Judy Collins and Eric Buybaret Illustrate Intercultural Enchantment in When You Wish Upon a Star

Last year, I received a handsome picture book edition of Clement C. Moore’s A Visit From St. Nicholas - there called The Night Before Christmas - accompanied by a three-track album recorded by Peter Paul and Mary. A beautiful book and CD in its own right, it is especially significant because it is the last recording Mary Travers ever made. That book, illustrated by Eric Puybaret, is a part of a series of picture books inspired by beloved songs, and I was excited to see that this month marked the release of When You Wish Upon a Star, also illustrated by Puybaret but this time accompanied by a three-track CD by Judy Collins.

Collins, like Peter Paul and Mary, is something of a giant in the folk community, a Grammy-winning artist with a hauntingly beautiful voice and a history of devotion to various charitable causes. I probably know her best for her rendition of the beloved hymn Amazing Grace, first recorded in the 1970s and performed memorably as a character on the 1990s TV series Christy. Here, she sings three songs, each recorded specially for this book-and-CD set.

The first, naturally, is When You Wish Upon a Star, the Pinocchio theme that has become one of Disney’s most iconic songs. To gentle violin and piano backing, she sings with wistful clarity. It’s quite a lovely version, as is the third track, her take on the traditional slave song All the Pretty Little Horses, which fits in very nicely as it has to do with dreams and their fulfillment. There is a subtle undercurrent of sadness to the song, but it is not overpowering.

My favorite of the three, however, is the Collins original Other Side of My World. In this poignant song, she sings of childhood dreams cast aside then reclaimed and of friendship and love that bridges vast distances. This one particularly resonates with me, as some of the people I care about most deeply live so far away. Gorgeous. “I had my life on this side of the world, and you had your life on the other. Sometimes I’d wake from my sleep, and I would remember my promise. On the other side of my world, I knew that there was a grown-up child just like me. We might be as different as day and night, but we will meet, all right, and put our worlds together.”

Funnily enough, the words in the book and on the CD are not in perfect agreement. Collins, who speaks the first part before launching into the song proper, sings with all of her pronouns in proper agreement, whereas the book states, “When a star is born, they possess a gift or two…” And while it scans a bit better than “it possesses,” it makes the grammar geeks cringe involuntarily. The Other Side of My World fits wonderfully with the book because Puybaret chooses to give the surrealistic paintings an intercultural flavor. Several of the scenes remind me of It’s a Small World, another of Disney’s most iconic songs. These children come from a variety of different countries; none is referenced specifically – after all, the only words in the book, aside from the contributors’ notes, are the song lyrics – but the physical features and clothing of the children reflect their varied homelands.

The star itself is anthropomorphized as a beaming, sparkling ball of pale blue light, and when she first appears, she is surrounding by placidly smiling planets. Each illustration is a two-page spread full of stylized geometrical shapes and distinct colors. My favorite painting is probably the one that accompanies the words “If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme.” Seven wide-eyed children gaze out over a wonderland shown to them by an obliging fairy. As they gaze about in awe, we see horse-drawn carriages, trains traversing loopy tracks, gently rising hot air balloons and many other whimsical delights. I also love the final illustration, in which a dozen children soar through the air high above Earth. A boy from India flies a plane, a young African is dressed as a doctor, an Eskimo stands astride a pair of skis, an Asian girl rides a unicorn… It’s a wonderful representation of the different types of dreams that people have and an indication that these desires traverse cultural backgrounds.

When You Wish Upon a Star is a heartening song, and between Judy Collins and Eric Puybaret, this book makes it all the more beautiful. So peruse a copy of this book and get to wishing…

The Night Before Christmas Caps Mary Travers' Legendary Recording Career

Few poems have captured so many imaginations as Clement C. Moore’s A Visit From St. Nicholas. Nearly two centuries after its first publication, it remains ever-popular, particularly in the realm of picture books. Last year saw the release of The Night Before Christmas, a lavish Imagine Publishing book with paintings by Eric Puybaret and a three-track CD by Peter, Paul and Mary. Indeed, this bonus album – particularly the second track – appears to have been the main reason for this edition.

I received the book for Christmas last year, but I heard about it earlier in December when Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey were making the morning show circuit talking about the book, which they dedicated to Mary Travers, who died in 2009 of complications from leukemia. While the first and third tracks on the CD are, as best as I can determine, gleaned from the trio’s live Holiday Celebration concert in the 1980s, the second track features Mary reading the story, with background music added later by Peter and Paul. It was her final recording, making this a very special keepsake for Peter, Paul and Mary fans.

I’m certainly one of those, having been introduced to the group by an aunt determined to make an enthusiast out of me. At least, that was the first I recall being specifically aware of them as a trio, though I know I first heard Puff the Magic Dragon as a toddler, and while I might have been mostly familiar with kiddie versions, I find it hard to believe I made it to the age of eight without hearing their original rendition. In any case, could the gal who loved the soothing harmonies and intricate lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel fail to fall for the grassroots power and vocal majesty of Peter, Paul and Mary? It was only a matter of time.

In Mary’s recording, her voice teeters on faint; it’s plain that she is not as robust as she once was. Nonetheless, her reading sparkles with warmth and enthusiasm, and the playful background vocalizations of her old friends are an affectionate tribute to their bond. In the first track, Paul sings the song to guitar accompaniment, filling the melody he co-composed with expressive nuances. He sings with such laughter in his voice that smiling along is practically inevitable. The third track is A-Soalin’, a complex acoustic song about carolers singing for their supper. It doesn’t have a very direct connection to the book, but it is a harmonious song of Christmas cheer, and it also happens to mention the names Peter and Paul.

Obviously, this edition is of particular interest to fans of this iconic folk trio, but it’s an excellent find for anyone looking for a handsome copy of the poem for the family library. The paintings are vibrant, with rich yellows, deep reds and a hushed bluish-white blanket of snow surrounding the house in which St. Nicholas makes his grand appearance. Unusual elements include the verdant robes the reindeer wear, the creative and seemingly homemade toys found throughout the house and the tiny, luminescent fairies who flit through the living room as St. Nick leaves his gifts. The poem is entirely intact, and this is about as straightforward a version as you are likely to find. I was a bit surprised that the narrator drops out of the illustrations after throwing up the sash in his room, but this leaves more room to zero in on the character kids are most interested in.

If you don’t have a picture book version of Moore’s poem in your home, consider getting this one. If, like me, you’ve encountered multiple versions and have a tough time deciding on a favorite, you’ll definitely want to add this one into the consideration. Imagine Publishing’s The Night Before Christmas is a timeless edition of a classic tale and a last labor of love for a trio whose output spanned half a century and whose influence will go on much longer.