I feel like I need to have read/ nostalgized Redwall to enjoy this? Or maybe I just can't appreciate its whimsy as an adult?

This is the only Redwall book I've read, and I liked it.

General Overview
A delightful festive read that I've not touched for many years. The late great Mr Jacques does his magic once more as we return to Redwall for a story of the season.

Style
Mr Brian Jacques was a wonderful teller of stories, and this book shows him at his best. His love of accents, and simple folk poems that he grew up with shine here, and add nothing but charm to this short book. Well paced, his writing is perfect.

He captures the whimsy of it all so well, and his wonderful prose add a real charm to the scenes he is painting. Though not fully part of his style, the art that graces this version only builds on the overall charm of thew book.

Substance
Starting on Autumns last day, this story sees us returning to Redwall Abbey, as all the good creatures there prepare to receive some most exotic guests, and settle in for the coming of winter. One small mole sits at the centre of this delightful time and tale. I can say no more without spoiling it, but the story is magical, and truly heart warming.

Final Thoughts
A book I hope to share with my children in the future as we prepare for Christmas, this is a wonderful little read.

This book is a few years old now. 2013 maybe?

But I picked this up in a pound store. The cover caught my eye. I only flicked through it quickly because I recognised the cover.
Thought no more of it until I was unpacking my purchases then I sat to look at this more closely.
The illustrations in this edition are awesome.

They say “ a picture tells a thousand words” it’s definitely true in this instance.

I’m glad I picked it up for only £1

While I was reading this book to myself with my cat curled on my lap, my cat reached out and batted at some of the plump happy mouse illustrations. If that's not the biggest compliment to the illustrator, I don't know what is.

While this book is less gory and way more twee than your average Redwall book, I don't think it's a bad thing. It's good for the soul to look at lushly colored illustrations of talking animals eating at a medieval banquet and giant ethereal badgers descending from the clouds to usher in the first snowfall of winter.

Cute little picture book for younger readers who may not be ready for the rest of the series (and its more "mature" themes of the realities of war, death, etc.). A nice little read!

Very cozy winter read. Didn’t love the alternating poetry and narrative however a darling story and the gorgeous artwork which is what drew me to the book.

A good addition to Redwall, with good illustrations. Recommend it for older readers, as it is a tad long for younger children. Maybe 7 or 8 at least, or younger if they hold still that long!

This was precious and a great way to introduce my favorite Redwall world to my son before he will begin his own Redwall journey. I love this world and it’s a perfect winter read. Will definitely add it it our annual “snow season” read aloud book list

This tale is lovely! Beautiful illustrations accompany the whimsical story of a Redwall celebration complete with entertainers and the inevitable feast. As a read-aloud story, you might consider breaking it up into sections for more active children to enjoy. But do give it a try. It's worth the time it takes to read through the story. It could also be an excellent teaching tool for a section on riddles or holidays. I've been reading this one to my kids a long time. I believe my youngest was a toddler when we first read it. She's a young teen now and we're still reading it at Christmas time.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Brian Jacques story I don't derive pleasure from, especially in his Redwall series. A Redwall Winter's Tale takes us back to the era of Sam the squirrel and Constance Badgermum, Matthias the Warrior and his lovely wife Cornflower. On winter's eve, Redwall Abbey is set to receive a special group of guests: the Thistledown Troupe of performers, ready to bring good cheer to the abbey's creatures as they prepare for the cold months ahead. The celebration will be one to cherish.

Through hearty music, comedic skits, and other merry feats—including a juggling show by otters Oswald and Oriole—the Thistledown Troupe works up an appetite pleasing their audience, in anticipation of the feast ahead. Bungo the mole, a young dibbun, is fascinated by Mighty Bulbrock the badger, who tells the tale of the mythological Snow Badger, said to bring winter every year in his own magical way. Grownup Redwallers smile and pretend to believe, but Bulbrock encourages Bungo to have faith: the Snow Badger is real, and may pay a visit that very night.

Everybeast sleeps peacefully on full bellies and hearts as winter arrives, sweeping across the landscape and coating it with crystalline ice and powdery snow. One dibbun awakens early: Bungo the mole, who claims the next morning to have seen the Snow Badger and had a conversation. Was he merely dreaming? All Bungo has of his encounter is a message written in riddle that may be the key to understanding the Snow Badger's purpose. When you live at Redwall, special moments are a common occurrence.

Other than a mild tug on the heartstrings at the end, A Redwall Winter's Tale is more whimsical than captivating, a short story to complement the long-running series of Redwall novels. Verse and prose often take turns within the narrative, and that can be jarring at times, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to revisit these beloved characters. Never did a children's book series exist quite like Redwall.

I love Brian Jacques. This is a delightful long poem of the final day of autumn and the first day of winter. Jacques does such a great job with his characterization. Each one of his animals is drawn with loving care, infusing his world with a life that I just want to sink into. I think that the short form is his true calling, as Redwall was just a bit too long. Still, his characters were as memorable in the first book as they are now.

If you like this, read The Great Redwall Feast.