Continuing with the latter portion of the season in which Bugs Bunny came unto his own, causing the venerable Porky Pig to have more than the shadow of a little black duck looming behind him to steal his thunder and usurp his throne.

Poe's Raven, not feeling well, goes in search of a doctor, and in a nearby book finds Dr. The doctor offers to transfer the bookworm's brain to the r. Attention cartoon lovers! Here is the forgotten 1940 MGM cartoon, 'The Bookworm Turns,' directed by Hugh Harman. When a raven, feeling dopey, meets up with Dr. Jekyll, the doctor masterminds transferring the brain of a book worm into the raven.

The Bookworm Turns 1940 Cartoon

Tortoise Beats Hare (3/15/41) – The first meeting of Bugs and Cecil Turtle. Bugs takes exception to the title of the cartoon, calling its producers (whose names he mispronounces) “a big bunch of jerks – and I ought to know. I work for ‘em.” One of the first Avery films to use the “multiple look-alikes” trope (excepting Egghead’s audience in Hamateur Night). Songs include “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”, with the rest original score.

Goofy Groceries (3/29/41) – Midnight in a grocery store, as the products again engage in a revue. Historically important for animation’s first “Superman” parody (months before the release of the Fleischer series). The film is also stuffed to the gills with celebrity caricatures, including another “Jack Bunny” salute. Plot? Who needs one? Songs: “Jingle Bells”, “If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)”, “Chicken Reel”, “By a Waterfall”, “I’m Just Wild About Harry”, and “Playmates”.

Toy Trouble (4/12/41) – Sniffles and Bookworm invade a toy department at Macy’s Department Store, and wind up attracting the attention of a cat. A wind-up toy duck with an everlasting mainspring proves an unlikely ally in bringing about the cat’s downfall. Also features a highlight where Sniffles hides out among a row of Porky Pig dolls. A better than average and lively outing for Chuck Jones. Songs” Lullaby of Broadway”, “All This and Heaven Too”, “In An Old Dutch Garden” and “It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight” (the clip below is from the 1944 Warner feature Shine On Harvest Moon).

The Trial of Mr. Wolf (4/26/41) – Big Bad Wolf is suing Little Red Riding Hood for damages unspecified, and tells his side of the story. In this version, Grandma is very much into wolf pelt, and sees Big Bad as fine material for a coat. Features a closing gag that Warners would use at least once more – where the Wolf declares if he’s not telling the truth, he hopes he’s run over by a street car (a modification of the “lightning strike” gag which ended “The Hardship of Miles Standish”.) Ding ding! Songs include “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”, “Oh! Dear! What Can The Matter Be” and the Pizzicato from Sylvia.

Farm Frolics (5/10/41) – Spot gags (from Clampett, for a change) on the farm, with running gag involving piglets and a clock – as they wait for feeding time. Mom can only say “Every day it’s the same thing.” Songs: “I’m Happy About the Whole Thing” (as a horse performs a “Cantor”), Von Suppe’s Light Cavalry Overture, “Where Has My Little Dog Gone”, and “Playmates”.

Hollywood Steps Out (5/24/41) – Caricatured celebrities in a night out at Ciro’s – where dinner is $50.00, on easy terms. Name dropping is almost too numerous to mention – memorables include tough guys (Cagney, Raft, etc.) pitching pennies, one of the first takeoffs on Bing Crosby’s horses, a table of “stone faces” (Keaton, Ned Sparks, etc.), Andy Hardy and father getting stuck with the check and dishwashing duties, Sally Strand’s “bubble dance, and Clark Gable in pursuit of a kiss from – Groucho Marx? Songs: “Where Was I?”, “Ahi Viene La Conga” (a latin number recorded by Xavier Cugat for Victor, Desi Arnaz on Columbia, and Nilo Menendez on Decca), “Merrily We Roll Along” (accompanying a table with sme of the studio’s own execs), “Oh, You Beautiful Doll”, “Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone” (a reserved seat for Daisy from the Blondie series), “Congo”, and of course “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles”.

Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt (6/7/41) – Longfellow’s poem gets the Termite Terrace treatment. Bugs is hunted by an intellectually-challenged native American, who has no more success than Elmer Fudd. One of the first uses of the idea of a boiling hot pot as a “bath” (a sequence replayed verbatim years later as a clip in What’s Cooking, Doc?). Songs include: “A Hunting We Will Go”, Bugs himself singing “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”, and “By the Waters of Minnetonka”, an art song written by Therlow Lieurance in the 1910’s. It was recorded in 1918 by Barbara Maurel for Columbia. A very popular foxtrot arrangement was recorded by Paul Whiteman in 1924, then electrically re-recorded in 1928. It was also picked up by the black stage band of Sam Wooding, recorded in Berlin for Vox in 1925 and for Polydor in 1926. Eddie South in Chicago recorded it for Victor in 1927. Swing arrangements were done in 1938 by Ray Noble (Brunswick) and Glenn Miller (Bluebird), the latter being an extended-length chart that took two sides of the record.

The Wacky Worm (6/21/41) – Friz Freleng’s direct successor to his efforts at MGM on The Bookworm and The Bookworm Turns, lifting his Raven adversary almost intact from such previous titles. However, in order to avoid any accusations of stepping on copyright toes, the worm develops an entirely new personality – a mustachioed caricature of Jerry Colonna. Songs: “In Caliente”, “Day Dreaming (All Night Long)”, “and “It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight.”

The Heckling Hare (7/5/41) – The cartoon that got Tex Avery fired from Warner Brothers. Notorious for its rushed ending, caused by Schlesinger cutting off the last 40 feet of the picture for its alleged resemblance to a then-current dirty joke. Another chase cartoon featuring Avery’s recurring hound Willoughby in pursuit – and climaxed by the world’s longest fall off a cliff – perhaps only exceeded by Bugs’ later plummet in a dive bomber in Falling Hare. The score includes the inevitable “A Hunting We Will Go”, Mendelssohn’s Spring Song”, “Fountain in the Park (Strolling Through)”, and “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles”.

Inki and the Lion (7/19/41) – A nearly identical redo of “The Little Lion Hunter”, with another comeback for the mysterious Mynah Bird. No current pop tines – just the Bird’s usual entrance cue of “Fingal’s Cave”.

Aviation Vacation (8/2/41) -Spot gags built around a round the world airplane trip. The plane winds up as part of an amusement park ride after getting lost in a thick fog. Also Avery’s first use of the animated ‘hair-in-the-projector” gag, which he would later perfect in MGM’s Magical Maestro. Songs: “April Showers”, “Brahms’ Lullaby”, “California, Here I Come”, and “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”, part of the standard repertoire of the Irish tenor, as exemplified by John McCormack on Victor, and by every other such singer subsequently, including Dennis Day on Victor, and even Bing Crosby (???) on Decca. Here’s a clip of Dennis Morgan crooning it from the 1940 Warner Bros. feature Tear Gas Squad:

Sport Chumpions (8/16/41) – More spot gags in the form of a sports highlight reel, popular in the day from the Pete Smith Specialties at MGM. Not only are major sports covered, but items such as archery and six-day bicycle races (monotonous, isn’t it?). “Blue Danube Waltz”, “Sidewalk Serenade” and “Frat” sneak into Stalling’s score, along with a suggestion of “The Darktown Strutter’s Ball” while the swimming sequence shows us “another popular dive” (with swinging doors).

Next: Looney Tunes 1941-42.

From thrillers to romance, minimalism to cats- we have you covered this year when it comes to festive reads- whatever your preference...

