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Fiction - Animals - General & Miscellaneous, Fiction - Animals - Mammals, Fiction - Holidays & Festivals, Fiction - Religion & Beliefs
Corgiville Christmas by Tasha Tudor β€” book cover

Corgiville Christmas

by Tasha Tudor
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Overview

Days filled with preparations, anticipation, and joyous excitement are captured with humor and affection in the text and illustrations by Tasha Tudor. Happy memories of her childhood Christmases in 1920s Connecticut are transposed to the magic world of Corgiville. On December 25, the parlor door opens to reveal a magnificent Christmas tree with lighted candles and shining ornaments. The full-color illustrations radiate a glowing warmth and Christmas cheer.

The inhabitants of Corgiville, including recent arrivals, participate in a variety of activities in preparation for Christmas.

Synopsis

In this third story set in imaginary Corgiville, home to corgis, cats, rabbits and some eccentric families, Christmas is coming. Mr. and Mrs. Bigbee Brown warm themselves by the wood stove as they drink their tea. Mr. Chicahominy, his two wives, and mother-in-law live in a house overlooking the pond. During the season he puts his haberdashery on wheels, peddling by wagon all about town. Families make special wreaths for the animals, and age Dundee cake for months. Finally, on December 25, the parlor door opens to reveal a magnificent Christmas tree with lighted candles and shining ornaments.

Publishers Weekly

Tudor's corgis (Corgiville Fair) have always been a likeable lot, but this newest book about their adventures may disappoint her fans. Tudor's memories of childhood in the 1920s prompt observations about the animal denizens of Corgiville as they prepare for Christmas. An overall quaintness pervades the proceedings, from the catnip milkshakes enjoyed by the feline Purrer sisters at the Stauffers' apothecary to the tasteful gatherings hosted by the Cardigan Corgwyns of Wales. Sadly, however, Tudor's mostly fuzzy, often blurry paintings seem unfinished, an impression compounded by the hard-to-read, often error-ridden hand-lettering within those illustrations. All ages. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Tasha Tudor

Winner of two Caldecott Honors, Tasha Tudor has written and illustrated nearly 100 books, including most recently Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas. She lives in Brattleboro, VT.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

Tudor's corgis (Corgiville Fair) have always been a likeable lot, but this newest book about their adventures may disappoint her fans. Tudor's memories of childhood in the 1920s prompt observations about the animal denizens of Corgiville as they prepare for Christmas. An overall quaintness pervades the proceedings, from the catnip milkshakes enjoyed by the feline Purrer sisters at the Stauffers' apothecary to the tasteful gatherings hosted by the Cardigan Corgwyns of Wales. Sadly, however, Tudor's mostly fuzzy, often blurry paintings seem unfinished, an impression compounded by the hard-to-read, often error-ridden hand-lettering within those illustrations. All ages. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-In this third installation in the series, readers discover some of the traditions and celebrations of a country Christmas in the 1920s. The population of dogs and other animals is rendered straightforwardly and with rich, Beatrix-Potteresque language: "-cats prefer catnip wreaths, mixed with cheese balls, to attract mice. The rabbits use kale, as it is economical and can be eaten later." Tudor's detailed crayon-and-watercolor pictures seem a bit blurry, but they succeed in capturing the cozy, slower, closer-to-nature pace of the early part of the last century. The narrative is not so much a story as a series of vignettes showing different Corgi families engaged in holiday preparations and activities. Gentle nostalgia from a timeless master.-S. P. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

An old-fashioned Christmas season in a New England village is the theme of Tudor's latest installment about Corgiville, her fictional town inhabited by her favorite Corgi dogs, as well as by rabbits, cats, and chickens. She introduces three new animal families to the village, following them as they move into new homes and start their own businesses: a haberdashery and a combination apothecary and soda fountain. She includes borders around many pages with period kitchen utensils and vintage artifacts such as a hand-cranked ice-cream freezer and goat-drawn peddler carts. This tour through the village is followed by holiday preparations and celebrations, many based on Tudor's own childhood memories or experiences with her own children and pets. With this story, Tudor uses a more muted, impressionistic style for her watercolor paintings, which is better suited to the panoramic scenes of the snowy village than to the detailed illustrations of the insides of shops and homes. Those who love Tudor's reverent homage to yesteryear will enjoy spending time in snowy Corgiville for the holiday season. (Picture book. 4-7)

Book Details

Published
September 1, 2003
Publisher
Boyds Mills Press
Pages
40
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9781932425000

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