Dylan Thomas’s rollicking, language-rich short story about Christmases in his childhood has been illustrated by artists for children before, most notably in a small, lovely gift edition featuring graceful woodcuts by Ellen Raskin (recently reissued by New Directions Publishing). Raskin’s art referenced both the whimsy and the intimacy of memory suggested by the text. The ink, torn paper and gouache illustrations that Chris Rasckha has created for this new edition is a perfect match for the measured frenzy of Thomas’s words. Bold, lush colors are tempered by heavy black lines and white splashes of snow suggesting energy and movement. Occasional images offer more muted background colors and delicate lines, providing a respite for both eye and mind in the midst of a dazzling verbal and visual experience. (Ages 8 – adult)

Fifty years after its first publication in book form, Dylan Thomas's timeless prose poem is echoed by the rolling, evocative images of Caldecott Honor artist Chris Raschka — a beautiful gift for book lovers.

Bring out the tall tales now that we told by the fire as the gaslight bubbled like a diver. . . .

There are always Uncles at Christmas. And Aunts, of course, who might sing a little loudly after dinner. There are the neighborhood cats "sleek and long as jaguars and horrible-whiskered," the carols to sing at eerie houses, the Useful Presents and the Useless Presents, and the endless snow "shawling out of the ground." First published in HARPER'S BAZAAR some fifty years ago, A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES showcases Dylan Thomas's genius for language and remains the poet's most popular prose work in the United States. Chris Raschka's fluid torn-paper illustrations honor the poet's words, evoking their musical cadences and bringing us a fresh appreciation for this most lyric work.