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CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES
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Written by
John McCutcheon
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Illustrated by
Henri Sorensen
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Hardcover with CD: $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-56145-374-0
Total Pages: 32
Size: 10-5/8 x 10
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Audio/Picture books, ages 6-10/Fiction/History
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JOHN McCUTCHEON is an accomplished instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. He has received multiple Grammy nominations and numerous other awards, and regularly appears on National Public Radio. He lives in Georgia.You can visit John McCutcheon's website at: www.folkmusic.com
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Henri Sørensen has illustrated over twenty books for children. He is also the author-illustrator of two children's books, New Hope and Your First Step. Sorensen lives in Denmark.
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This moving tribute to the power of the human spirit to unite people even in times of battle is based on an actual event from World War I.
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Accelerated Reader & Reading Counts Tests:
Reading Counts Test #: Q40371
Reading Counts Level: 2.7
AR Quiz#: 111651
AR Reading Level: 3.2
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IT IS COLD AND CLEAR on Christmas Eve night in 1914. Francis Tolliver and his fellow British soldiers are holed up in muddy trenches along the Western Front. Their enemies--German soldiers--lie in wait just across a field known as "No Man's Land."
Suddenly a strange sound pierces the darkness. Someone is singing a Christmas carol in German. Other German voices join in. When the song ends, Thomas and the other British soldiers sing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Soon carols are sung back and forth across No Man's Land. Then a figure emerges in the dark, carrying a small Christmas tree with lighted candles. Slowly the British and German soldiers leave their trenches, and the war, behind to stand together in the open field.
This haunting story is based on an event in World War I known as the Christmas Truce and is adapted by award-winning songwriter John McCutcheon from his song of the same name. Henri Sørensen's formal, full-color oil paintings reinforce the emotional power and dignity of the story. The result is a timeless tale that will capture the imagination of readers of all ages.
Christmas bonus! A CD featuring readings of the story and recordings of "Silent Night" and "Christmas in the Trenches" is included in every book.
Intrigued by the story of the Christmas Truce? Interested in learning more about the history and soldiers of World War I? Check out our new website - www.christmasinthetrenches.info - to learn more about this wonderful book.
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Reviews
"Sørensen’s atmospheric oil paintings bring the miraculous night of peace to life with a wide, double-page spread that allows room to show many soldiers at once as well as the expanse of the battlefield." Kirkus Reviews "...clear and lyrical. Sorensen's beautiful double-page spreads in sepia shades show the young men from the two sides celebrating together--with individuals just like them. Lengthy notes fill in the history and present an impassioned call for peace." Booklist
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Awards
* 2006 Annual Exhibition of the Society of Illustrators
* 2006 Parents’ Choice Silver Honor
* 2007 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
* 2007 IRA Teachers’ Choices (intermediate list)
* 2007 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
* 2007 Read Aloud Book Awards (Comstock Honor Book) (MN)
* 2008 Storytelling World Awards: Special Storytelling Resources (honor book)
* Nominee, 2007 Grammy Awards (Best Spoken Word Album for Children)
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More books by Author/Illustrators:
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Printer, The
"As a boy, my father learned to speak with his hands. As a man, he learned how to turn lead-type letters into words and sentences. My father loved being a printer."
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