It has been a busy few months training my pet dragon to fly in formation. He is joining Santa’s sleigh team this Christmas because all of his friends are reindeer and he wants to be one of them; he even has a little antler hat with a bell on it. He doesn’t really look like a reindeer but he can fly really well, better than mostly anyone except maybe a bird, and he also keeps the team warm and cosy throughout the long night as his breath lights up the sky in a non-global warming way, because he is magic.
Anyhow, along with my reindeer-coaching duties I have been reading and now have a special selection of books based on my favourites. The book store at the North Pole has lots of copies and they are ready for the sleigh. In my official capacity as Book Elf and Literary Consultant – I even worked with the Easter Bunny this year – I will be reading from these wonderful books to Santa on Christmas Eve to make sure he doesn’t doze off on the sleigh as a good portion of the air and clouds around the sled will be glowing thanks to Firefly – that’s my dragon. He doesn’t much like his name and wants me to call his Lord Sebastian – but I can’t spell Sebastian and the reindeer would shorten it to Sebbie – Firefly would be so annoyed he would blow out huge puffs of fire and we wouldn’t be able to read the traditional Christmas route map and nobody wants that to happen!
Meet at the Ark at Eight by Ulrich Hub, translated by Helena Ragg-Kirkby (Pushkin)
It all begins in the ice and snow as three penguins are standing around. Along comes a butterfly and the smallest penguin…who is a bit of a toughie…decides to kill it. It is quite shocking and the other two object. The little one sulks and marches off across the wastes. But then, a busy dove arrives and she is organising all the animals for Noah’s Ark… The two bigger penguins worry about their friend and have a plan. This is a very funny book, particularly the bit with the talking suitcase….
Rivertime by Trace Balla (Allen & Unwin)
All the way from Australia, here is one of my most favourite of all books because it tells a story that can really become real – without having to find an enchanted wand or be really rich. You just need to look around when you are at the park or the beach, or even in your own garden. Clancy is a boy with an interest in science and numbers, so he is very clever. His uncle is different, he knows all about nature and birds and the outdoors. They go on a trip down a really interesting river in a canoe and camp and discover all kinds of things – it’s way better than watching TV.
Soon by Timothy Knapman, illustrated by Patrick Benson (Walker Books)
A mommy elephant sets off on a long walk with her baby, who keeps asking how much longer, it’s a bit like going on a car journey to somewhere more interesting than school or the grocery store. They have all kinds of adventures; the mother elephant is really clever and wise and knows how best to respond to her baby’s impatience as well as dealing with the crocodiles, snakes and the tiger they meet along the way. The pictures are wonderful and by the same artist who worked on Martin Waddell’s Owl Babies – one of my all-time, much-loved books. It is for reading to smaller elves, I mean, very young elves.
Arthur by Rhoda Levine, illustrated by Everett Aison (The New York Review Children’s Collection)
If you have ever wondered what could happen to a bird who forgets to go off with his friends on the annual winter migration – which means when all the birds fly off together for a nice place where it is warm and sunny instead of yucky and wet and windy (like here we are on a island in northern Europe, only not as north as the North Pole) this is the book you need. If I could have only one of these books for myself this is one I would pick – only I get to keep them all, which is a relief.) Arthur is interested in everything and he is brave and imaginative: his mind is so busy he actually does forget to fly away to the sun and so he spends the entire winter in the cold of Central Park in New York City, having lots of adventures. He is a hero and then one day the first sign of spring comes and then all the birds come back, but Arthur, the bird who stayed behind, has the best stories to tell. One of the best children’s books ever – that’s why it is called a “classic”, which means it’s special.
The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc, translated by Sarah Ardizzone (Book Island, New Zealand)
One day a kindly lion finds an injured bird and takes it home. He minds the bird so well that it gets better and they live happily in his little hut. The winter comes and they are warm inside looking out at the snow. But the bird flies away with his friends and the lion is very sad…for a while.
Lafcadio – The Lion Who Shot Back by Shel Silverstein (Pushkin)
Fables always make good sense and it is even better when they are funny and also slightly mysterious. The man who wrote this book, Mr Silverstein, was one of the most famous cartoonists in America. In this, his first book, which was written more than 50 years ago, he introduces an amazing character, another lion, who is minding his own business and having a snooze in the jungle when suddenly the peace is shattered by a horrible noise -– gun shot. Man in the shape of big game hunters arrive, intent on destruction (note the dramatic phrase). At first the young lion is quite impressed with the appearance of the hunters; they look different from the lion and they have nice clothes. The young lion is an unusual individual and very resourceful with a quick wit and an even faster roar. Anyhow it is the beginning of quite a story which is really funny, yet also teaches us a great deal about what we want, what we think we want and what we are no longer certain about once we have it.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweller by EL Konigsburg (Pushkin)
Claudia is 12, and restless: she wants to do something different. For a start she wants to run away from home. She is very smart and knows that she should really bring Jamie, one of her brothers, with her because he is good at saving his money while she always spends her allowance. Her plan is to hide in a big museum in New York where they will never be bored. While there, they think they may have solved a major art mystery….
Blue Penguin by Petr Horacek (Walker Books)
Yes, more penguins; they are great, brave, determined and a bit stinky – they smell like fish. But our hero is different, he is blue not black and, well, he finds it difficult to belong. But he is a good singer and his songs soon draw a little friend, eager to listen and to play. The Blue Penguin sings and sings and one day a whale arrives, summoned by the penguin’s song. Beautiful pictures and lots of blue shimmering through the pages; the other penguins say they are sorry for being mean and the Blue Penguin, having forgotten all about his loneliness, decides to teach them his songs. The pages are pretty to look at and I have several penguin friends so I’d better take out that stuff about them being a bit stinky and smelling like fish…..
Over and Out from the Book Elf. Merry Christmas, and I will be packing these books into the sleigh to be pulled by the reindeer team, including my flying dragon – I’m really excited!! What is that you said? You are asking me to pick the one I would most like? It has to be Arthur, and then all the others….
Eileen Battersby is Literary Correspondent of The Irish Times