Image courtesy of Pixabay

1: One Family Christmas by Bella Osborne

A big family. A whole lot of secrets. A Christmas to remember… This year, Lottie is hosting one last big family Christmas at the home she grew up in – just like her Nana would have wanted. But when her relatives descend on the old manor house, Lottie gets more than she bargained for. Every family has its secrets, but this one has twelve! So, between cooking a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, keeping tensions at bay and Dave the dog out of mischief, she has plenty on her plate. And then her first love shows up – nine years after he walked out of her life. Can Lottie make their last family Christmas one to remember… for the right reasons?

2: Alfie The Christmas Cat by Rachel Wells

The next purrfect read from Rachel Wells – a true festive treat! Christmas is around the corner, and Alfie and George can’t wait. This year, the residents of Edgar road have come together to put on a festive show and raise money for a local homeless shelter. As December approaches, plans are in full swing: auditions are being held, props are being built, Alfie and George are rehearsing daily, and everyone is having a very merry time. But then things start to go wrong. And when the residents arrive at the theatre one morning to discover their set has been trashed, it becomes clear someone is trying to sabotage their performance. Alfie and George know it’s up to them to find the culprit and save the day. Because, after all, the show must go on…

3: Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft

A sparkling Christmas read from the Sunday Times bestseller – perfect to snuggle up with this winter! Hannah and Nate are meant to be together. But fate is keeping them apart… As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nate in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nate has two children to look after. When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nate has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?

4: A Surprise Christmas Wedding by Phillipa Ashley

Curl up with this gorgeous story about love and second chances… It’s been a year since Lottie’s fiancé walked out, leaving her heartbroken. But things start to look up when she lands her dream job at a beautiful Lake District estate, with a handsome groundskeeper for a neighbour. So when Lottie is asked to organise a last minute Christmas wedding at Firholme, she can’t wait to get started. Until she meets the couple, and discovers that Connor, the man who broke her heart, is the groom-to-be. As snow falls on the hills, can Lottie put aside her past to organise the perfect winter wedding? And will there be any festive magic left to bring Lottie the perfect Christmas she deserves? Christmas Gifting - Avon 2020 Highlights And for those who prefer Die Hard to Love Actually…

5: The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine

As the snow begins to fall, the body count begins to climb… DI James Walker is ready for a quiet family Christmas in the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey. But when he opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow. As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next…. Can James stop the killer before they strike again?

6: Silent Night by Nell Pattison

What happened while they were sleeping? A school for the deaf takes an overnight trip to the snowy woods. Five teenagers go to sleep, but only four wake up. Leon is missing, and a teacher’s body is found in the forest… Sign language interpreter Paige Northwood is brought in to help with interrogations. Everyone at the school has a motive for murder – but they all have an alibi. As Paige becomes increasingly involved, she suspects there’s something sinister going on. With the clock ticking to find Leon, only one thing is certain: the killer is among them, and ready to strike again…

7. Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she's feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie's residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market - with the promise she'll take a mini-bus full of pensioners with her...

Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a check-list of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich's rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer.

Will Connie's wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so - with who?

8. Christmas with the Tea Shop Girls by Elaine Everest

It is early 1940 and World War Two has already taken a hold on the country. Rose Neville works as a Lyon’s Teashop Nippy on the Kent coast alongside her childhood friends, the ambitious Lily and Katie, whose fiancé is about to be posted overseas in the navy. As war creates havoc in Europe, Rose relies on the close friendship of her friends and her family.

When Capt. Benjamin Hargreaves enters the teashop one day, Rose is immediately drawn to him. But as Lyon’s forbids courting between staff and customers, she tries to put the handsome officer out of her mind.

In increasingly dark and dangerous times, Rose fears there may not be time to waste. But is the dashing captain what he seems?

