“ Why, you have a hook,” the man said. “That’s good. I will put you on the top.” What man could this be? Well, if you know The Tub People’s Christmas by Pam Conrad and illustrated by Richard Egielski, you would know who the man is.
I first discovered the Tub People when I bought The Tub Grandfather in a bookstore. Next, I discovered the first one, The Tub People. Finally, Tub People’s Christmas. I read these three to my students every year around the holidays.
There is something magical and special about this book. The Tub Child is asked to hold a hook given to him by his grandfather and is asked to “stand guard.” What follows is pure delight as a man in a red suit comes down the chimney and proceeds to decorate a Christmas tree. All the Tub People are gently placed on the tree while the Tub Child is amazed at everything.
The illustrations are gorgeous. Egielski has illustrated Jazper, Hey, Al, and The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin. The Gingerbread Boy and Itsy, Bitsy Spider are among the over 50 titles his work is featured in.
Pam Conrad is no longer with us. She passed away in 1996. What is especially poignant is she is an angel pictured at the beginning and end of Tub Christmas. Pam wrote Prairie Songs, The Lost Sailor (with Egielski again), Zoe Rising and Pedro’s Journal. Her book Our House: Stories of Levittown was a Newbery Medal finalist.
If you were like me, once you read one , you have to have the other two.
(*note that clicking the cover image will take you directly to that book's amazon page)
Wonderful!
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