Shelf Candy Saturday #137: Christmas With Mary Engelbreit: Here Comes Santa Claus

 

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful book covers!

It also provides information,

if available, on their very talented creators!

For more information

about Shelf Candy Saturday,

simply go HERE.

Here's my choice for this week!

 Christmas With Mary Engelbreit: 

Here Comes Santa Claus

Mary Engelbreit

Hardcover, 143 pages

Oxmoor, first edition

August 2, 2002

Christmas Decorating, 

Christmas Traditions, Nonfiction

My Thoughts About This Cover

This is such a beautiful, whimsical cover! It really captures all the enchantment of this, the most wonderful season of the year! 

Of course, Engelbreit is known for her gorgeous art, which, although indeed whimsical, is never "cute" in a cliche sort of way, but instead, delights the viewer with its clean design and brilliant colors.

The Santa Claus on this particular cover has a decidedly Nordic feel, and in fact, is patterned on the Father Christmas image more common in those countries. His ridiculously long, pointed shoes remind me of fairies and elves, and are also a sample of this artist's subtle humor. Santa nevertheless is able to trudge through the snow, his bulging sack laden with goodies, with his trusty staff. Instead of reindeer, he has a faithful little dog at his side. 

The frame is very nicely detailed with small flowers, and I love the 'mellow yellow' color against the night-sky blue, which is speckled with stars. I believe the frame has a slight Art Nouveau influence, as well.

The lettering is very nice, too, of course; it's part of Mary Engelbreit's signature style.

This cover is perfect for one to get into the holiday spirit, since Christmas is just around the corner!

Mary Engelbreit Online Links

Website

Blog

Facebook

Goodreads 

Twitter 

 

  

 

What do you think of my 

choice this week?

Please leave a comment

and let me know!

Shelf Candy Saturday #98: Believe: Christmas Treasury, by Mary Engelbreit

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday,

Christmas Edition!!

This weekly feature

showcases beautiful book covers,

and provides information,

if available, on their very talented creators!

For more information

about Shelf Candy Saturday,

just click HERE.

As we approach that beautiful, sacred, and joyful day, here's my choice

for this week!

Believe: Christmas Treasury

Mary Engelbreit

Hardcover, 159 pages

Andrews McMeet Publishing

October 1, 1998

Christmas Traditions, Nonfiction

Amazon US/ Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Why do I love this cover?

Visitors to Mary Engelbreit's website see the following statement on the home page: "Nobody does Christmas like Mary Engelbreit", and it's entirely true.  To me, the Christmas season just wouldn't be complete without her beautiful, whimsical illustrations!

Mary is a highly talented artist who has created gorgeous illustrated books with several themes, such as Halloween, Christmas, Mother Goose stories, fairy tales, and many others.  She has a very unique style that really stands out for its magical, fairy-tale beauty.

The book above is a particularly gorgeous example of her art.  The detail is exquisite!  I love how she frames her scenes, including design elements that add to their appeal.  In this case, she has added lots of miniature toys, candy canes, and other goodies to the bottom of the frame, right above her name.

She uses a plain block-letter font that she somehow endows with her own special charm.  Perhaps this is due to their old-fashioned look; these are the type of letters that kids used years ago, drawing them with templates sold in any drugstore.  The banner adorning the title fits into the Christmas theme of the cover, too, with its little toy faces peeking out from behind it.

Most of all, I love the central image itself, which shows children hugging Santa Claus.  He's hugging them right back, and there's such love on his face.....  The children are very happy, and they, too, obviously love him.  This is so adorable....

In short, this cover really warms my heart, as well as giving me lots of aesthetic delight!  Thankfully, I happen to own this treasure, which is now part of my own Christmas traditions!

Online Links

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Amazon

Twitter

What do you think of my choice

this week?

Leave me a comment and

let me know!