The Corgiville Fair - The BEST children's book ever

" The Corgiville Fair" - written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor

I love children's books. I read many as a child, in fact I read all the time - but I wasn't very discerning - I couldn't tell you why I liked a book or what made a book a treasure verses trash. I only could say I really liked it or not.


As a watchful mom I have tried to search out the best books to read to my children. I want to pass on my values to my children in the most memorable way possible - in the way the best teacher of all time did it - with a story.

And not one of those stories written that just smacks of the hovering Sunday School superintendent teaching you the lesson you must know. But a story that rings true and satisfies something deep inside you.

So now I will present my review and will also be getting some help from my daughter who you can see above reading this most delightful book.


"West of New Hampshire and east of Vermont is a village. Its name is Corgiville."

To those of you who have made a visit to Corgiville, you will agree with me that if you can but see Corgis by moonlight you will know they are enchanted.

My Little Missy's review - You should read this book because it's funny and it talks about something they do and it's really exciting. When it is finished, it is the best day of their life. I would love it to be a day in my life.



The main character is Caleb Brown, a young corgi who wishes to win the goat race at the Corgiville Fair at the end of the summer. He has a rival in his bid to be conqueror, Edgar Tomcat, who plays pranks at town meetings and disregards any spiritual advice. You have no idea how low down he can become in his desire to hear 100 silver dollars jingling in his pocket.

I do not think that I can wax eloquent enough about this book. It has everything - good and evil, hard work and loafing, courage in the face of danger, politics and church attendance, family love and support, the evils of gambling and of wearing loud-patterned waistcoats, deception and drugged hot dogs, and true friendship and intense suspense.


It's all that and more.


It has some of the most beautiful, engaging and humorous illustrations I've ever seen in a children's book. The detail is amazing and you can play an I spy game with your kids. Can you find the lost puppy at the fair, the rabbit "skinny-dipping", the chickens pulling a cart, the soda pop bogart, the cat catching a fish, the balloon lady and on and on and on. Tasha Tudor presents a unique vision of a life lived in the style of the 1830's and it's a delightful life.


Some of our favorite quotes -


"He watched her weight like a teenager."

"Making bets with money! How shocking!"


"He felt sure Josephine could win, but would she? The suspense was tantalizing."


"There were runaway pigs and lost puppies, and tabby cats selling cotton candy. There were bogarts with patent-medicine remedies and old corgis with trained fleas. IT WAS WONDERFUL!"


"Caleb took a hot dog."


"Edgar Tomcat now left this deplorable scene, purring loudly and feeling very much pleased with himself."


I can't say anymore or I will spoil the book for you. But know that there is "just nothing, absolutely nothing, so glorious as the Corgiville Fair."

I love all of her books but another favorite that you really should look at is her version of Robert Louis Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses". But she has written over 70 books and they are all a feast for the eyes and a home cooked meal for your heart.