The Twelve Days of Christmas - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1567923003 ISBN 13: 9781567923001

Publisher: David R. Godine, Publisher, 2005

Synopsis

On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

So begins one of the best-loved songs of the yuletide season. Its verses celebrate the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, when the three Magi presented the baby Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh - the very first Christmas gifts.

Drawing inspiration from centuries-old illuminated manuscripts, Caldecott honor-medalist Ilse Plume here creates an Italian Renaissance setting for the lyrics of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Twice a resident of Florence, her soul "forever touched by the rays of Tuscan sunlight," she has pored over numerous books of hours, bestiaries, and miniatures in search of imagery that might "convey the atmosphere, both tangible and intangible, of a particular time and place": a Florentine garden of the late fifteenth century. Plume's exquisite images, created in gouache and colored pencil, are rich in royal purple and gold, glowing vermilion and verdant green. In each, a beautiful, shy, young noblewoman with magnificent yellow tresses graciously receives a gift from her handsome Romeo: a brown partridge in a fruit-laden tree, two turtledoves in a golden cage ... and, finally, twelve lords a-leaping, in the form of twelve ornamental figures for the lady's Christmas tree.

Plume writes in an artist's note that "I hope that the reader, in turning the pages of my book, will feel the sense of tranquility that he or she would have felt wandering through a Renaissance garden." Many readers will feel exactly that as they lose themselves in this quietly brilliant gem of bookmaking, a gift book that celebrates the joys of gift-giving.

Includes sheet music and lyrics for the home musician.

About this title

About the Author:

Ilse Plume is a collector and illustrator of traditional songs and folktales from around the world. She is also the illustrator The Farmer in the Dell (also by Godine

From School Library Journal:

Plume has drawn on her studies of old manuscripts, books of hours, miniatures, and bestiaries, plus her knowledge of Italy to produce a rich tribute to the Italian Renaissance. Paintings, as if executed on old vellum or parchment, depict a young woman in fancy dress and her true love resplendent in garden and household settings enjoying each day's gifts. The text, variously framed, is surrounded by flower embellishments, birds, vines, and other natural bits. Jan Brett's illustrations (Putnam, 1986) have more storytelling appeal; and Irene Trivas' energetic prose version, Emma's Christmas: An Old Song (Orchard, 1988), is more fun. Plume's near-trademark use of purple, gilt, and a full palette of colors makes this an elegant , if somewhat stiff, presentation of the song. Words and music with piano accompaniment and guitar chords in the key of F are included.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: David R. Godine, Publisher
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1567923003
• ISBN 13: 9781567923001
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Plume Ilse