The 12 Days of Christmas

by Greg Pizzoli, Greg Pizzoli (Illustrator)

Overview

In this bright, funny rendition of a favorite Christmas song, three-time Geisel-recipient Greg Pizzoli celebrates the cheerful chaos of holiday gift-giving!

It's holiday time — and at first, Elephant is delighted to get a gift. But as the twelve days of Christmas continue, presents pile precariously higher and higher! A partridge in a pear tree? Cute! But soon, Elephant's dad despairs. Two turtle doves? THREE French hens?! And just what are they supposed to do with ten lords a-leaping? Kids will love each silly spread in this raucous take on the classic carol that is perfect for reading aloud around the fireplace.


Don't miss these other favorites from Greg Pizzoli:
The Watermelon Seed
Good Night Owl
The Book Hog
Number 1 Sam
Templeton Gets His Wish
This Story is for You

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368003001
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 7.00(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 2 Years

About the Author

Greg Pizzoli is the creator of the Baloney & Friends series as well as a three-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Award recipient for The Watermelon Seed(Medal winner), The Book Hog (Honor book), and Good Night Owl (Honor book). He is also the author-illustrator of This Story Is for You, The 12 Days of Christmas, Templeton Gets His Wish, and Number One Sam. His nonfiction for children includes the New York Times Best Illustrated Book The Impossible True Story of Tricky Vic: The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower, and he has also illustrated picture books written by authors such as Mac Barnett, Kelly DiPucchio, Jennifer Adams, and Margaret Wise Brown. He lives in Philadelphia.

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/04/2017
A classic carol gets a dose of reality as Pizzoli (Good Night Owl) pokes fun at the material excess of the holidays. The gift giving starts small as a young elephant receives a partridge in a pear tree, delivered by an elephant wearing a Santa hat (an older sibling, perhaps). The elephant is delighted, but as additional gifts arrive—hens, geese, dancing cats, leaping frogs, and more—its parent reacts to the growing household chaos with a mix of bewilderment, disapproval, and anger. “Phew!” the adult elephant sighs, clutching a bag of bulk birdseed during the (brief) reprieve of “five golden rings.” The parental elephant’s frustration crescendos and gives way to tears, but a group hug sets everything right—and a closing shot of a fireplace blanketed with stockings suggests that these “gifts” have quickly become family. An irresistible read-aloud. Ages 3–5. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

* "An irresistible read-aloud."— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Along with Mo Willems, Pizzoli is the going expert at making the simplest of characters expressive."— Booklist

"A cheerful, busy version of the classic holiday song."— Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR GOOD NIGHT OWL— 2017 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor

PRAISE FOR GOOD NIGHT OWL

"The pithy and accessible writing and the story's amusing absurdity make this read like a classic Arnold Lobel story."— The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

PRAISE FOR GOOD NIGHT OWL

"[K]ids will be greatly amused by Pizzoli's latest effort. . . . [A] definite storytime addition."— School Library Journal

From the Publisher

10/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—The traditional lyrics of the popular yuletide song are brought to life by Pizzoli's signature art of adorable animal characters engaging in progressively zany antics. A little elephant wearing a Santa hat brings a multitude of presents that require a great deal of care, much to the dismay of the little elephant recipient's parent. By the 12th day, the cacophony of various types of fowl, milkmaid mice, dancing cats, leaping frogs, musical rabbits, and drum-banging pigs has the elder elephant glaring with scorn and finally giving way to tears. The crowd falls silent, and the young elephants offer comfort. A pear and a hug are enough to bring a hesitant smile to the adult's face. All is well, and the closing page shows the partridge in the pear tree in front of a lit fireplace with 76 stockings waiting to be filled. VERDICT Loads of fun for a small group sing-along or simply perusing for details.—Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal