ReadingZone: best new books published in December

5+

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

By Dr Seuss

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books
ISBN 9780007365548

With Christmas just around the corner, this new edition of Dr Seuss’s classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a timely reminder that behind all the shopping, worrying and stress lies Christmas itself, a day of peace and celebration.

The Grinch hates Christmas in Who-ville – the singing, the feasting, the presents and decorations – and decides he is going to stop it from happening by stealing all the presents, food and Christmas trees from every Who house.

Yet despite this, on Christmas morning the Whos begin to sing merrily –
‘Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!’

Somehow, even without the decorations and presents, Christmas has still come to Who-ville – so will the Grinch have a change of heart? Some children may have seen a DVD of the film, based on Seuss’ story. As entertaining as the film is, it is the original story, with its distinctive Seuss rhyme and illustrations, that really carries the theme.

9+

Four Tales

By Philip Pullman

Published by Doubleday
ISBN 9780385619196

This sumptuous collection of stories from the master of storytellers, Philip Pullman, will have children enthralled and delighted. To start with, the book itself, with realistic black and white illustrations by Peter Bailey and silver embossing on the cover, looks gorgeous.

Once inside its pages, children will be swept away by stories including The Firework Maker’s Daughter, I was a Rat, Clockwork, and The Scarecrow and his Servant. These stories have all been published previously and are remarkably varied in concept and execution but each stands by itself and can be read and enjoyed over and over again.

Once they have read this collection, readers may want to go on and explore the more challenging Northern Lights, the first in Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy which was selected as one of the BBC’s Top 100 reads.