Gr. 3^-8. Librarians looking for yet another collection of Christmas verse, take note. Although this selection of 32 yuletide poems is on the skimpy side, it is also surprisingly satisfying. Originally published in England, it has its share of lesser-known British poets, as well as familiar names such as e.e. cummings, Eleanor Farjeon, Valerie Worth, and Boris Pasternak. The book opens with several fresh takes on the Nativity. In Judith Nicholl's "Room at the Inn," for instance, the innkeeper's wife frets over the couple who has just had a baby in her drafty stable. Much of the latter part of the book is given over to more secular concerns, such as Christmas trees, mistletoe, and a child's skepticism toward Santa Claus. Although three artists contribute illustrations, the visual adornment--like the book as a whole--is cohesive. Julie Corsaro
"A collection with something for everyone... This book will make a nice gift or a family keepsake to be read each year as Christmas approaches."--
Bookselling This Week