9. Secrets in the Snow by Emma Heatherington

As the winter snow falls on the small Irish village of Ballybray, Roisin O’Connor and her young son, Ben, are saying goodbye to their beloved neighbour Mabel Murphy. Mabel lived a bold and colourful life, but the arrival of her brooding nephew, ‘blow-in’ Aidan Murphy, just makes life more complicated for Roisin. However, in one final act of love, a message arrives from Mabel that changes everything. And as winter turns to spring and the cold snow melts, the secrets both Roisin and Aidan are hiding must be revealed at last…

10. The Emmerdale Girls by Kerry Bell

December 1944, and the residents of Beckindale can't believe they're going through another wartime Christmas. Though the success of the D-Day landings earlier in the year has brought some hope to the village. The women of Emmerdale are navigating their own lives, loves and dreams and as the war draws to a close, and they realise things will never be the same again. The perfect Christmas gift full of drama and romance, for fans of ITV's Emmerdale and readers who love heart-wrenching stories set during wartime.

11. Miracle on Chrismtas Street by Annie O'Neal

The Bookworm Box

It's the most wonderful time of the year... Except for Jess Green. This December she's hoping to hunker down in her new home and steer clear of all that comfort and joy. But the residents of Christmas Street have other ideas. Jess's new neighbours have created an extraordinary real-life advent calendar, with every house opening its door in turn for carolling, wreath-making or gingerbread icing, except Number 24, home to cantankerous old Mr Winters. When Jess finds herself swept up in the festivities, can her friendship - and a little festive magic - thaw even the hardest of hearts? Feel-good, funny and irresistibly festive, this book is guaranteed to melt your heart this Christmas!

12. The Six Tales of Christmas by Anne Marie Ryan

Can a Christmas miracle save the bookshop on the green? Simon and Nora, the owners, are gearing up for the festive season - but their shop is in trouble. They come up with a plan to send out books to lonely members of their village and, one by one, the villagers come to the shop, all of them touched by the gesture and feeling already a little less alone. A gorgeous, feel-good read about the power of community.

13. Home for Christmas by Florence McNicoll

The second novel in a heart-warming new fiction series set in partnership with Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. Kathy, recently widowed and desperately lonely, is led to the doors of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home after a chance encounter. Through a year of ups and downs, new friends - both two and four-legged - the possibility of a new romance and a new life beckons for Kathy.

14: Christmas at Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May

With both the Corner Shop and Cockleberry Café in safe hands, Rosa turns her attention to Ned’s Gift, the charity set up in memory of the great-grandfather whose legacy turned her life around. Over at the Ship Hotel, Lucas has his work cut out with his devious new girlfriend and the mystery poisoning of an anonymous hotel inspector. Will the hotel still get its 3-star Seaside Rosette? Will Mary find true love at last? Can Titch cope with the demands of the shop and being heavily pregnant. And can Rosa, with a baby of her own, pull off the Cockleberry Bay Charity Christmas Concert in time? Christmas in Cockleberry Bay is a festive delight for fans of Rosa and her cheeky mini dachshund Hot, delivering a feast of unpredictable events and surprises.

15: You Never See Rainbows at Christmas by Elaine Spires

Like a rhinestone Miss Havisham, Eloise plans to spend Christmas alone, lying on the settee, crying her eyes out and listening to Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits. But a fall in the sleet two nights before Christmas lands her at the feet of rough sleeper Adam who is fighting his own demons. Limping, cut and bruised, she has no alternative but to accept his offer of help. And instead of rejection and solitude there’s friendship and company and the festive season suddenly seems brighter. Eloise’s never seen a rainbow at Christmas... Until now.

16: If Every Day Was Christmas by Donna Ashcroft

Snow is falling, fires are crackling merrily, and Lockton tradition has everyone hanging a promise they’re determined to keep this Christmas on the tree in the village square. Meg Scott has promised to make a success of her first solo Christmas. She runs a year-round Christmas shop in the little Scottish village, and is a fan of all things mulled, sparkly and festive. So when her warring family shows up on her doorstep, ready to spread discord and tension, Meg is determined not to let them ruin her favourite time of the year. Meanwhile, Christmas-hating Tom Riley-Clark has been called to the Highlands to help his old friend at The Apple Cross Inn. He’s ready to work hard and has no time for mince pies, tinsel or hanging a promise on the tree: the thought of every day being Christmas is his worst nightmare, and you wouldn’t catch him dead buying a bauble. So everyone is surprised when Christmas-loving Meg and grinch Tom start to get cozy under the mistletoe.

