The little drummer boy

by ezra jack [ words and music by katherine davis keats

Book by Keats, Ezra Jack

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Music, Holiday, Fiction, Classics

Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra Jack Keats never fails to deliver with his unique illustrations, especially with this favourite Christmas carol!

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple book. Pictures to go with the words of the song with the same title. The art is nice. Great for a 2-3 year old.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Drummer Boy is a children's picture book of the Christmas carol original written by Katherine Kennicott Davis and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats. It is a book depicting the classical Christmas song in the 1940s.

The text is simplistic and straightforward. It is the lyrics of the Little Drummer Boy original known as Carol of the Drum. Keats' illustrations are drawn extremely well, his classic and unique style of mixed media is conveyed the narrative rather well.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. The narrative relates to a poor, young boy as he was summoned by the Magi to the Nativity of Christ and without any gifts for the infant, the little drummer boy played his drum for him. It is a wonderful remaindered that it is the sentiment behind the gift is far more important on what was spent on it.

All in all, Little Drummer Boy is a wonderfully Christmas carol brought to written form that reminds that it is thought and sentiment behind the gift that is more important than how much has been spent on it.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book as fitting for Easter as Christmas.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the song and the idea. And I like Keats' art in other books. But somehow this didn't work for me. The composition of the pages kept making me look again to make out what was going on, the boy's red hat was very distracting. I think it could have been so much more.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezra Jack Keats beautiful interpretation of this, my second-least-favorite Christmas song, caused me to reconsider the revulsion I usually feel towards the wee lad and his pa-rum-pa-rum-pums. Indeed, Mr. Keats achieved a remarkable artistic feat by taking something displeasing and making it lovely to my Scrooge-y heart. It's a Christmas miracle!!!!!!

[Denise Lauron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up as part of reading through the author's works. I can't really say that the author wrote this, but his illustrations were beautiful. They tell the story of the well known Christmas carol.

It would be nice to read as a family during Christmas time.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always enjoy a picture book that's lyrics to a Christmas song.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the books my kids ask for every Christmas. The text is the song of the same name, rum-pum -pums included. The Ezra Jack Keats pictures are what makes it worthwhile, IMO.

[Shiloah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The words to the song with pictures.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good illustrations. I read the text (minus the drum noises), as naturally as possible, then sing the whole thing at the end. I usually very much dislike the radio versions of the song, but this little book brings a different feeling about it. It may very well redeem the carol for me!

___________
I've actually had to read this a whole bunch of times this Christmas, but I'm only going to mark it once. 😋

[Margaret Chind · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my girls favorite reads lately is Over in the Meadow where I sing it instead of reading it as we turn the pages. We found this one to be another from Ezra Jack Keats that has the same response. I have a feeling this will be requested much more before the year is out and possibly year round beyond the Christmas and nativity season.

This was part of our Memoria Press Junior Kindergarten reading list and once again their list is fabulous!

[Cara Byrne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The text of this picture book comes word-for-word from the popular Christmas tune (complete with the insertion of "pa-rum-pum-pum-pum"), giving it a festive feel, though the illustrations feel dated and as if they were pulled from an illustrated hymnal, not from Ezra Jack Keats.

[Kim Hampton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good telling of the song, with illustrations. I sang the book to my kids and they liked it.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The classic Christmas song, The Little Drummer Boy, also known as The Carol of the Drum, is presented in picture book form in this holiday title from 1968, with the words of the song paired with colorful artwork from Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Ezra Jack Keats. As the eponymous little drummer follows a procession heading to see the infant Jesus, he wonders what a poor child such as him could offer a kingly figure, eventually settling on the only thing he has: his drumming...

Although long aware of Keats' The Little Drummer Boy, I have never felt especially motivate to pick it up at the holidays. Something about its cover, with a figure that for all the world has always looked like a little elf to me, just doesn't make me think of Christmas. Deciding this year that as someone with an interest in picture books featuring Christmas carols and songs, I really had to track it down, I finally requested it from my library. I'm glad I did so, as—lo and behold—covers can be deceiving. Reading this while listening to the Harry Simeone Chorale recording, I found it a very sweet, very moving Christmas read after all. The artwork had a deep, vivid color palette and stylized figures that felt both mysterious and beautiful, leaving me with an impression of undercurrents of feeling and epiphany, as the little boy makes his way to Jesus, offering what he can, and finding his reward in the end. Recommended to picture book readers looking for Christmas song presentations, as well as to fans of Ezra Jack Keats' work.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Drummer Boy, 1941 lyrics credited to Katherine K. Davis, illustrated for this children's book by Ezra Jack Keats in 1968, has been a family favorite over the years. This past year I dug it out when reading to my 18-month-old granddaughter who immediately fell in love with the rhythm and pictures and sings along to the pa rum pum pum pums. A seven-month-old grandson loves the soothing, staccato-like drum sounds as well. Ezra Jack Keats (1916-19830 was a wonderful storyteller/illustrator, and this book has become a Christmas classic at my house.
My introduction to Ezra Jack Keats was through his 1962 story of a young boy named Peter in a collage-designed The Snowy Day; Keats went on to create more stories about young Peter and his neighborhood. Andrea Davis Pinkney brings Keats' biography to life in the 2016 book A Poem for Peter, which is a review for another day.

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read this to Arely, I was reading in prose, but then I soon starting singing the melody as I read and Arely became mesmerized. Probably mostly because I was singing but also because The Little Drummer Boy with melody is indisputably beautiful and the melody brings so much more meaning to it. The pictures in this book are also shaded, faded and mystical in a very beautiful way. When you read this peaceful book to your child, sing it, and it will enhance the experience.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 5-year-olds learned this song at church this year (and LOVED it), so it was really fun to sing/read this together and have them able to join in. Plus, there is something about seeing the words to the song with illustrations to really drive the meaning home. Sometimes you sing a song so much that the words become almost meaningless, so the book made it fresh again for me.

[Lauren Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book! It’s the lyrics of the song set to gorgeous illustrations. Try to read it without singing. I bet you can’t! It is amazing in its simplicity. This will become a Christmas tradition in our home. I have to admit I’ve never cared for this song but after reading this book I’ve changed my mind.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Scholastic presentation of the book, in video with the song. The stunning collage art is featured as the song is sung accompanied by a guitar, and of course, a drum.
It is one of my favorite Christmas songs, it is a treat to have it with these images.

[Nahira]

The little Drummer boy is a classic. Every year around Christmas time everyone who believes in Christmas is touch by this lovable character. The picture on this version are beautiful and full of details that transport you to the little drummer boy world.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually a huge fan of songs made into books, especially Christmas songs, but this one is so good. My 2 year old LOVES it and The Little Dummer Boy is now his favorite Christmas song. The illustrations are unique and beautiful. I never expected this one to be such a big hit with my kids.

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas fable about the Little Drummer boy who has been written about and sung about for centuries.
Keats here writes a nice version of the classic tale.
All that you would expect, but with Keats it is a step above the norm.

[LuYi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter is 22 months old and loves listening to us sing the lyrics to this book. She even enjoys the illustrations and is very excited to see the baby Jesus at the end. Would highly recommend it as a Christmas book.

[Jessi Gaul · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't think this book would be about the drummer boy i always hear about on Christmas eve but it was. Definitely a very easy read, but people who weren't catholic or Christians I don't think would understand this book very well.

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have an old, used copy that’s faded and ripping at the seams, but it’s still such a beautiful book. Some kind of drumming toy or even a pot or pan would accompany this sing-along picture book perfectly.

[Elkaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great fine, from the very popular and renowned Children's Ezra Jack Keats, the author of wonderful The Snowy Day. This will make a great Christmas storybook, as who doesn’t love the wonderful Christmas carol The Little Drummer Boy.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeously illustrated version of the beloved Christmas carol one cannot help but to sing aloud.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lyrics to the Little Drummer Boy with Keat's wonderful illustrations

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entrancing illustrations for the text of the song, The Little Drummer Boy.