Jingly baubles ahoy! It’s time to revisit Claude by Alex T. Smith
This week we celebrate the publication of Claude at Christmas, written and illustrated by Arena Illustration’s beloved, award-winning artist Alex T. Smith. Claude at Christmas is published by Hachette Children’s Books and will arrive at bookshops just in time for a cosy snuggly read before the big day!
In the frosty, twinkly new adventure of everyone’s favourite beret-wearing dog, Claude at Christmas, our hero finds himself swept up, quite literally, into a festive fiasco of the most gloriously silly sort. One minute he’s admiring the sparkling shop windows of Pawhaven, the next he and his ever-snuggly sidekick, Sir Bobblysock, are whisked into a winter wonderland brimming with mishaps, mischief and just a sprinkling of Christmas magic.
And oh, what a cast awaits you! There are cheery carol singers wrapped up like baubles, harried shopkeepers juggling last-minute customers, and a certain rotund someone who’s relying on Claude (yes, Claude!) to help save Christmas from skidding right off the snowy rails.
Packed to the brim with Alex T. Smith’s trademark humour—those clever puns, that impeccable timing, those wonderfully expressive illustrations, Claude at Christmas positively jingles with charm. Every page bursts with cosy colour and delight, from the bustling streets to the shimmering snowflakes that seem almost to dance off the paper. Children will giggle, adults will chuckle, and pets may well peer over your shoulder wondering what all the fuss is about.
This festive romp is the perfect addition to any Christmas stocking—big, small, or stuffed to the brim like Santa’s own sack. And with Claude at the helm, you can be sure of an adventure filled with warmth, whimsy, and just enough chaos to keep you turning pages faster than a reindeer on Christmas Eve.
Here are some of our favourite illustrations…
Psssst slip a note to Father Christmas, he might be able to help with a copy. If not, grab one at Hachette , or pop on your cosiest socks (preferably bobbly ones) and head straight to your local book shop or library, and prepare to be utterly enchanted.
Alex is a huge champion for libraries, teachers, artists and everyone within the creative industries, he manages to find the time to visit numerous schools, events, bookshops and festivals throughout the year, alongside finding time to write and sketch for pleasure. His work, ideas and characters have been featured in numerous television and film projects as well as a myriad of creative publications within the children’s publishing realms.
Alex is a true treasure, equally talented in storytelling, character creation, illustration and bringing stories to the book shelves which children really do believe in.
You can find Alex on Instagram HERE! Alex also has a wonderful and utterly joyful newsletter on Substack, check out Pigeon Post HERE… For more information regarding with Alex or any of our wonderful artists, please email info@arenaillustration.com
