Kimmel!  Canada!  San Souci!  Fun story, but it didn't live up to my expectations.  I think I'm missing the point.  Yes, I know who the stranger is, and I read the author's note... but :shrug.: ( )

Prolific children's author Eric A. Kimmel, whose many holiday stories include such titles as Gershon's Monster: A Story For The Jewish New Year, and The Bird's Gift: A Ukrainian Easter Story, turns here to Christmas, and to the French Canadian folk tradition, setting out the tale of La chasse-galerie. In an adventure that blends European folk elements (such as the Wild Hunt) with Native American themes (the flying canoe), the story of the Flying Canoe concerns a group of voyageurs, or fur traders, who are far from their families at the holidays, and are offered the opportunity (by a mysterious stranger) to avail themselves of a magical canoe-ride home, Christmas Eve night. The condition? That they keep silent during the entire voyage...

Having read and enjoyed another retelling of this French-Canadian Christmas folktale, in the form of Roch Carrier's 2004 The Flying Canoe, I was curious to see what Kimmel would make of it. For the most part, I really enjoyed his version of the story, which was illustrated by father-son team Daniel and Justin San Souci, themselves of French-Canadian extraction. The artwork has a rather flat, stop-motion animation style which, although not usually to my taste, really worked here. I appreciated the fact that Kimmel gave further information about the tale, in his afterword, and also provided a glossary of French words. Recommended to all young folklore enthusiasts, particularly those with an interest in Canadian, and French-Canadian traditions. ( )

Retelling of a French-Canadian folktale. ( )

I wasn't a big fan of this story, it actually has a sadder ending than I was anticipating. The art in this book was very nice.

Traditional French Canadian tale of a magical Christmas Eve.