The Bookworm Turns 1940 Dailymotion

17: Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen by Tilly Tennant

As the snow flutters down in the little village of Linnetford, escape to a cosy farmhouse kitchen, scented with the rich aromas of fruitcake and gingerbread, where a love of baking is about to unite two lonely hearts. Cathy cooked at her mother’s side her whole life and could bake a fairy cake before she could ride a bike. Now she is facing her first Christmas without her beloved mother, she’s determined to use her memories for something positive. She decides to organise a weekly cooking class, sharing her mother’s precious recipes with other lonely souls. There’s just one small spanner in the works: teenager Tansy, who attends Cathy’s classes even though she’s rude to everyone there and seems to hate every minute. Cathy is poised to ask Tansy to leave, but her uncle, physiotherapist Matt, begs her to give the teenager another chance. And Cathy can’t resist Matt’s sparkling hazel eyes and incredibly kind heart…

18: Christmas at Fireside Cabins by Jenny Hale

An uplifting, beautiful and totally heartwarming tale about the magic of family at Christmas, the importance of chasing your dreams, and the unbeatable feeling of falling in love under the mistletoe. Christmas is always tough for Lila Evans. Instead of being with her loved ones, she’s all alone, and reminded of the heartbreaking time when she lost her father. It’s no wonder that, this year, Lila’s escaping Nashville. She’s in search of a home away from home––and the countryside retreat of Fireside Cabins sounds like the perfect place. But it turns out that Pinewood Hills, tucked in the snow-topped Tennessee mountains, doesn’t offer her much of a small-town welcome. Stopping at the local coffee shop for a much-needed peppermint latte, the rugged, surly owner Theo Perry gives her an icy reception that even his piercing blue eyes can’t melt.

The Bookworm Store

19: One More For Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Gayle is a highly successful and motivated business woman, but her success has come at a price – she hasn’t spoken to her daughters, Ella and Samantha, for years. But when Gayle has an accident at work, she realises she needs to make amends with her family. And so she invites herself to join Ella and Samantha for their Christmas in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The sisters are none too pleased that their mother has inserted herself into their Christmas plans. They have each other – and don’t need their mother back in their lives. Or so they think. As they embark on their first family Christmas together in years, will the three women learn that sometimes facing up to a few home truths is all you need to heal your heart?

20: Christmas For Beginners by Carole Matthews

Christmas is fast approaching at the new Hope Farm. Owner Molly Baker has been convinced to organise an open day to raise some much-needed funds ahead of the New Year, but the nativity tableau is proving challenging. With anti-social sheep, awkward alpacas and a seriously sequined Santa Claus to assemble, Molly is feeling overwhelmed, and in desperate need of some Christmas spirit. Despite the chaos of the farm getting in the way of her event planning, Molly is looking forward to spending the holidays with boyfriend Shelby and his son, Lucas, hopeful that a happy family Christmas is exactly what they need to draw them all together. But while she is busy making plans on the farm, Shelby, it seems, has ideas of his own. As the nativity draws near, the team are working hard to pull off a spectacular festive fete - and make sure the animals and humans remain on their best behaviour.

21: A Season in the Snow by Isla Gordon

Alice Bright has a great life. She has a job she adores, a devoted family and friends she'd lay down her life for. But when tragedy strikes, she finds her whole world turned upside down.Enter, Bear, a fluffy, lovable - and rapidly growing! - puppy searching for a home. Bear may be exactly what Alice needs to rekindle her spark, but a London flat is no place for a mountain dog, and soon Alice and Bear find themselves on a journey to the snow-topped mountains of Switzerland in search of a new beginning. Amidst the warming log fires, cosy cafes and stunning views, Alice finds her heart slowly beginning to heal. But will new friends and a charming next door neighbour be enough to help Alice fall in love with life once more?

