Hark!: A Christmas Sampler

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book for every age
Review: My Mother bought this book quite a long time ago but I always love looking through it even as an adult. It is a terrific way to introduce children to the many sides of Christmas and short histories of various rituals (like having a Christmas tree) associated with the holiday. The Tomie De Paola's illustrations are brilliantly colored and beautifully add to the tales, songs and legends that Jane Yolen shares with the reader. There is something for everyone and shows many people common themes from different cultures. I think one of my favorite parts of the book would be the piece on the many different figures that visit people at Christmas. It explains a bit about their history and what they do. Among them are Old Befana, Sinter Klaus, Bishop of Myra, Father Christmas and the fairly modern version of the American Santa Claus as created in the famous 19th century poem, "A visit from Saint Nicholas".
The perfect addition to anyone's Christmas collection.