Joyeux Noel!
Tomorrow is the first of several video conference presentations of my Christmas book, A Clever Beatrice Christmas. I have been doing this in December for the past five years and every year the opportunity becomes more precious and meaningful. I share my life as a writer with listening children and also share the French Candanian traditions that are part of my family--Richard, Chloe, Jeffrey, Beatrice. How wonderful that I can keep these traditions alive through the written word and the beautiful illustrations of Heather Solomon. Her watercolors for Clever Beatrice Christmas are my personal favorites. I am able to remind children of all the ways that the year's end is celebrated throughout the world: Kwanza, Hanukah, Noel, Christmas. Pere Noel, Sinter Klaus, Kris Kringle, Saint Nick, Santa. What a beautiful part of my own Christmas these programs have become. I will play "Il Est Ne" in the background, an old French carol. Music and art and legends and children.