The Mummer's Song - by Bud Davidge (Mixed Media Product)

About the Book

An esoteric Newfoundland tradition captures the spirit of Christmas and Halloween, combining them in an unusual ritual. An elderly woman and her two grandsons are visited by a band of 20 "mummers"--masked and costumed neighbors who make merry. The words to a popular song describe the custom of neighbors visiting from house to house for singing, dancing, and refreshments. Full-color illustrations.

Book Synopsis

New edition with CD!

On a cold, clear Newfoundland night shortly after Christmas, several outlandishly costumed mummers appear, and Granny's house suddenly erupts in a burst of joking and tomfoolery, raucous singing and exuberant dancing. Granny and her two young charges are instantly caught up in the merriment. When the evening's festivities come to a close, the mummers bid a fond farewell until next year.

Popular singer Bud Davidge wrote The Mummer's Song as a tribute to a centuries-old custom in danger of disappearing. Since its publication in 1973, it has fostered a revival of mummering, as noted author and Newfoundland son Kevin Major points out in his afterword.

Review Quotes

Provides an interesting look at a little-known tradition.-- "Horn Book"

Wallace's grainy, colored pencil drawings create a crazy canvas of Noel and nonsense...-- "Booklist"

Wallace's rich illustrations exist to tell a story, full of individual characters, embellished with rich details, in a distinctive style developed for a particular book.-- "Globe and Mail"