Silent Night: A Christmas Carol Sampler

by Belinda Downes

Each double-page spread of this exquisite carol collection is adorned with the radiant embroidered fabric tapestries of Belinda Downes, a former artist-in-residence in England's royal court. Rich, luxuriant colors and delicate details capture all the anticipation and excitement of the season--and a special bronzing technique gives the artwork a shimmery, elegant quality.

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Christmas, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1995

About the author

Belinda Downes is a British children's author, book illustrator and embroidery artist. Born in 1962, she was educated at Loughborough College of Art, and worked in antique textile repair, and as a costume designer, before turning to illustration. She has exhibited her fabric and embroidery-based artwork in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and Japan.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple sheet music of Christmas carols for piano with each carol illustrated with an embroidered picture. I think this would have worked better as one carol illustrated as a story.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve classic Christmas carols are paired with illustrator Belinda Downes' patchwork quilt fabric art in this holiday picture book. The sheet music for the carols is displayed on the left-hand-side page of every two-page spread, across from full-page illustrations depicting the subject of each carol. The carols included are: Silent Night / O Christmas Tree / Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Ding Dong! Merrily on High / Away in a Manger / O Come All Ye Faithful / Angels We Have Heard on High / O Little Town of Bethlehem / Joy to the World! / Once in Royal David's City / The First Nowell / I Saw Three Ships.

Having enjoyed Belinda Downes' unique fabric artwork in Joan Aiken's picture book retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , and having learned that she also worked on a Christmas carol book—Christmas carol picture books being an annual holiday reading project of mine—I was quite excited to track this title down. Unfortunately, although I did enjoy the quilted artwork in Silent Night: A Christmas Carol Sampler, as someone who doesn't read music, my "reading" experience was somewhat wanting, and I found myself wishing that the stories in the carols had been retold, even if in abbreviated form, and paired with these visuals, rather than the sheet music. That being said, I decided to peruse this brief collection while listening to each of the carols, playing it while I examined each illustration in detail. When approached this way, the book ended up providing quite a pleasant reading experience, getting me into the holiday music spirit on my lunch break. I would recommend this one primarily to those interested in fabric art and illustration, or who are looking for illustrated Christmas carol music.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good songs and intriguing illustrations which look embroidered. My only complaint is that the musical scores don't provide the notes of the harmonies.

'O Christmas Tree' is just as boring a song as I remember it being when I sung it as a child. :P

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collectin of religious Christmas songs. The illustrations are done in embroidery, I believe, and are quite beautiful and unique.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traditional Christmas carols with sheet music, a couple that I didn't know. Really cool that the illustrations are needlework!