Category Archives: Christmas
Looking Forward
Hello! I’m Amanda Brown and I am taking over the Books At Bibby Line blog from Mark Till. This is an extremely hard act to follow: I have found Mark’s choice of text consistently stimulating, while his comments have been … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poem of the Week
Poem of the Week
This week’s poem has been suggested to me by several BLG employees, including Katie Todd from BFS and Mark Cardwell from MHL Support. It’s a wonderful evocation of Christmas night, describing “children nestled snug in their beds” dreaming of “sugar-plums”, … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Have Your Say, Poem of the Week
Poetry Advent Calendar: 23rd December
The words below are familiar to us in their carol version. However, in 1872, the lyrics were originally published as poem by Christina Rossetti (a Victorian poet) in the magazine Scribner’s Monthly, after she was asked to write something for … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poetry Advent Calendar
Poetry Advent Calendar: 22nd December
It’s not quite a poem – but it’s definitely a Christmas classic. Enjoy! (And sing along here) Fairytale of New York It was Christmas Eve babe In the drunk tank An old man said to me, “won’t … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poetry Advent Calendar
Poetry Advent Calendar: 21st December
The Ox-and-the-Ass’s Story We were just about fed-up with dossers and layabouts Making free, overnight with our stable and our straw – Some of them plunked themselves down right under our hooves, Half of them drunk, and twanging their … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poetry Advent Calendar
Poetry Advent Calendar: 20th December
The Crib They are making a crèche at the Saturday morning classes For the Christmas party: scissors and paper vie With fingers and plasticine until there are masses Of sheep and shepherds that kneel and stand and lie, … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poetry Advent Calendar
Poem of the Week
I’ve read this poem with a couple of groups this week. Everyone loved it, and I hope you do too. I don’t think you’ll hear anything funnier today than the lines ‘turkeys just wanna play reggae / turkeys just wanna … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poem of the Week
This Christmas…
The book I will be reading…. Persuasion by Jane Austen Although I love Pride and Prejudice for Elizabeth Bennett’s dancing wit, Sense and Sensibility for Marianne Dashwood’s passionate romanticism, it is Persuasion’s Anne Elliot whom I most admire. As … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Roaming Reader
Poetry Advent Calendar: 19th December
Although I love classics like Wham’s Last Christmas and Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens, without a doubt my favourite Christmas song is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas when sung by Frank Sinatra. The lyrics are quite poetic I … Continue reading
Filed under Christmas, Poetry Advent Calendar
A Christmas Carol
Since the beginning of December, my reading groups in Liverpool, Manchester, Leicester, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Banbury have been reading a selection of Christmassy poems and stories to raise everyone’s festive spirits. One of the most popular texts has been A Christmas … Continue reading
Filed under Audio Books, Christmas, GIR, Have Your Say
