Utterly charming collection of Christmas poems, old and new. Chris Riddell’s illustrations are delightfully, as always.

This is a delightful collection of festive songs and poems brought together by Chris Riddell, containing traditional Christmas hymns, classic poems and more modern fare. Everything on offer will be accessible to the vast majority of readers, with everyone likely coming across lyrics they know and love while making some fascinating discoveries along the way. I was thrilled to see songs which point to the original reason for the season placed alongside Wordsworth, Thomas and poems such as Neil Gaiman's horrifying 'Nicholas Was...'.

Riddell's illustrations are creative without detracting from the poetry itself. His drawings follow with tradition at some points while reimagining the story in other places. 'The 12 Days of Christmas' presents hardcore rockers as the drummers, while 'I Saw Three Ships' is given the fantastical feel of the Edge Chronicles.

Among the surprises in this collection were 'Talking Turkeys' and 'On the thirteenth day of Christmas my true loved phoned me up...' which give a fresh feel.

There's great range to be found here, exploring every area of the Christmas season, from the wonder of a landscape blanketed in snow to the love and frustration of family at Christmas, the implied horror of some of our festive beliefs to songs of joy at a Saviour who has come.

This is a book I would love to keep on my shelf and read (and recite) every Christmas season!

As the title suggests, this is an anthology of poems all centred around the theme of Christmas. Many I was already aware of, as they are commonly sung or told, such as 'We Three Kings' and 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', but others were more modern creations and entirely new to me. I did not love all of the contents here, as is the case in many an anthology, but I did like the quirky and humorous sketches that accompanied each and helped bring them to life.

Very good collection, with excellent drawings as ever from Chris Ridell. A good range of poems from the traditional such as the title, Holly and the Ivy, through to more modern era work from Neil Gaiman, Lemn Sissey and others. We already have this in store, selling well! A very good festive collection.

Gorgeous illustrations with a mix of old favourites and some I hadn’t heard of before, this is a fantastic read for when you want to feel festive, not so much for reading in one go, but i think I’ll definitely be picking this up again each night in December, as I ordered a copy so I could keep it I loved it so much

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

A lovely collection of old favourites and some less familiar Christmas poems. This is ideal for dipping in and out of rather than reading in one go. With gorgeous illustrations by the amazing Chris Riddell, this is one that is sure to be enjoyed over and over again. I particularly enjoyed 'Just doing my job' as it reminded me of Christmas nativity productions in school.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Other Festive Poems is a wonderful collection of wintery poems, stories and carols. From traditional favourites such as The Holly and the Ivy & Deck the Halls to newer poems from A.F. Harold & Benjamin Zephaniah, there is so much to choose from. I can’t believe how many memories wrapped up in one book. Each selection brings back visions of childhood Christmas performances, services and lessons at school. Chris Riddell’s amazing illustrations transport these cultural favourites to the next generation. The personality and message of each poem is perfectly captured in the gorgeous illustrations. I particularly love the timeless A Visit from St Nicholas & The Twelve Days of Christmas, as well as the gentleness of The Holly and the Ivy. Each would make a fantastic Christmas card or print to add to festive decorations. Reading this book has been a lovely start to Christmas. My children have been peering over my shoulder and been captivated by the fresh illustrations of old favourites.

Doing exactly what it says on the tin, this is a selection of family-friendly Christmas-themed verse, compiled and decorated in the usual Chris Riddell way. And while I can't say the young me of the target audience would have loved every piece when discussed or read out at school, I do know any school I've been in would relish a copy to have.

The youthful lover of bouncy rhymes would have pleasure from the likes of "Just Doing My Job" by Clare Bevan, which is definitely fun. Roger McGough's report of a snowman visit is clearly going to end one way, and never suffers for it. But there are older and much more serious verses here (two from Thomas Hardy, and an ice-skating Wordsworth as well). In fact it's really quite as balanced as you could wish for – a perfect mix of old and new, religious and secular, rhymed and blanker, and from both genders in almost equal proportion.

Riddell seems to be making up for the fact he hasn't had to do the one commonly known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas", nor "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (the latter of which gets a sequel here), as self-contained books, but he's allowed to let rip with those at last, as well as prove the diversity of the modern compilation, with talk of gungo beans and cho-chos, and reggae-loving turkeys definitely not voting for Christmas. With Tennyson, Plath, and a visit to Ethiopia (and the moon), this is just as much about pleasure as it is the Reithian presentation of the poetic canon, and is going to tick a lot of boxes for a lot of people. A strong four stars.

Sadly the NetGalley copy would not open via the download link … thank you for the opportunity but alas this time it did not work
Kind regards
Steve

I loved this little compilation of festive cheer. It featured some of the songs we all know and love, some gorgeous poems and a whole host of Christmas sparkle. Combined with some beautiful illustrations to accompany the writing, it was a perfect little hit of festive fun!