When you look back down Nostalgia Way, peering through those foggy windows to the past, I'll bet you remembered at least one book that you absolutely loved being read to you. I can think of loads - my mum snapping the book like a giant wolf's mouth at my grinning face in What's the Time Mr Wolf?, reenacting No Jumping on the Bed and being completely in awe of The Wish Factory. The list goes on but I can tell you one thing they all had in common, my parents absolutely loved them. That, in my view, is the key to a successful book for young children - the parent has to enjoy it too on their own adult level. And that goes for films as well. (By adult level I don't mean porn by the way... just to set that straight after my slight concern on reading that back. I'm not about to be the one who is seen to say let's introduce Page 3 to the kiddies... Ok, I'm going to stop digging a hole for myself now.)
Anyway Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas (1973), which came out every Christmas in book form and the video in our house, was no exception to the parent rule. "Another bloomin' Christmas" was Santa's saying and the whole story managed to tickle my parents year on year and continues to make me smile now.
Briggs most famous story though is, of course, The Snowman. Published in 1978, this wordless picture book has captured the hearts of children and parents alike for decades. In 1982 it inspired Britain's Channel 4 to adapt it into a 26 minute wordless classic accompanied by its famous theme song, Walking in the Air. This adaptation went on to be nominated for an Academy Award and has been credited by many industry professionals as one of the best films ever made.
Every year The Snowman continues to draw in audiences all over the world. Its stage adaptation in London sold out this year way in advance (yes, so I may have tried to get tickets. shh) but don't worry if any of you were disappointed. After thirty years since the release of the short film, Channel 4 have announced that this Christmas Eve they will be broadcasting the original film followed by a brand new sequel called The Snowman and the Snowdog.
The new film will be set thirty years on from the original and follows another boy who, while mourning the death of his dog one snowy day, he comes across an old scarf with snowmen printed on it, left behind by another child long ago...! Subsequently he goes outside and begins to build a snowman and a snowdog for his companion. Sounds adorable and we know it's going to be 'super' because Raymond Briggs himself said so. So there. Don't miss it.
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