Two Young Kings For Your Christmas Reading

A King of Kings and a King of Bohemia... I have two Christmas picture books that I'm recommending in today's post: The Christ Child by Maud and Miska Petersham, and Good King Wenceslas by Pauline Baynes. As I mentioned in my last "Prague Blog", both books have ties to my recent trip there.
 

THE CHRIST CHILD (ages 6 and up)
I found a used library copy of this book (published in 1931) by Maud and Miska Petersham at Shakespeare & Sons in Mala Strana, the "Little Quarter" in Prague.  (Whenever I come across an affordable old book by this incredible husband-wife writing and illustrating team, I buy it!)

The Petershams were truly pioneers in the world of children's picture books from the 1920-50's.  Maud was born in New York, and her husband Miska was a Hungarian immigrant. Their quaint and stylistic approach to story telling and illustrating is a unique blend of their backgrounds.

This book brings to life in vibrant color and small "chapters" the story of the birth and childhood of Christ from the text of the Gospels of Mark and Luke.

(Other books by the Petershams in my collection include The Circus Baby, Nursery Friends from France, Tales Told from Holland, and The Rooster Crows.  Many of the Petershams picture books can be found online, but it's a lot more fun perusing used bookstores, don't you think?)

GOOD KING WENCESLAS (ages 6 and up)
Pauline Baynes (well-known for her illustrations of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia) does not mince words in this re-telling of the exciting story of the young Bohemian Prince, Wenceslas - patron saint of Prague and the Czech Republic.

There are many legends surrounding this good saint, and his tragic death is recorded in history.  As with many saints' stories, Wenceslas faced his martyrdom bravely, and Baynes' hopeful re-telling (published in 1987) is book-ended with the words of the well loved Christmas carol about this good and brave King.

The other hero/saint in this Bohemian story is Wenceslas' grandmother, Ludmilla.  She brought him up in the Christian faith.

During our tour of Prague Castle, my mother and I were privileged to see both the Wenceslas Chapel (which contain his relics) in St. Vitus Cathedral, and St. Ludmilla's tomb in St. George's Basilica.

St. Wenceslas' relics are in the Wenceslas Chapel in St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle.

Stained glass window in St. Vitus Cathedral by Mucha depicting (in the center) a young Wenceslas at his Grandmother Ludmilla's knee.

St. Ludmilla's tomb is located in a chapel in St. George's Basilica, Prague Castle.

A painting in St. George's Basilica near the tomb of Ludmilla, showing Wenceslas being taught by his Grandmother to care for the poor.

Just outside the walls of Prague Castle, I took a quick photo of my mom next to the statue of Wenceslas.

It had rained all day, so on our walk back to our apartment, we stopped at a little cafe for some hot tea. It was the perfect end to our wonderful time at Prague Castle!