How Six Found Christmas

by Trina Schart Hyman

Softcover

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Fantasy, Animals, Fiction

27 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Trina Schart Hyman (April 8, 1939 – November 19, 2004) was an American illustrator of children's books. She illustrated over 150 books, including fairy tales and Arthurian legends.

She won the 1985 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing Saint George and the Dragon, retold by Margaret Hodges.

Reviews

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to take a needle, prick my finger and leave a drop of blood with the gate keeper at the library dungeon to acquire this. Then my daughters and I had to fall in love with it, only to discover that it's out of print and super expensive to purchase a smudged, used copy from Amazon.

Grrrr. . . don't ever tell a devoted book lover that she can't have a certain title. I wish I had owned this as a child. I'd never have let my copy go, and it would be right there on our bookshelf, next to all of our other Trina Schart Hyman treasures.

I'd never take the library copy. That would be unethical. Plus, they have my blood on file. Dang it!

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sensory Christmas experience.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little girl who had never heard of Christmas, until a wise old woman told her of it, decides that she must find out more about this mysterious holiday in this small picture-book, setting out into the Great Snow Forest of the North to look for it. On her journey she is joined first by a cat who is curious as to what a Christmas feels like, and then by a hound who wants to know what it smells like, a hawk who wishes to know what it looks like, a fox that would like to know what it tastes like, and a mockingbird who wants to know what it sounds like. When the companions find an old glass bottle in the snow, they think that they have found a "Christmas," and curiosity satisfied, they all head home. It is only when the girl gets home, fills the bottle with greenery, and sees it lit by starlight, that she truly discovers what Christmas is...

Originally published in 1969, and then reprinted in this 1991 edition, How Six Found Christmas is an engaging little holiday tale, one which has little to do with Christmas as a religious holiday, and everything to do with its observance as a winter festival. The format is reminiscent of a folktale, as the little girl picks up a coterie of followers along the way, each one with a different question to be answered. Picked up largely because I enjoy Trina Schart Hyman's artwork, this is a book that probably won't be going on to my list of favorite Christmas stories, but I did enjoy it as an exploration of the idea that the journey is as important as the end. Recommended to fellow fans of Hyman's, with the further recommendation that they pick up Louise Moeri's Star Mother's Youngest Child , which Hyman also illustrated.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magical fable that's working on my subconscious. This is the second time I've read it. Definitely original; no easy tropes, nothing turns out as expected... but there's just *something* that makes this a treasure for the right readers. (Though I can see how it would be boring for those who don't feel a connection with it.)

TSH is one of my favorite artists: here she uses a freer, gentler touch, with less intricacy in most images... it's fascinating to see the different styles she mastered over the course of her career.

[Olivia]

Cute!

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was enchanting. How would you go about finding Christmas if you didn't know what it was? And how would you tell others about it? Six friends go on a bit of adventure and find "Christmas is not only where you find it; it's what you make of it."

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting to love this. The pictures were as gorgeous as I was expecting, but the story felt slight and I was disappointed.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this illustrator-author's work, and this is no exception. The six are: The Girl, The Cat, The Dog, The Hawk, The Fox, and The Mockingbird. The Girl begins the search for "a Christmas" because she doesn't know what one is and is curious. She sets out from her home in the woods to find one. Along the way she meets each animal and they accompany her. Each animal wants to experience the Christmas in a different way: The Cat wants to feel it, The Dog to smell, The Hawk to see, The Fox to taste, and The Mockingbird to hear. After many days they find a green bottle and each decides that it is "a Christmas". The Girl takes it home and fills it with evergreen swags and red berries. "And lo! It was Christmas."
"Christmas is not only wherey you find it;
it's what you make of it." ~TSH
The pencil illustrations with minimal color are charming, the story like a fable. I would recommend reading this each year at Christmas.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 1 out of 5]

A lot of boring repetition that pays off not at all.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic holiday tale is introduced to a new generation in this beautiful gift edition. A young girl who has never experienced Christmas sets out to find it in the snowy forest. Along the way she encounters five animals who join her in the search. The cat wonders what Christmas feels like, the dog what it smells like, the hawk what it looks like, the fox what it tastes like, and the mockingbird what it sounds like. In the end the six find a green glass bottle in the snow that they agree is beautiful and must be Christmas. The girl takes it home and fills it with berries and greenery “And lo!It Was Christmas! Christmas is not only where you find it, it’s what you make of it.” The lovely illustrations in monochromatic tones of grey with pops of red, brown and green perfectly complement this quiet story. A must have for all collections. This edition is also available in Spanish. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Trina Schart Hyman re-release of How Six Found Christmas (originally published in 1969) is a beautiful fairy tale of a little girl who endeavors to find "Christmas." With an ever-increasing entourage of animals - reminiscent of those musicians en route to Bremen - she explores the forest for two straight days before finding a "Christmas." The glass bottle in the snow that the group has identified as "Christmas" is described by each seeker in terms one could aptly apply to the holiday too. The story ends with a message that Christmas is what you make it; even though the little girl didn't learn about the holiday in the traditional sense, she underwent a magi-like quest for understanding and for satisfying a deep-seated need for truth. How Six Found Christmas is a beautiful Christmas tale in every way.

