book read it to kids on the Pennsylvania Kids Network, and they loved it - but then, kids would love it when a stranger would come in and read legal advertising from the newspaper. Can you really trust the judgement of a group that loves McDonald's and Pee Wee Herman?Nope, this is a book for adults to enjoy, year after year. Kids will never appreciate the naming of the holsteins, or the authenticity of the Plain Sect traditions associated with Christmas. They'll just laugh when the roof caves in.So don't give this book to your kids. Give it to your boss, or to your webmaster - someone who enjoys subtle humor in the style of Shel Silverstein. An adult will appreciate it a lot more.

Rating:
Summary: Gut Deutsch Fun!!
Review: The hex signs, the cows on the cover are a clue to the pure fun of reading Williamson's Pennsylvania Dutch Night Before Christmas. The cadence, the w/v sounds are possible to understand from the very beginning. The explanations of the German dialect are not overdone. Even the names of the cows and steers are Pennsylvania Dutch to the core. The book is fun to read aloud; fun to look through: the illustrations are as joyful as the words. Children outside the area of Amish populations may not understand some of the subtle humor, the names used, such as "Stolzfus." But children of all ages will enjoy the overall effect of the book: good fun.