Christmas Legends From Around the World: Uncovering Characters and Myths That Make Special Worldwide - Krampus to Lesser-Known

Twenty Christmas legends from around the world, retold for the youngest readers and brought to life in full color.Long before Santa Claus, families across Europe and beyond told stories of the strange and wonderful beings who visit at Christmas. Christmas Legends from Around the World introduces children aged 3 to 6 to twenty of them, one character at a time, in short read-aloud chapters, each paired with a full-page illustration.Who children will meet:The gift-bringers: Saint Nicholas of Myra, whose kindness became the story of Santa Claus; Ded Moroz and Snegurochka the Snow Maiden from Russia; Julemanden from Denmark; Olentzero, the Basque charcoal maker who comes down from the mountains; La Befana, the Italian witch who fills stockings on Epiphany; and the Three Wise Men.The watchful ones: Krampus from the Alps; Knecht Ruprecht and Belsnickel from Germany; Perchta, "the bright one" of Alpine tradition; Lutzelfrau; the Kallikantzaros of Greece; and Gryla, the Icelandic ogress.Animals and household helpers: the Icelandic Yule Cat, who checks whether you have new clothes; the Nordic Yule Goat, who once pulled Thor's chariot; the Swedish Tomte, who guards the farm in exchange for a bowl of porridge; Santa's reindeer; and Catalonia's Caganer.What makes this one different. Most Christmas-around-the-world books for this age tour countries and customs: the food, the songs, the gift-giving. This one is built around the characters. Each spread is a who's-who entry with a name, a country, and the odd, memorable detail children actually repeat afterwards: the cat with glowing eyes, the goat that knocks over the tree, the maiden whose laughter makes snow fall.Written to be read aloud. Every legend stands alone in a few short paragraphs, so it can be finished in one sitting, used as a December countdown, or dipped into at random. Bright, friendly illustrations keep the folklore wonder-filled rather than frightening: the figures that unsettle in grown-up folklore books are gentle here, which makes the collection usable with preschool and early elementary groups, in a multicultural holiday collection, or at bedtime.From Iceland to Greece, from the Basque mountains to the Russian winter, this is a first window on how other families celebrate. It builds curiosity about other cultures while keeping the magic of Christmas alive, and it answers the question children ask every December: is Santa Claus the same everywhere?A square 8.25-inch picture book, printed in full color throughout. Part of the Little Curious Minds series of illustrated books for curious young readers.