[Connie Ehrnschwender · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book was published in 1969. It’s illustrated and written by Trina Schart Hyman. (1939 – 2004)
It appears to be early in her career judging from the illustrations. I found it to be a delightful way to hear her voice and see the style of her earlier drawing. I recommend it to all Trina Schafer Hyman fans!

[Shane Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently discarded this book from my library collection at my school. I found it to be a lovely read about the meaning of Christmas using the senses. I am going to add the copy to my personal library for later when I have grandchildren to read it to at Christmas.

[Gina House · Rating 3 out of 5]

A splendidly illustrated book about a curious girl and animal friends she finds along the way to find Christmas. The story is short and pleasant. It would be a lovely read-out-loud book for a school age child. Not quite as interesting to read for an adult, but still enjoyable.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, though it's a weird story. I figured it would have more of a "Christmas is all of these things" ending, and it did have a kind of "Christmas is what you make of it" feel, but it was a bit lacking.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading older Christmas or Hanukkah books in December is such a pleasure, and here is another, this time a short chapter book, written and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, also like her others, a delight!

[Juliana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations were incredibly sweet but the story was a bit weak. In my opinion it was completely void of any hint of the spiritual meaning behind Christmas.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute story and I loved the artwork throughout.

[Monica Tomasello · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is nice, but it's the sweet illustrations that make this book for me.

[Laurel Zeisler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice illustrations.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable pictures

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute illustrations, otherwise unremarkable.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read How Six Found Christmas many times but have never been diligent enough to add it to my Goodreads list.
This lovely early work of the spectacular Trina Schart Hyman has very little to do with the holiday, but as Trina was Jewish one can see it comes from her point of view. I remember a story where she regularly attended a church in her town and one Christmas the Pastor told her she couldn't properly celebrate because she wasn't a Christian. It offended Trina and I've no doubt her experience had something to do with this book. Trina is one of my heroes so of course it saddens me she didn't understand the meaning of that man's words. However this is a book review, not a biographical treatise, so...
The book itself is pretty straightforward with big-hearted meaning and lyrical language characteristic of mid-century picture books. The darling little 2-color illustrations are typical of her early work: detailed and deceptively simple. The book's ending might be a surprise, but it makes me smile nonetheless, drawing on a more Germanic tradition with an authentic open-ended, near-miss, fairy-tale style ending. It is a pleasure to own.

[JaNeal · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I must warn you that this book is out of print. If you can find it in a library, it is a fun and easy read. Mostly, I was brought in by the simple structure of this book--a little girl and five animals who set out to find "a Christmas." Each tries to find a Christmas using their most relevant sense--a cat uses touch, a dog uses smell, a hawk uses sight, a fox uses taste, and a mockingbird uses sound. They all find what they think must be a Christmas ( a green glass bottle), but it is the girl who uses her heart and truly does find a Christmas.

A very simple read with darling illustrations. The author/illustrator is a Caldecott Medal winner and two-time Caldecott Honor winner.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This small book is filled with lovely images and wisdom.

A young girl never heard of Christmas and thus began a trek to find it.

Believing that Christmas could be found in the great snow forest, she walked many miles through the snow. Along the way, various wildlife creatures accompany her.

In the end, the girl learns that "Christmas is not only where you find it; it's what you make of it."

The illustrations are lovely!

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet little tale of one little girl and five animals looking for "Christmas"-- something they had heard of but not about, and had no idea what it looked, sounded, smelled, felt, or tasted like. Depicted in the always-amazing illustrations of Trina Schart Hyman. Do they find Christmas? Well, there's a twist. Nice folktale rhythm.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations enough to give this book four stars, however, I agree with some of the other reviewers, that I am disappointed that there is no spiritual dimension to this child's search for Christmas, and only finds it in a green bottle.

[Jo Bailey]

I was expecting more from this story written in 1968. The Six are hunting Christmas. What is it? What does it look like? What does it smell like? What does it feel like? What does it taste like? And the conclusion is an empty glass bottle with a few berries and sprigs of greenery??? Disappointed.

[Ryan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, quiet book about a girl's search for Christmas. How do you search for an idea? What should serve as the end? While Trina Schart Hyman's ending may not be how I would define Christmas, I think the simplicity and beauty of the search and the result is enough to warm solitary hearts.