Christmas Around the World

Found an egregious factual error in it within a few minutes of skimming it. Perhaps it is the only error but so far extremely disappointed, especially since the factual error is a clear re-writing of history driven by the author’s antisemitism.

This book was a great way to introduce informational reading and hit diversity at the same time. I was able to create comprehension questions and correspond different comprehension skills to aid in student learning. It is rich in text features and activities to create awesome assignments during that time before Christmas break when students are reluctant to do a lot of work.

Christmas Around The World by renowned artist Chuck Fischer is one of the most amazing works of art I have ever seen. The colors are brilliant, and the workmanship is intricate and elaborate. Each page has a pop-up Christmas scene. There are flip-backs, pull-tabs and slide features. The text enlightens the reader to the history of Christmas in different cultures. The British display is complete with a crown, guard, and Big Ben. I was reminded of A Christmas Carol and Plum Pudding. As I turn each page, we travel to a different country and celebrate their traditions. I had never heard of the Christmas Witch and eagerly read her story as I celebrated Christmas in Italy. The magi rides his camel past the Christmas tree with the star on top, searching for the Holy Babe. Eagerly I pulled the tab as I journeyed through Germany, eying the carousel and snow-covered land and reading of the Advent. The street in Paris with street lights, gay holiday windows, and a poodle delighted me. I enthusiastically read the story of the real St. Nicholas. At last, I journeyed to North America where the Santa I am most familiar with flies through the sky, wishing all a Merry Christmas. Christmas Around The World is a delightful book and will make an envious gift, but not for children. This is a collector's gift, a work of art. The book is well made other than a few of the pop-ups extending slightly too far. They will be easily bent and damaged. My copy will be a family heirloom, passed from generation to generation.

This is a fun book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Christmas. The book looks at 12 countries around the world where Christmas is celebrated on a national scale. One reads brief, but detailed, summaries of the Christmas events and traditions of those countries. From religious celebrations to marketplace customs, and from tasty foods to fun crafts, one is presented with a vivid and enlightening picture of how poeple around the world celebrate the holiday.The physical book itself is well made and festive. Each page is colorful and has vibrant paintings of Christmas events in each culture. The type is small, so parents would need to read this to their younger kids. To help readers, the author has included a pronunciation guide in the back. There is also a "fact and fiction" section about common Christmas things which serves as a reference for those who may never have heard of Epiphany or even Jesus Christ. Fun and simple craft guidelines are also included.While this is a book about Christmas, it is not a religious book (which disappointed me). It mentions religious events associated with Christmas, but treats it holiday as if it is essentially a cultural event. Nevertheless, it is a fun book that is very educational. It would be a great book to have to bring out to display and enjoy at Christmastime.

As a third grade teacher, this book was a useful tool in teaching about Christmas Around the World. There are so few good books on this topic, and my students enjoyed the one page synopsis of Christmas for each of the countries discussed (about 10). The illustrations for each country are wonderful and vivid. We were able to learn about customs from these countries not usually presented in other books. I would recommend this book to any teacher, parent, or child seeking information about Christmas customs in countries around the world in this enjoyable and fact-filled book.