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Christmas Treasury
A brilliantly illustrated compilation provides a collection of seven holiday tales for readers of all ages, including "The Mitten" and "The Night Before Christmas." 150,000 first printing.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2001
6 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
Jan Brett
114 books1,031 followersWith over thirty three million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."
Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
--from www.janbrett.com
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."
Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
--from www.janbrett.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 25, 2019
An incredibly beautiful book! The stories are quaint and lovely but the illustrations are exquisite! A very enjoyable read! 🎄🎅🏻
December 8, 2008
This contains SEVEN of her stories, so if you are a big fan and want to have all the books in one place and maybe save some money off individually ordering, this is a great way to go.
"The Mitten"--Very, very cute little Christmas critters, beginning with a mouse and moving up to a bear, all try to fit into a little boy's lost mitten. I did find it a bit sad that they couldn't stay there, though.
"The Wild Christmas Reindeer"--I think this is one of her most popular tales. I liked it okay--a good "moral" about kindness, especially in a teacher! I thought it a bit odd that the reindeer had names like Twilight and Tundra instead of Dasher and Dancer; a few children might be bothered by this. Also, Teeka has very short blond hair and, while she is very cute, she does look rather like a boy which also might perplex a few kids (honestly, I thought it was a story about a boy, based on the cover art!) The border drawings are a cute countdown-to-Christmas showing elves making toys each day of December to the 25th.
"Trouble with Trolls"--I absolutely LOVED the border art for this one; a little hedgehog wanders down into the troll house and plays with some of their toys, sleeps in their bed, etc. Too precious! The main story, about a girl and her dog trying to get over the mountain (and past the trolls!) to see their cousin is kind of a clever little story; the girl must give something to each troll, a hat, mitten, scarf, etc. in order to keep them from stealing her dog. How will she handle things when she has nothing left to give...!?
"Twelve Days of Christmas"--Artwork to the song lyrics. I'm not a big fan of the people in the artwork, but a nice collection of images overall and very Victorian-feel.
"The Hat"--Features a hedgehog so how could I not love it!? Well, the artwork was darling but I wasn't really wowed by the story--it was a bit bland and the ending was rather abrupt and I'm not really sure what the ultimate lesson was.
"Christmas Trolls"--I think this is my favorite as, this time, our little friend (from the "Trouble with Trolls") finds the trolls have been stealing her Christmas decorations in order to make themselves a Christmas. At first, she is upset but then she actually befriends trolls when she sees how much they want to have Christmas. A very sweet story of friendship, sacrifice, understanding and the rewards of it all. (And, yes, there is a hedgehog!)
"The Night Before Christmas"--so many versions of this and I didn't feel hers was anything "special."
I really want to love Jan Brett and I am absolutely enchanted with some of her artwork. I love the Scandinavian influences, and especially her affinity for hedgehogs (since I love them, too!) However, a few of the stories are a bit bland, and I also am not always a fan of how she paints her humans—a few of the expressions just seem a bit "much" (don't really come off as being cute and are, instead, a bit scary!) Still, these have a lot of charm and appeal and I liked the collection, overall.
December 8, 2019
The Mitten. A classic, when my sons were little we enjoyed this, it doesn't do much for me now.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer. I loved getting to know the individual reindeer and how they interacted with one another, why they had to be treated with *understanding* and respect, not just kindness.
Trouble with Trolls. Thank goodness this stupid dog has such a clever mistress.
The Twelve Days of Christmas. Ty Jan for honoring tradition w/ Colly Birds, as in Coal-colored. And seeing "Merry Christmas" in a bunch of different languages was fun (though a Key would be nice). And using owls w/ bells is a neat idea to make the five rings more interesting.
The Hat. skipped, read separately.
Christmas Trolls. Treva and Tuffi are back, and our girl reveals herself to be not only clever and brave, but very very kind. I like that these are told in first person. Brett has trouble with narration sometimes, but using the pov of the mc improves the readability of the story.
The Night Before Christmas. It looks like an American setting this time, and Brett doesn't seem entirely comfortable in it. Her reindeer are absolutely gorgeous, though. And I like the different ornaments for the tree.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer. I loved getting to know the individual reindeer and how they interacted with one another, why they had to be treated with *understanding* and respect, not just kindness.
Trouble with Trolls. Thank goodness this stupid dog has such a clever mistress.
The Twelve Days of Christmas. Ty Jan for honoring tradition w/ Colly Birds, as in Coal-colored. And seeing "Merry Christmas" in a bunch of different languages was fun (though a Key would be nice). And using owls w/ bells is a neat idea to make the five rings more interesting.
The Hat. skipped, read separately.