22: Holly's Christmas Countdown by Suzie Tullett

Holly has been planning Christmas in the Caribbean with her boyfriend Jeremy for the last few months and welcomes the chance to do something different for the festive season. But when Holly catches Jeremy in bed with another woman her hopes are shattered. Faced with no other option, it appears Holly is going to have to spend Christmas with her eccentric parents. Something she was keen to avoid. After a night out, drowning her sorrows with her friend, she has a chance encounter with a handsome stranger, Fin, who provides her with an opportunity to have a Christmas staycation away from her parents. But when it turns out that there is more to Fin than meets the eye, and the attraction between him and Holly grows, it looks like she is on the cusp of happiness again. Will Holly get the Christmas she craved and the man of her dreams?

23: Have Yourself a Mininmalist Christmas by Meg Nordmann

Do you dread the high cost that comes with purchasing Christmas gifts?Do you feel overwhelmed when decorating for the holidays?Do you feel defeated by not having enough time to fulfill all of society's idealized holiday traditions?Do you feel exhausted from picking up mountains of toys and dread adding even more to your home?Do you feel the urge to scale back, but you’re not sure how to get your family on board?If you answered yes to any of these, the way out of this rut is to successfully “Have Yourself a Minimalist Christmas.”You do not need to be a practicing minimalist to receive the benefits of the actionable items in this book. Even minimalists struggle during this busy, consumerist-driven season! Minimalism is a philosophy and lifestyle that encourages intentionality with your money, items and time. It is a deliberate, simple way of life where each item brings you true value and true joy.

24: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day by Milly Johnson

It’s nearly Christmas and it’s snowing, hard. Deep in the Yorkshire Moors nestles a tiny hamlet, with a pub at its heart. As the snow falls, the inn will become an unexpected haven for six people forced to seek shelter there. Mary has been trying to get her boss Jack to notice her for four years, but he can only see the efficient PA she is at work. Will being holed up with him finally give her the chance she has been waiting for? Bridge and Luke were meeting for five minutes to set their divorce in motion. But will getting trapped with each other reignite too many fond memories – and love? Charlie and Robin were on their way to a luxury hotel in Scotland for a very special Christmas. But will the inn give them everything they were hoping to find – and much more besides?

25: Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jenny Colgan

Flora Mackenzie is worried about her brother. Fintan hasn't got over the death of his partner, Coltan, and Flora thinks he needs a project. The Rock - the rambling, disused hotel on the tip of the island - was Coltan's passion project before he died. With Flora's help, Fintan is going to get the hotel up and running in time for Christmas, transforming it into a festive haven of crackling log fires and delicious food. But running a hotel, they are about to discover, is not that easy. Especially when their motley staff includes a temperamental French chef, a spoilt Norwegian kitchen boy who can't peel a potato without mutilating his own hand and a painfully shy kitchen assistant who blushes when anyone speaks to her. Can they pull it together in time for the big opening?

RELATED: The Bookworm's Advent Calendar: 25 books to read in Christmas 2019

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis: Unlucky in love Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling Notting Hill house‐share with four strangers. On her first night Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor. They don’t kiss under the mistletoe, but as far as Jess is concerned, the connection is instant. She lets herself imagine how their relationship will grow over the following year. But when Jess returns from a Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else – beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into (hell, sharing a bathroom with) the man of her dreams… and the woman of his. Jess is determined to move on and survive the next twelve months… but love has a way of hampering even the best laid plans… Set over the course of one life‐changing year, this is the most uplifting and moving love story of 2019... to read more click HERE

Tagged in ChristmasBooks