Else Wenz-Vietor (1882-1973) was probably the best known and most prolific childrens book illustrator in 1920s and 1930s Germany. She was born in Sorau, a town now in western Poland, and was brought up by her grandparents in Freiburg. It was from her grandfather that she acquired her love of plants and animals which would become favourite themes in her pictures. In 1903 she illustrated the first of over 150 books. She also worked as a freelance artist in the interior design industry. The Christmas Angels is the first of her books to be translated into English.
Description
Reviews
An old-fashioned aura seeps from the gently coloured illustrations of this inspiring tale. It is about angels who are ready to fly down to earth to help the lost, the lonely and the weary. Children love the cut-out angels heads which reveal the features of each one in turn - and the paper is sufficiently strong to withstand a great deal of handling.
-- Carousel Christmas Guide to Childrens Books
This book is delightfully illustrated with a cut-out of each angels head on every page ... Children will learn an important lesson from this book and understand that the overriding message of Christmas is to be good to others ... The rhyming sentences are lovely to read.
-- Creative Steps magazine
First published in 1933, Wenz-Viëtor has written and illustrated a simple, yet sublime Christmas counting book with timeless appeal. A clever design of cut-out angel heads running across the landscape book will enchant readers, especially when each black and white illustration is transformed into colour with every turn of the page. The Christmas Angels is a beautifully packaged book with classic illustrations, which highlight the importance of charitable deeds in a clear and simple way.
-- Inis Magazine
A beautiful vintage Christmas story! At the top of each page there is a cut out of an angels face, this is a very pretty book and its fun to see the angel that features on each page... The illustrations are lovely, beautiful snowy scenes of animals, a glimpse of people inside their houses and Christmas decorations.
-- Kaleidoscope Magazine