Christmas Trolls. Treva and Tuffi are back, and our girl reveals herself to be not only clever and brave, but very very kind. I like that these are told in first person. Brett has trouble with narration sometimes, but using the pov of the mc improves the readability of the story.
The Night Before Christmas. It looks like an American setting this time, and Brett doesn't seem entirely comfortable in it. Her reindeer are absolutely gorgeous, though. And I like the different ornaments for the tree.
December 1, 2019
These were all so cute and beautifully drawn. Jan Brett is so talented! My favorite story was Christmas Trolls, but they were all really sweet little stories with beautiful art.
December 29, 2024
This is one of the books I brought that I didn’t know what I was getting into! Never heard of the author and never seen her illustrations. What a surprise! The ideas and details are so beautiful! Highly recommend for winter holidays!
January 1, 2017
I borrowed this one from the library, but before I even finished reading all the stories with my son, I knew this would be a great book to have in our own collection. I'm looking forward to revisiting these stories in the future, and not necessarily just at Christmastime. While a few are clearly Christmas tales, others are more winter-themed. A beautifully illustrated collection of picture books.
December 15, 2014
stunning illustration. beautiful storytelling. Greta delights in this seasonal gem.
January 6, 2021
What a gorgeous book! It is full of amazing Scandinavian illustrations and heartwarming stories. We've very happily integrated this book into our family's annual Christmas celebrations.
April 17, 2023
Full review / all my reviews available on my blog
Why yes. It is an odd time of year to be reading a Christmas Treasury. But i has been insisting on stories out of this book over and over again, so I figured I might as well write it down. It’s a whole collection of the cute Christmas (or at least Winter) themed stories with the absolutely delightful illustrations that are Jan Brett’s trademark.
The individual stories:
The Mitten: The one I’ve read the most. Absurd in the way only children’s stories seem able to get away with. Best for younger readers.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer: A more ‘moral’ story about listening to those you work with. Fun to have a ‘different’ list of Reindeer than I ever heard growing up with.
Trouble with Trolls: Trolls keep trying to steal the dog; little girl keeps tricking them all the way up the mountain. Another cute story and great to see the little girl thinking her way out of trouble.
The Twelve Days of Christmas: The song. The art is delightful though.
The Hat: Perhaps too close a cousin to The Mitten (which I prefer). Cute enough though.
Christmas Trolls: Starts with the same tricksters as in Trouble With Trolls, ends up with a much more wholesome lesson about the ‘spirit of Christmas’. I enjoyed it.
The Night Before Christmas: The same story, nothing particularly special about this one. The art is nice though.
Why yes. It is an odd time of year to be reading a Christmas Treasury. But i has been insisting on stories out of this book over and over again, so I figured I might as well write it down. It’s a whole collection of the cute Christmas (or at least Winter) themed stories with the absolutely delightful illustrations that are Jan Brett’s trademark.
The individual stories:
The Mitten: The one I’ve read the most. Absurd in the way only children’s stories seem able to get away with. Best for younger readers.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer: A more ‘moral’ story about listening to those you work with. Fun to have a ‘different’ list of Reindeer than I ever heard growing up with.
Trouble with Trolls: Trolls keep trying to steal the dog; little girl keeps tricking them all the way up the mountain. Another cute story and great to see the little girl thinking her way out of trouble.
The Twelve Days of Christmas: The song. The art is delightful though.
The Hat: Perhaps too close a cousin to The Mitten (which I prefer). Cute enough though.
Christmas Trolls: Starts with the same tricksters as in Trouble With Trolls, ends up with a much more wholesome lesson about the ‘spirit of Christmas’. I enjoyed it.
The Night Before Christmas: The same story, nothing particularly special about this one. The art is nice though.
August 13, 2020
A treasury of seven classic picture books by Jan Brett for Christmas. Four of the tales "The Wild Christmas Reindeer," "The Twelve Days of Christmas," "Christmas Trolls," and "The Night Before Christmas" are clearly Christmas themed. While the other three "The Mitten," "Trouble with Trolls," and "The Hat" are more winter themed. All of them are beautifully illustrated and very enjoyable. Overall, a lovely collection.
November 25, 2018
First of all, it's Jan Brett, so the artwork is beautiful. These are six of her books appropriate to the season, although not all six are directly about Christmas. Several of her greatest hits are here. She's not always my favorite storyteller, to me they move kind of slow, but you could for sure lose yourself in this artwork.
February 15, 2019
Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury is such a beautiful book with colorful, detailed and intricate illustrations. It's a collection of 7 of her books, including her lovely interpretations of the Twelve Days of Christmas and The Night Before Christmas.
Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury would make a wonderful gift for the children in your life to become a life long treasure.
Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury would make a wonderful gift for the children in your life to become a life long treasure.
May 20, 2023
This book is so lovely. I admit I even like to read it when it's not Christmastime because it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! There's a nice assortment of stories which are all paced differently or are in a bit of a different style. There is a poem-style story and a song-story with sheet music included! And of course, beautiful pictures!
December 26, 2020
This was a present to me from me for Xmas and a beautiful book to enjoy on Christmas Day. I've been a fan of Jan Brett's illustrations since I was a bookseller and she published the Twelve Days of Christmas.
December 11, 2023
I read this as an adult so I could win an argument with my mother about the finer details of The Mitten. Her illustrations are still so beautiful as an adult and the side illustrations really make the story. As a child I wanted to live in the christmas trolls treehouse so badly!
December 25, 2023
Read out loud to my daughter. She's only a few months old but was attentive to the illustrations, which are very ornate in a Ukrainian folksy way. Illustrations heavily feature a hedgehog, which is a big plus.
January 5, 2026
How many stars can I give a book? -Dorothy
I want to give this book 10 stars. I loved it so much. My favorite stories were the troll stories, but I was thinking about the hat and mitten a lot. I even dreamt about me having a white mitten that got lost in the snow.
I want to give this book 10 stars. I loved it so much. My favorite stories were the troll stories, but I was thinking about the hat and mitten a lot. I even dreamt about me having a white mitten that got lost in the snow.
December 27, 2018
Jan Brett is one of my all-time favorite authors! I read them to my grandchildren often.
August 6, 2019
I loved this collection as a child and have had so much fun reading through all the stories again.
January 4, 2020
It's got cute stories I had forgotten I knew.
January 4, 2020
As always, Jan Brett's gorgeous illustrations steal the day. The Mitten and The Hat are two all time favorites. A beautiful, large book. Would make a nice gift for a preschooler.
July 8, 2021
A book for picturebooks readers. Waiting for the sequel.
January 25, 2024
Nice stories with Brett’s beautiful, detailed illustrations. However, the book is huge and very heavy so it would be difficult for children to handle.
December 2, 2024
A Treasury of some of my favorite Jan Brett winter stories. The Mitten, Trouble with Trolls and the Christmas Trolls.
December 15, 2024
Delightful stories (some original by Jan Brett & others old traditional tales). The artwork is extraordinary & fill the pages with wonder.
December 25, 2024
Beautiful illustrations. Wonderful, charming stories.
November 26, 2025
Gorgeous. On our wish list!
November 26, 2025
2001 - HB - children's book
April 8, 2011
Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury is a compilation of seven of Jan Brett’s books. It includes The Mitten, The Wild Christmas Reindeer, Trouble with Trolls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Hat, Christmas Trolls, and The Night Before Christmas. Many of the stories are centered around a common Christmas theme and include many foreign lands. These stories are full of beautiful illustrations. They are favorites and would be perfect for frequent read-alouds.
Instructional Ideas:
Sequencing: With the mitten, students can use their prediction skills to predict which animal will climb next into the mitten. The students can also practice their sequencing skills by creating a mitten and retelling the story by putting each animal into the mitten.
Dramatic Play: Many of the books featured in this story could be used to design a unique dramatic play area. Students could create a unique tree house are like the one in Christmas Trolls. They could also create a pretend sleigh like the real sleigh featured in The Night Before Christmas.
Gross Motor: Students could read The Trouble with Trolls and then learn about cross country skiing. They could learn the vocabulary associated with skiing and then spend time outside skiing.
Instructional Ideas:
Sequencing: With the mitten, students can use their prediction skills to predict which animal will climb next into the mitten. The students can also practice their sequencing skills by creating a mitten and retelling the story by putting each animal into the mitten.
Dramatic Play: Many of the books featured in this story could be used to design a unique dramatic play area. Students could create a unique tree house are like the one in Christmas Trolls. They could also create a pretend sleigh like the real sleigh featured in The Night Before Christmas.
Gross Motor: Students could read The Trouble with Trolls and then learn about cross country skiing. They could learn the vocabulary associated with skiing and then spend time outside skiing.
November 28, 2010
This book is truly a treasury of wintry tales; having thus written, I much prefer the individual books just because they are easier for little hands to hold. And what I really like are the "hardboard" editions so that little ones can easily handle the books without fear of torn pages. (I don't know what you call them actually - hardboard might be a made-up word; when I was little they were cloth books and I can still remember the joy in owning one or two. Today one can find them as 'hardboards').
Anything Jan Brett writes/illustrates is a treasure to behold, that's for certain.
Anything Jan Brett writes/illustrates is a treasure to behold, that's for certain.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews