Christmas Around the World: A Pop-Up Book    by Chuck Fischer Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2007 (2007) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Kerrily Sapet Many say that Christmas is a magical time. For some it's a time to watch snowflakes fall and put out cookies and milk for Santa Claus. For others around the world traditions are different. Imagine Santa Claus in a blue or brown coat, riding a donkey instead of driving a sleigh pulled by reindeer, or even instead taking the role of a witchlike woman carrying a broomstick. Christmas traditions are rich and varied. Learning about them promises to capture and intrigue readers young and old. Christmas Around the World by artist Chuck Fischer offers a peek into yuletide traditions in different corners of the world. Especially captivating is Fischer's format, which is becoming ever more popular - pop-up books for older children. Readers turn each page to have large pictures rise up in front of them, whether they're images of London, France, Germany, or Russia. On the edges of the pages readers can lift up flaps to reveal miniature books containing detailed information about the history of Christmas traditions in another country. On the pages about England, Fischer includes information about Father Christmas, Victorian Christmas traditions, a summary of The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and some British holiday traditions, like plum pudding, mistletoe, and wassailing. For each country the author includes many photographs and pictures to illustrate just how the holiday is celebrated. Christmas Around the World is richly illustrated and provides a wealth of information in a fun and interesting manner. Fischer highlights fascinating holiday traditions and shows readers that while the celebrations may differ in some ways, in many they are similar. It's a good lesson at a time of year when many people think of others and perhaps see that we are not so different after all. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews