American Folk Songs for Christmas

by Barbara Cooney (Illustrator), Ruth Crawford Seeger

Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953), distinguished musician, noted music educator and authority on folk music has assembled a collection of songs from the old-time Christmas, before Santa Claus came to America and neatly trimmed fir trees bloomed with tinsel. These are the folk songs, the ballads that sprang from a need to express the Christmas spirit, and they are a part of our heritage. The songs are as varied as the singers who have given them utterance over the years, but whether they dance with whimsy or echo with a haunting plaintive cry, they always express the wonder and joy of Christmas. Arranged for piano and guitar.

Genres: Music, Christmas, Nonfiction

86 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1960

About the author

Barbara Cooney was an American writer and illustrator of 110 children's books, published over sixty years. She received two Caldecott Medals for her work on Chanticleer and the Fox and Ox-Cart Man, and a National Book Award for Miss Rumphius. Her books have been translated into 10 languages.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used to play and sing the songs with grandson. He loved it.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated collection of folk songs / carols. Not too many well-known tunes here, but plenty to explore in a pretty package.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read while listening to Mike Seeger’s YouTube channel where most of the songs were on the American Folk Songs for Christmas playlist.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone who celebrates Christmas should have this book, especially if (unlike me)you can play a musical instrument. Even if you can't, you can acquire (either on CD or digitally)the Seeger family's recording of the songs,so you can learn them. From familiar ones like "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow" to the less well-known, this is a great collection of Appalachian and African-American songs for Christmas. The illustrations are by Barbara Cooney and make this a fine book to read and look at as well as sing from. Highly recommended.