School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-In 1914, British and German troops were dug into trenches in France, facing one another across the barbed wire and barren ground called No Man's Land. On Christmas Eve, the British soldiers heard the Germans singing "Stille Nacht" and joined in. Spontaneously, soldiers on both sides climbed out of their trenches and met in between the lines, sharing small gifts, food, and drink. They played a game of soccer. Then they went back to their trenches. The next day, the shooting resumed. McCutcheon's account of this true event is based on a song he wrote about it in 1984. An accompanying CD includes that song, "Silent Night/Stille Nacht," and a reading of the story. Sirenson's illustrations sanitize trench warfare somewhat. Michael Foreman's War Game (Pavillion, 2002) is a more sophisticated-and somewhat more cynical-presentation of this same Christmas truce.-Virginia Walter, University of California, Los Angeles (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Smooth and soulful, folksinger McCutcheon's picture-book adaptation of his 1984 song, inspired by true events of WWI, proves an uplifting holiday tale and an enduring anthem of peace. The story of German and Allied soldiers engaging in an impromptu Christmas truce on the battlefield is one not soon forgotten. Sirenson's (I Love You as Much...) elegant oil landscapes and portraits capture the drama and power of the proceedings. The attractive package comes with a CD containing a narration of the story as well as the title recording and a bilingual rendition of the carol "Silent Night/Still Nacht." Ages 6-10. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
