Old Father Christmas

by Berlie Doherty, Maria Teresa Meloni (Illustrator), Juliana Horatia Ewing (Based on a story by)

The joyful, red-faced, wooly Father Christmas calls on an expectant boy and his sister and decks the house with a fine tree and a bounty of toys in this old-fashioned holiday tale, complete with evocative, detailed illustrations.

Genres: Christmas, Childrens, Fiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Berlie Doherty née Hollingsworth is an English novelist, poet, playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for children's books, for which she has twice won the Carnegie Medal.She has also written novels for adults, plays for theatre and radio, television series and libretti for children's opera.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story captures the magic of two children who believe in Father Christmas, and mistakenly identify an old villager for the legendary gift giver. There is a very subtle sense of the adults in the household hurrying up their timeline in order to match the children's expectations. It's also an interesting look into the traditions of a Christmas in the English countryside.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love picture books that take more time to read but contain beautiful, subtle messages. The story is one of the simple beauty and magic of Christmas from a child's perspective.

[Vcmc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming story, re-told by Berlie Doherty with lovely warm illustrations. What happens when two young children meet Old Father Christmas?