El festín de Navidad

by Nathalie Dargent, Magali Le Huche (Illustrations), Júlia Carvajal Sanchez (Translation)

When the wolf, fox, and weasel decide to have a Christmas feast, they don’t beat around the bush when they head out to steal a turkey to bring back home. But, they aren’t sure where to look since Mrs. Pava has very clear ideas about how the holidays should be.  The turkey has to be tiny enough to fit into the burrow!

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Animals, Humor, Childrens, Holiday, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2013

Reviews

[madame Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

j’ai aimé et j’ai trouvé ça si drôle! cette Dinde, elle en a des idées derrière la tête pour arriver à ses fins 😂. vraiment, c’est une histoire assez comique et originale!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 10 stars if I could! The writing is sharp and clever, the story engaging, and that turkey is my new role model.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas is coming and burrowmates Fox, Weasel, and Wolf have decided they want a nice turkey dinner for their holiday feast. Clever Fox goes off to steal a turkey and brings back one that looks good. But when Turkey sees the mess in the burrow, she insists that they clean it up, and oversees the job they do. When dinner time arrives, Turkey wants to know what they made for her to eat. After all, don't they want to fatten her up before eating her? After dinner, the four of them play cards and have a great time. And so it goes on like this with Turkey making demands and Fox, Weasel, and Wolf complying until Christmas Eve. How are they going to cook her, Turkey wants to know and tells them that she would liked to be flambéed. But the three friends have hemed and hawed about the idea of cooking Turkey because they really don't want to lose their new friend. Seeing their discomfort, Turkey suggests that they spend the next year fattening her up for a really great feast. And so year after year, the four friends renew this arrangement of fatten Turkey up for the next year's Christmas feast, living a happy life in a joyful burrow in the meantime. But, uh-oh! Take a close look at that last picture of Turkey sitting in her rocking chair and reading a cookbook. Don't you just love a trickster tale? Especially a Christmas trickster tale? I know I do and I just loved the dry humor of this story translated from the French and originally called Le Festin de Noël. The fun cartoon style illustrations are just delightfully perfect for this story and, I know it is going to be a holiday favorite in my house for years to come.

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alors... je ne m'attendais pas du tout à cette fin... Excellent !

[Recensioni in tre parole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arguto. Singolare. Divertente.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Fox steals a turkey for his Christmas feast, he doesn't realize that he has more than met his match. Tricky, tricky Turkey! Turkey is not only tricky but very bossy and events transpire differently than expected. Readers catch on to what is happening sooner than Fox, but this is still a very fun book to share or read independently.

[Erik M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is cute. There's not really any other way to describe it. The story is cute, the art is cute, and Turkey is a great character. Not only is she able to teach the fox, wolf, and weasel manners and how to tidy up and prepare for Christmas, she also swindles them at cards and convinces them, year by year, that she's not quite fattened up enough for them to eat her. I think that this would be great for young children, especially with respect to conversations that this book opens up about friendship.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute holiday twist on a trickster tale - a turkey trickster!

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't like clever poultry?

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wolf, the fox and the weasel decide that this year they will have a Christmas feast. Fox stole a turkey from the farm, but the plan didn’t quite work out after that. Once at the fox’s house, the turkey started telling the fox how he should prepare for the Christmas feast. The first step was cleaning up a bit. Turkey then asked for dinner, but it turned out that none of the others could cook. So Turkey made them a delicious stew from ingredients they foraged. That night they played cards and had a great time, even giving Turkey the best spot to sleep. The next day, Turkey made them all breakfast and then over the next few days, they decorated for Christmas. Finally on Christmas Eve, Turkey announced it was time for them to cook her, she requested to be flambeed. The friends dodged the question, but Turkey had the perfect solution in the end, one that worked for Christmas and the seasons that followed.

This Christmas story is a great twist on trickster tales of creatures being captured to be eaten and then tricking their captors into allowing them to escape. Here, there is a true friendship that is created on the pages, with Turkey enjoying their time together just as much as the others. It works because Turkey is entirely in charge from the very time she enters their home. She may be demanding, but she also provides for them, cares for them and makes their days better.

The art is cartoony and clear. The art has a sense of merriment throughout, showcasing Turkey as she leads the group of predators, creating a happy home for them all. There are small details throughout their home that are worth exploring, especially as the home changes with Turkey’s influence.

