Friday, December 22, 2006

Answers to A New Christmas Book Quiz

The original post is here. Most of these books aren't Christmas books--I just picked out the holiday parts.

1. 'They have been a long time getting here,' said Anne, looking at the postmark on the brown paper. 'Poor little things, spending Christmas in a parcel.' 'They don't mind about Christmas,' said Nona quickly.....[like them], Nona had come from far away, and could feel for them.

Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, by Rumer Godden, about a lonely girl who makes a house for two Japanese dolls. The sequel is Little Plum.

2. On Christmas morning, the Plantaganets woke to hear real carol singers in the street outside. 'Peace and good will among men,' sang the carol singers. 'And among dolls,' said Mr. Plantaganet. 'I hope among dolls.'

The Doll's House, also by Rumer Godden. A slightly darker story about dolls-house dolls threatened by a sinister new arrival. I will warn you also (spoiler coming) that certain children have been somewhat traumatized by the "death" of one of the dolls; and some of the Amazon reviews are quite vehement about that. Just don't say I didn't warn you. --Also, I do know that "Plantaganet" is usually spelled "Plantagenet." But that's the way it's written in the book.

3. The rest of the fieldmice, perched in a row on the settle, their small legs swinging, gave themselves up to enjoyment of the fire, and toasted their chilblains till they tingled; while Mole, failing to draw them into easy conversation, plunged into family history and made each of them recite the names of his numerous brothers, who were too young, it appeared, to be allowed to go out a-carolling this year, but looked forward very shortly to winning the parental consent.

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame.

4. "We'll be lucky if we each get one present," said Susan. "Maybe we won't get any present at all," said Neddie. "Maybe Santa Claus won't be able to come, because it's snowing so hard...." "That doesn't make any difference to Santa Claus," said Betsy. "He always comes. Come on, let's help Santa Claus. Let's make presents."

Snowbound with Betsy, by Carolyn Haywood. One of the "B is for Betsy" series.

5. "My first fruitcake of the Christmas season, and already there are hungry Littles waiting to eat it all up. Why, I used one whole cherry and one walnut in this cake....And no one is going to get a bite until Christmas day."...."Heaven knows we'd have a skimpy Christmas around here without Aunt Lily," Mrs. Little said. [Note: even if you can't get the exact title of the book, can you get the right series?]

The Littles and the Trash Tinies, by John Peterson

6. Oliver looked at his stocking.
"This stocking is not big enough
for a fire truck and a football
and a storybook and six new games,"
he said. "I think I need a new one."
He saw the warm socks
that Father wore for shoveling snow.
"That is better," he said.
He hung up one of Father's socks.

Oliver and Amanda's Christmas, by Jean Van Leeuwen. One of the Oliver and Amanda Pig easy-to-read books, and a Christmas favourite here since the Apprentice was just about Amanda's size. (Grandma Squirrel and I made her a red dress to look like Amanda's.)

7. "Tomorrow will come Christmas," she told Charlotte, 'and we will put candles on the tree, ja, and in the windows, too, to make a light for the Christ Child." "Really and truly?" cried Charlotte. She had never heard anything so wonderful. Her family had a lovely party every New Year's Eve, which Mama and Papa called "Hogmanay" in the Scottish tradition. But they did not celebrate Christmas....All the next day, as she helped Mama scour the parlor floor with sand, Charlotte was thinking of that star and the tree and the wonderful cookies.

On Tide Mill Lane, by Melissa Wiley. One of "The Charlotte Years" Little House books. I just put that one in for fun because I thought some of Melissa's fans might catch it! You might have trouble finding one of the original editions, but please don't settle for the ones with the photographic covers--they're not the same.

8. One evening, just before Christmas, snow began falling. It covered house and barn and fields and woods. Wilbur had never seen snow before. When morning came he went out and plowed the drifts in his yard, for the fun of it. Fern and Avery arrived, dragging a sled. They coasted down the lane and out onto the frozen pond in the pasture.

Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White.

9. At last, the presents! So many, such wonderful presents! Emily opened a puppet John had made for her, a new dress from her parents, Harriet the Spy from Mr. Bloomfield and The Long Secret from Kate's mother, a hand mirror from Sophie, a five-cent package of Kleenex tissues and some Lifesavers from James. He had given everyone the same presents. "Two each," he boasted happily, basking in their laughter.

Look Through My Window, by Jean Little. A wonderful book about friendship and families. And books.

10. Mr. Titus's house was dark in front, but when they got out of the sleigh and tiptoed around the corner they saw the kitchen windows, warm and yellow, and in one of them, above the sash curtain, the old man's head, snowy as that of Santa Claus. He was working at something, wearing his spectacles....they began to sing: "God rest ye merry, Gentlemen / Let nothing you dismay..." Up came Mr. Titus's head, startled. He left his chair and now the kitchen door flew open. He stood there in the lighted rectangle, with Battledore rubbing herself against his ankles and Hambone wagging his old tail in the background. In his hand Mr. Titus held a sock: he had been mending. "Thank you. God bless you. Merry Christmas," he said when they had finished. "And now come in, and we will have a party!"

Spiderweb for Two, by Elizabeth Enright. The last of the Melendy family books.

Happy Reading!

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