Squeaking in with day 4’s post in our 2014 Christmas book Advent, here is a classic book starring lovable old Petunia. Roger Duvoisin’s little goose heroine is always a treat to read and her Christmas tale is a hoot for sure. Check out Petunia’s Christmas by Roger Duvoisin, 1952.
I believe this is the fifth and final story in the Petunia books, but I’m having trouble finding definitive information regarding that so correct me if you know I am wrong. Petunia is always lovable, and in this story, we find her also very crafty and determined. Three weeks before Christmas she happens to meet a handsome gander named Charles who is being fattened up for sale as a Christmas goose. They are quite taken with each other and Petunia sets out to free him from his dreadful fate. Her first tactic is to simply help him break away from his bondage by painting herself into a scary fairy tale character and frightening away the farmer’s wife who leaves the gate open. This works until the farmer comes with his gun. So, Petunia does what any capitalistic entrepreneur would do, she sets to the streets to make some money, first begging and finally creating Christmas decor that would be a big hit on Etsy nowadays! In the end, she earns enough to buy all Charles’ pounds and then some, but the farmer and his wife have a change of heart for the lovebirds anyway and the story closes with a grand Christmas wedding between goose and gander.
I had forgotten how much this book just makes me smile. I am truly impressed by Petunia’s determination and I desperately love the illustrations of her craft creations. Duvoisin has great loose illustrations with a strong outline, and his crafty images have a lovely folk art quality to them.
I’m not quite sure what to do with the pet versus food issue the book somewhat subtly poses as I am definitely not a vegetarian. I mention it because it is there and worth pondering I think.
Otherwise, this is a sweet, lovable, humorous story full of lots of adventure, comedic entertainment and an ending note of merry matrimony. Sweet Petunia is finally able to live happily ever after with her prince of a gander. That is for sure a Merry Christmas note!
Follow along our book adventure at 25 Days of Christmas Books 2014!
Three Books a Night 