Virginia Kahl (1919–2004)

A kingdom with overly abundant cabbage and carrot crops, a king worried about what to do, and a little girl—the youngest daughter of a Duke—in search of a pet. These all come together in this amusing picture book from author/illustrator Virginia Kahl, told in rhyme and published in 1957. After her father and mother's ideas for a pet—a dragon and a unicorn, respectively—are rejected, little Gunhilde turns to her cook, her sends her off to the king for a pair of rabbits. This wise show more royal warns her of the habits of rabbits—i.e., their tendency to proliferate—but Gunhilde persists, and soon the rabbit population is out of control. Fortunately the king has a solution. But will it help for long...?

I've been aware of Virginia Kahl's work for some time now, but The Habits of Rabbits is the first of her books that I have picked up. I tracked it down because I have long wanted to read one of the subsequent picture books about Gunhilde, Gunhilde and the Halloween Spell, but like to read series in order. In any case, I'm glad I finally made the time for this one, as it was a hoot! The text reads very well, with rollicking rhythm and adroit use of rhyme, while the accompanying artwork, done in black and white with bright yellow, green and red accents, has distinct vintage charm. As for the story itself, it was an entertaining blend of fairy-tale elements and madcap humor. The conclusion, in which it is clear that the habits of rabbits will soon make further solutions necessary, won a chuckle from me. Recommended to picture book readers who enjoy rhyming stories, quirky fairy-tales, and vintage artwork. For my part, I look forward to reading more from this creator. show less

Out sailing shortly before Christmas, little Gunhilde, her twelve older sisters, her parents the Duke and Duchess, and the family cook find themselves caught up in a storm, and then taken captive by a band of wild men in this rhyming holiday tale from author/illustrator Virginia Kahl. Thrown into a drafty dungeon, they mourn the fact that they will miss their holiday celebration, until Gunhilde breaks out her Christmas Booke, which documents all the customs the family observes at this time show more of year. While sharing this with their guards, the family convince them to become involved in those celebrations, from fetching a Yule log from the nearby forest to feasting on many delicacies. Won over by the Christmas spirit, the wild men release the family, urging them to return home to create the holiday in their own castle, so they (the wild men) can visit...

Published in 1972, Gunhilde's Christmas Booke was the fifth picture book featuring the Duke and Duchess and their thirteen daughters, following upon The Duchess Bakes a Cake (1955), Plum Pudding for Christmas (1956), The Habits of Rabbits (1957), and The Baron's Booty (1963). Like those earlier books, it features a rhythmic narrative told through rhyme, an amusing story pairing fairy-tale trappings with madcap antics and humor, and winsome vintage-style artwork done in black ink with a limited but attractive range of color washes. Virginia Kahl served as a librarian for the U.S. Army during the post-World War II period in Austria, and these books are inspired by that setting. This installment of the series, published almost a decade after the previous one, felt the weakest of the lot, not so much in story or illustration, but in the text, which sometimes stumbled, or had an awkward line. This surprised me, as the previous volumes boasted texts which were almost flawless, running along so smoothly that they tripped off the tongue. Here there were a few moments that felt like the rhyme had been shoe-horned in. That said, the book was still very appealing, and satisfied my desire for more about this unusual ducal family. I'd recommend it to fans of the earlier books, with the proviso that, while very good, it is not quite as outstanding as they are. show less

With the Duke away, the Duchess and their thirteen daughters prepare for Christmas, eventually deciding that they will invite the King to their holiday banquet, in the absence of the lord of the manor. That royal responds that he will certainly come, provided they give him a pudding with plums. But when little Gunhilde eats all the plums in the castle, and the King declares he will behead them if they fail to give him his promised pudding, it looks like Christmas will be rather grim. Then, show more on Christmas Day itself, who should come riding over the hill but the Duke himself, bearing a most timely gift...

Published in 1956, Plum Pudding for Christmas was the second rhyming picture book from author/illustrator Virginia Kahl to feature Gunhilde, her sisters and parents, and their king, following upon the 1955 The Duchess Bakes a Cake. Like that earlier book, it is an entertaining fairy-tale romp inspired by Kahl's time in Austria, working as a librarian for the U.S. Army during the post-World War II period. Like that earlier book, as well as the subsequent The Habits of Rabbits, which I have also read, it features a rhythmically rhyming text that rolls off the tongue, an entertaining tale that blends fairy-tale elements and madcap humor, and amusing illustrations in a winsome vintage style in which ink drawings are enhanced by a limited number of color washes. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other books about these characters, to those seeking fun Christmas stories, and to picture book readers in general, who enjoy rhyming stories, quirky fairy-tales, and vintage artwork. show less

A robber baron discovers his mistake too late in this hilarious rhyming romp from author/illustrator Virginia Kahl, realizing that the thirteen young daughters of the Duke and Duchess, whom he had kidnapped in order to hold for ransom, were more trouble than they were worth. Far from the decorous and biddable young maidens he had envisioned, they required constant care and were frequently naughty, leading the baron (who was greedy but not unkind) to eventually send them back to their show more parents, first in pairs and then in groups. So desperate was he to be unburdened that he ended up paying the Duke and Duchess, rather than the other way around...

Published in 1963, The Baron's Booty was the fourth picture book featuring the Duke and Duchess and their thirteen daughters, following upon The Duchess Bakes a Cake (1955), Plum Pudding for Christmas (1956) and The Habits of Rabbits (1957). Like those earlier books, it features a wonderfully rhythmic narrative told through rhyme, an amusing story pairing fairy-tale trappings with madcap antics and humor, and winsome vintage-style artwork done in black ink with a limited but attractive range of color washes. Virginia Kahl served as a librarian for the U.S. Army during the post-World War II period in Austria, and these books are inspired by that setting. I found this installment of the series particularly amusing, and recommend it to those picture book readers who appreciate rhyming stories, quirky fairy-tales, and vintage artwork, as well as to readers who have read and enjoyed other stories about this family. show less