Jackie French and Bruce Whatley make a formidable (award winning) duo when it comes to children’s picture books. These two, oh so talented individuals, have put their heads together to create a beautiful Christmas themed picture book – Queen Victoria’s Christmas.
The build up to Christmas can be a time of hustle, bustle, enticing smells and strange goings on … imagine observing all of that as a small dog, in the palace?!
Yep, Queen Victoria’s Christmas is told from the point of view of one of the Queen’s dogs who is just getting totally befuddled by all the strange shenanigans that have taken hold of the palace, particularly when he finds himself wrapped up and placed in the manger ….
‘What on earth is happening there?’
However the main source of confusion across all the family is the arrival of a HUGE green tree,
‘WHAT can you do with just a tree?’
With careful rhythm and rhyme Jackie French portrays how Prince Albert made the tree the focus of his family’s festive celebrations … and you could say it was an idea that caught on!!
Bruce Whatley recreates the 1840s festive setting. A festive shade of green dominates throughout, set against a delicate cream background. The gorgeous portraits of the queen and her family … and the dogs of course … are delicate and charming.
Queen Victoria’s Christmas has a nostalgic charm which is hard to resist.
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