Roger Duvoisin (1900–1980)

As spring approaches, Santa decides that he needs a break from his yearlong toy-making, and that he wants to see the world during this season of flowers. Deciding to take a trip incognito, he orders a brand new outfit, and flies south (on a plane). But when the children in the city he is visiting accuse him of stealing Santa's white beard, red nose and gay twinkle, and he then declares himself to be the real Santa Claus, our hero finds himself taken into custody by the police. Fortunately, show more Santa knows just how to convince the police captain that he is who he says he is...

Originally published in 1954, Easter Treat is a cute little Santa fantasy, one which imagines that holiday gift-giver during another season. The idea of Santa taking a holiday has been explored before, mostly notably in Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas Goes on Holiday, but author/illustrator Roger Duvoisin brings a special kind of heartwarming humor to his tale, as Santa is at first greeted with suspicion and disbelief, and then with love and warmth, loaded down with Eastertide presents, and sent back to the North Pole with the very thing he usually sets out with, on Christmas Eve. Namely: a sack full of gifts. I found this one charming, and recommend it to more advanced picture-book readers - it's quite text heavy - who enjoy unusual Santa stories. One word of caution however: although Easter provides the setting, it really isn't about that holiday at all, and although Santa is given a bunny rabbit as one of his gifts, the scene on the front cover, in which he seems to be walking the Easter Bunny, does not occur during the course of the story. show less

In another mood I'd probably give this LFL find 4 stars. Conspicuous and famous are not synonymous. And how lovely the ending - the old lady helps Veronica get out of jail and back home, instead of sending her to a zoo like happens in other old picture-books. I also appreciated that the hippo and the people could not talk to each other--another creative difference compared to other old picture-books. I will look for the sequels!

Fewer depths than the other Petunia books that I've read, but still a rich and discussable and *fun* read. We've seen this trope of the innocent accidentally outwitting the carnivore before, but never quite like this. Check it out from your library if it hasn't gotten weeded yet!

A small town experiences a heavy snowfall in this Caldecott Medal-winning picture book from 1947. As a number of different townsfolk—the postman and farmer, policeman and his wife—prepare and react in their own ways, a beautiful snowy day dawns, and the local children and rabbits have great fun playing outdoors. The book concludes with the eventual melting of the snow, and the first signs of spring...

White Snow, Bright Snow is only the second book I have read from author Alvin Tresselt, show more following upon his 1964 The Mitten: An Old Ukrainian Folktale, and the third from illustrator Roger Duvoisin, following upon Easter Treat (1966) and Wobble, the Witch Cat (1958). I thought it was quite lovely, and although it isn't destined to become a personal favorite, I did enjoy both story and artwork. The initial poem was probably my favorite thing about it, as it had such a lovely cadence, and so perfectly captured the peaceful feeling of softly falling snow. It begins: "Softly, gently in the secret night, / Down from the North came the quiet white. / Drifting, sifting, silent flight, / Softly, gently in the secret night." The narrative continues in prose, after the three-stanza poem, and has a charming quality of its own. The accompanying illustrations from Duvoisin, who won the 1948 Caldecott Medal for them, have a vintage, 1940s appeal to them. I was reminded of certain childhood favorites, like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Recommended to anyone who appreciates vintage picture books, and to those seeking engaging wintry stories for children. show less