The Twelve Days of Christmas

Starred review from September 15, 2014
Pham brings an international scope to this traditional holiday song. A youthful couple, donning their Christmas finery, lead a playful dance through the song’s cumulative lyrics as the boy tries to wrangle each unwieldy gift for his girl. Pham’s (A Piece of Cake) eye for detail is evident as she showcases varieties of French hens, geese, and swans, but her paintings truly shine in the depiction of maids, lords, drummers, and ladies who hail not just different countries, but varied periods in history. Milkmaids from Africa, Europe, Asia and beyond greet the children; a Peruvian pan flutist rubs shoulders with a Scottish bagpiper; and so on—it’s nothing short of a global postcard. Musical notation and a note about the song’s origins are included, and readers are invited to locate all 78 gifts. Ages 3–7. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt.

October 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-The artwork makes this book a true joy to read. The paintings, depicting a boy and girl as the gift giver and receiver, are detailed and colorful, becoming truly memorable as the presents accumulate. They depict people from different cultures when showing the maids a-milking, ladies dancing, lords a-leaping, pipers piping, and drummers drumming, dressed in costumes native to their lands. The last page shows all 78 gifts together and challenges readers to identify them. The book also provides the music for parents who are interested in the sheet music. Additional background information on the 12 days of Christmas and the possible origins of the well-known song are provided for those interested.-Graciela Gallegos, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
A little Caucasian boy and girl in 19th-century garb enact the familiar song.The song unfolds on the verso while on the recto, each gift is presented within an ornate frame that grows and changes shape from day to day. Pham gives readers plenty to look at. On the third day, while the girl accepts the three French hens, the little boy shoos away one of the turtledoves; on the fifth day, the little girl gazes at the five finches bearing five rings, while the little boy tries to keep one of the six geese a-laying from arriving too early. The artist paints different varieties of hens, geese and swans, preparing readers for the truly multicultural spreads that begin on the eighth day. The maids a-milking come from all corners of the globe in variations on traditional dress, as do the rest of the humans. Among the lords a-leaping are a bearded Cossack, a turbaned rajah, a Georgian gentleman and two lords from different African cultures. The pipers include, with a little bit of artistic license, a man in Tyrolean dress playing an alpenhorn. One final spread crams all 78 gifts into two pages as the little girl kisses the goggle-eyed boy. (All 78 also appear on the reverse of the jacket, which unfolds into a poster.) The final two pages provide background on Epiphany and the origins of the song. A joyous visual feast. (Picture book. 3-7)

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