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Summary
Summary
From the bustling, snowy streets of 19th-century London to the ghostly apparitions of Christmases past and future, award-winning artist Roberto Innocenti vividly renders not only the authentic detail but also the emotional impact of Charles Dickens's beloved Christmas tale. In both crowded urban scenes and intimate portraits of familiar characters, we gain a sense of the timeless humanity of the tale and perhaps catch a glimpse of ourselves.
Author Notes
Charles Dickens, perhaps the best British novelist of the Victorian era, was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England on February 7, 1812. His happy early childhood was interrupted when his father was sent to debtors' prison, and young Dickens had to go to work in a factory at age twelve. Later, he took jobs as an office boy and journalist before publishing essays and stories in the 1830s.
His first novel, The Pickwick Papers, made him a famous and popular author at the age of twenty-five. Subsequent works were published serially in periodicals and cemented his reputation as a master of colorful characterization, and as a harsh critic of social evils and corrupt institutions. His many books include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Great Expectations, Little Dorrit, A Christmas Carol, and A Tale of Two Cities.
Dickens married Catherine Hogarth in 1836, and the couple had nine children before separating in 1858 when he began a long affair with Ellen Ternan, a young actress. Despite the scandal, Dickens remained a public figure, appearing often to read his fiction. He died in 1870, leaving his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, unfinished.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (6)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4 Up-While there are several versions of the holiday favorite to choose from, those wishing for a solidly classic telling will be more than satisfied with this complete edition. Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Innocenti renders the ink illustration masterfully. Whether the scenes feature a crowded city street; the frightening conversation between Scrooge and the transparent, white-outlined ghost of Marley; or a merry gathering at Fezziwig's warehouse, the detailed, Dickensian atmosphere is perfectly captured. Perspective plays an effective role as well, as when Scrooge's small and solitary head is first seen through the window of his office. The final image also depicts Scrooge through a window, but from the inside looking out into a sunny green field, with Tiny Tim standing close to the man who has become a second father. VERDICT All in all, a handsome, worthy addition to holiday reading traditions.-Joanna Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Lisbeth Zwerger's glorious watercolors for Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, first published in 1988, once again prove that she is as adept at creating the terrifying image of Christmas Yet to Come as she is showing the miraculous transformation of Scrooge. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Historical notes, small color photographs, and illustrations in the margins, along with a few double-page spreads offering more information, supplement the text of Dickens's classic holiday tale about generosity. The additional notes add to the crowded format and are by no means comprehensive, but provide some interesting facts. The watercolor sketches are of average quality. From HORN BOOK Spring 2001, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
This simplified version of the classic is a straightforward piece of work, sticking to the grand elements of the storyline: The miserly Scrooge gets his Christmas eve comeuppance from Marley and the three ghosts, sees the folly of his parsimonious ways, and becomes a changed man. Great hunks of the original have been left on the cutting room floor, naturally enough, but what is left feels too much like a pastiche: scenic views without the travel in between. Heyer's crisp acrylics are accomplished and often stunning, though there are odd moments when the artwork isn't in step with the text (why aren't Marley's glasses up on his ghostly forehead?) and other times when it simply fails to convey the story's spirit, such as the dance scene with the Ghost of Christmas Past. This retelling will be most successful if it spurs readers on to the original. (Picture book. 4-8)
Booklist Review
Gr. 5 and up, younger for reading aloud. There's a new version of A Christmas Carol on every holiday list, but this one is special. It is Dickens' own performance text, cut and adapted by him for reading aloud in 90 minutes. All the great lines are here (well, almost all), including Scrooge's ever contemporary advice on what to do with the poor ("Are there no prisons?" ). The book's spacious design, with thick paper, clear type, and 21 sepia-tone illustrations done in watercolor and colored pencils, is great for group sharing. The pictures are comic and scary but never overwhelming. They pick up the theatrical, larger-than-life scenarios: the brooding, scowling miser alone at his desk; the ghostly visitors; the Cratchit family ecstatic over Christmas dinner. (Reviewed Sept. 1, 1996)0688136060Hazel Rochman
Library Journal Review
This production offers a different take on Dickens's 1843 ghost story by featuring one woman as the narrator and the entire cast-considering the story's brevity, there's a fair number of characters and voices, ranging from that "tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge," on down to Tiny Tim and others. British actress Miriam Margolyes presents the story through a straight narration of the author's sublime poetic prose but puts more of an animated spin on his equally superb dialog. VERDICT Traditionalists may prefer a male rendition since nearly all the characters are men, but Margolyes does the yuletide standard justice, and a female voice may prove more accessible to girls who are being introduced to the story. Buy accordingly.-Mike Rogers, Library Journal (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.