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First Noel
This magical Christmas carousel tells the story of the Nativity through five exquisite cut-out silhouettes with words from the King James Bible.
5 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2004
32 people want to read
About the author
Jan Pieńkowski
221 books49 followersJan Michel Pieńkowski is a Polish-born British illustrator and author of children's books. He is probably best known for his Meg and Mog books with writer Helen Nicoll and for his pop-up books, including Haunted House (winner of the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal), Robot, Dinner Time, Good Night and seventeen others.
Pieńkowski illustrated his first book at the age of eight, as a present for his father. During World War II, Pieńkowski's family moved about Europe, finally settling in Herefordshire, England in 1946. He attended the Cardinal Vaughan School in London, and later read English and Classics at King's College, Cambridge.
After leaving university Pieńkowski founded the Gallery Five greeting cards company. He began illustrating children's books in his spare time, but soon found the work taking over all his time. He began working with children's author Joan Aiken in 1968; he later won the first of two Kate Greenaway Medals in 1972 for his illustrations for Aiken's The Kingdom Under the Sea.
Pieńkowski has had a life-long interest in stage design. He was commissioned to provide designs for Theatre de Complicite, Beauty and the Beast for the Royal Ballet, and Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland Paris.
In 2005 Pienkowski contracted a civil partnership with David Walser, with whom he has been in a relationship for over forty years.
Pienkowski suffers from bipolar disorder.
Pieńkowski illustrated his first book at the age of eight, as a present for his father. During World War II, Pieńkowski's family moved about Europe, finally settling in Herefordshire, England in 1946. He attended the Cardinal Vaughan School in London, and later read English and Classics at King's College, Cambridge.
After leaving university Pieńkowski founded the Gallery Five greeting cards company. He began illustrating children's books in his spare time, but soon found the work taking over all his time. He began working with children's author Joan Aiken in 1968; he later won the first of two Kate Greenaway Medals in 1972 for his illustrations for Aiken's The Kingdom Under the Sea.
Pieńkowski has had a life-long interest in stage design. He was commissioned to provide designs for Theatre de Complicite, Beauty and the Beast for the Royal Ballet, and Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland Paris.
In 2005 Pienkowski contracted a civil partnership with David Walser, with whom he has been in a relationship for over forty years.
Pienkowski suffers from bipolar disorder.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 2, 2020
This was really fun to look through. Five double page spreads of double layered white cut out pages show scenes from the nativity story with a red background. The images are really striking and look quite dramatic with a light underneath the book (I used a phone light and resisted the urge to try a candle)
This is a very enjoyable sight, I would liked to have seen more pages but this was a very interesting and entertaining sight.
This is a very enjoyable sight, I would liked to have seen more pages but this was a very interesting and entertaining sight.
December 30, 2015
I liked: the gorgeous pop-up artwork...
she liked:...and so did she!
she liked:...and so did she!
August 25, 2014
So stunningly beautiful.
August 16, 2025
This is truly a work of beautiful art! Happy holidays!
January 4, 2022
As I am putting away my Christmas things, I wanted to add a review for this lovely book. We are big Robert Sabuda fans, so adding another paper cut book to our collection was an easy choice. This one is unique in that it opens up and the covers tie together to create a full circle decorative piece that is beautiful from all sides with each page open to depict a scene from the Nativity story. Each page is done on pure white car stock with a red background and a scalloped gold trim.
August 5, 2022
Absolutely beautiful and stunning. One verse from the Bible for each cutout scene narrating the story of Christ's birth.
November 15, 2008
Stunning example of paper engineering!
November 4, 2008
Amazingly detailed pop-out pages, all in white.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews