JINGLE THE CHRISTMAS CLOWN

The villagers sadly tell the circus troupe that crops have failed, and so they've no money; also, the young people have all gone away, and they're not celebrating Christmas. The circus moves on, but the boy-clown Jingle stays in the little Italian village with the baby animals in his charge. They decide to give a small circus, for free, and some of the old people rally round to help; concluding their performance in the snow, the little group forms a Christmas tree, and an angel miraculously appears, showering them with stars. DePaola's narrative of this sweet story is in his usual unadorned, approachable style. But his figures (though recognizably his) have uncommon subtlety, especially the powerful, dark images of the elderly townsfolk, while his glowing, delicately muted colors and the characters' gestures gently convey the changing mood. A sure crowd-pleaser. (Picture book. 4-8)