This is a book that will work well shared aloud in a holiday story time or around the Christmas tree. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

[coala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wie sich die Weihnachtsgans vor dem Ofen rettete von Nathalie Dargent ist eine charmante und humorvolle Geschichte, die perfekt in die Weihnachtszeit passt. Als Leser wird man sofort in die skurrile Situation hineingezogen, in der die Weihnachtsgans Henriette alles versucht, um ihrem Schicksal als Festtagsbraten zu entkommen.

Die Handlung ist einfach, aber clever erzählt und von herrlich witzigen Dialogen geprägt. Besonders Henriettes Einfallsreichtum und der schlaue Wortwitz machen das Buch zu einem großen Vergnügen, nicht nur für Kinder. Die Illustrationen von Magali Le Huche sind farbenfroh und voller Leben, was die Geschichte noch greifbarer macht. Neben dem Humor vermittelt das Buch auch wichtige Botschaften über Mitgefühl, Freundschaft und den Wert des Lebens. Gerade in der heutigen Zeit, in der der Konsum oft im Mittelpunkt steht, regt die Geschichte dazu an, bewusster mit den Dingen und Wesen um uns herum umzugehen.

Diese Weihnachtsgeschichte ist perfekt für Familien, die zusammen lachen und nachdenken möchten. Sie bietet eine erfrischende Perspektive auf traditionelle Feiertagsrituale und zeigt, dass wahre Weihnachtsfreude aus unerwarteten Wendungen entstehen kann.

[Julie Fortenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Trickster tale about a fox, a weasel and a wolf who steal a turkey for a Christmas feast. The clever turkey quickly takes charge. It’s set up like an Aesops fable (maybe it is?), wryly told, with great personalities, facial expressions, and details. The turkey becomes a friend who turns the house into a cheerful home. There’s a nice little twist at the very end that, if you prefer a cozy ending, you can ignore. (Or maybe not.)

Thank you to Eerdmans for the review copy.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so funny and so creative in the story-line. I thought for sure this book was going to turn out into what Gingerbread stories are usually are. But it's not. The illustrations are simple as are the words. This book I believe would be good for younger elementary age kids. It's a cute story and worth checking out. Also it's really easy to read out loud and not to Christmassy for those who do not celebrate Christmas. The twist at the end is amazing!

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordy but entertaining. Fox, Wolf and Weasel steal a turkey for Christmas dinner. Turkey nags them to clean up their bachelor pad, then takes over running the household. She says she needs to be fattened up before the Christmas Feast and starts cooking them fantastic meals. When Christmas arrives, the guys they like having her around and don't eat her. Funny, if you don't mind dated gender roles, though I'm pretty sure my kids don't get the joke.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cheeky, very cute Christmas picture book, about a wolf, a fox, and a weasel who steal a turkey to eat on Christmas, but the turkey turns out to be quite bossy. She makes their house a home, and naturally they don't eat her at Christmas, but instead have gained a life-long friend. Would be a very cute readaloud in the library, if it weren't for the Christmas aspect.

[Sourimak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mon livre coup de cœur de Noël ! Une histoire fraîche et drôle qui montre bien que le dindon de la farce n'est pas toujours une dinde. Les dessins en font un album moderne, peu habituel dans les livres de Noël plus classiques. Néanmoins il donne très envie de profiter de la période de l'Avent pour prépare Noël avant le grand jour !

[Anne Wi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was super cute. It is about a group of forest friends that steal a turkey with the intent of making her their Christmas dinner. But that doesn't happen, instead the friends make a new friend in her and learn valuable life lessons from her.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fox, Wolf, and Weasel want to eat Turkey for Christmas.....but Turkey has other ideas. After all, if you keep someone busy enough and if they grow attached to you, maybe Turkey won't get eaten after all.

Not a favorite but I didn't dislike it either.

[Cindy Dobrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I still love any story in which the turkey outwits those who want to eat her. The illustrations are delightful, too. I loved this one.

[Paul Graham Terpstra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book, it was so funny yet also thoughtful. The ending is not what you’d expect.

[Cathy Mealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wry, witty and hysterically funny - this is the holiday book that I did not know I needed!

[Gina Zappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable and hilarious!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it. Thought it was clever and funny. Reminded me of My Lucky Day.

[Desi Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute!!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny...that turkey was very clever.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll have to try myself some fox, wolf and weasel sometime...

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weasel, fox, and wolf steal a turkey to eat for Christmas, but the turkey ends up being more clever than them and convinces them not to eat her for at least another year.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute- very funny- this is one I think kids will really appreciate.

[Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great way to show bigotry and racism and turn it on it's head by just getting to know a being. Funny how that works.

[Marcia Van Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny