Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury

Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury compiles seven holiday stories illustrated in Brett's signature style. Each tale takes place in a winter setting and features both human and animal characters celebrating the Christmas season. The collection includes Brett's interpretations of classic stories like "The Mitten" and "The Night Before Christmas," along with her original works. The illustrations contain intricate borders and detailed backgrounds that reward close examination, with hidden subplots playing out in the margins. The book follows various Christmas traditions from different cultures, from Nordic celebrations to European customs. The stories focus on themes of giving, family gatherings, and seasonal festivities. The collection demonstrates how holiday traditions serve as a bridge between cultures while highlighting universal elements of wonder and community during the winter season. Through both text and illustrations, the book captures the anticipation and magic that characterize the Christmas holiday.

Parents and teachers praise this collection of seven holiday stories for Brett's detailed illustrations and traditional Christmas themes. Readers note the nordic and winter animal motifs throughout create a cozy atmosphere. Multiple reviews mention using it as an advent calendar, reading one story each night. Readers liked: - Intricate border artwork that tells parallel stories - Culturally diverse holiday celebrations - Stories work for ages 3-10 - Durable binding holds up to repeated readings Readers disliked: - Some stories run long for younger children - Text density varies between stories - High price point compared to individual Brett books Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (421 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (168 ratings) One teacher reviewer noted: "The illustrations draw children in - they spot new details each time we read it." A parent commented: "The Ukrainian and Swedish holiday traditions add depth beyond standard Christmas stories."

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg A train journey to the North Pole unfolds through detailed illustrations and Christmas magic.

The Night Before Christmas by Charles Santore This interpretation of the classic poem features intricate artwork depicting Victorian-era Christmas scenes.

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett A Nordic tale follows young Teeka as she prepares Santa's reindeer for Christmas Eve, with detailed borders showing parallel storylines.

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Robert Sabuda Pop-up paper sculptures bring the traditional Christmas carol to life with white paper engineering against colored backgrounds.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski A woodcarver's story of loss and healing intertwines with the creation of a Christmas nativity set.

🎄 Jan Brett has illustrated over 40 children's books, and her unique artistic style features intricate borders containing subplots that often predict upcoming events in the story. 🎨 The detailed illustrations in the Treasury were inspired by Brett's extensive travels to places like Scandinavia, Austria, and the Arctic, where she researches architecture, costumes, and landscapes. 📚 This Treasury combines seven of Brett's beloved holiday stories, including "The Wild Christmas Reindeer" and "The Night Before Christmas," into one collection totaling 256 pages. 🖌️ Brett's signature artistic technique involves using watercolors and gouache, creating rich, dimensional illustrations that take up to a month to complete for a single two-page spread. 🌲 Many of the winter scenes in the Treasury were influenced by Brett's own experiences living in New England, where she keeps an extensive garden and various animals that often appear as characters in her books.