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FALL LEAVES

Name: FALL LEAVES
Author: Loretta Holland
ISBN: 978-0-544-10664-2

by Loretta Holland ; illustrated by Elly MacKay ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 2, 2014

Skip the small print and linger instead on the seasonal glory unfolding as the pages turn.

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Autumn arrives in a series of three-dimensional tableaux created from cut yupo (plastic) paper and ink; illuminated from varying angles, the vignettes are cleverly photographed and cropped for dramatic effect.

A redheaded boy and girl play in a treehouse, bike through the countryside, watch birds take flight and dance with umbrellas in scenes that include intense light or brilliant autumnal colors. The duo is generally in sharp focus, while borders and backgrounds are blurred, a decision suggesting depth, motion or otherworldliness, depending on the composition. The text has two layers. On one level, the large, two-word concepts that function as headings on each verso could be read as the sole verbal narrative. There is a playful quality as a word’s meaning changes relative to its use as a noun or verb: “FLOWERS LEAVE / APPLES FALL / LEAVES FALL / FALL STAYS / LEAVES LEAVE.” Although this verbal chain misses some opportunities for more artful linkages, the real problem lies with the second layer of text. Holland tries to provide scientific explanations about the Earth’s rotation, chlorophyll, hibernation, etc., without the benefit of diagrams or much in the way of scientific context. The effect is a lengthy muddle of didactic distraction that is not appropriate for the target age or the ethereal illustrations.

Skip the small print and linger instead on the seasonal glory unfolding as the pages turn. (activity) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-544-10664-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: HMH Books

Review Posted Online: May 27, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

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CHICKA CHICKA HO HO HO

From the Chicka Chicka Book series

by William Boniface ; illustrated by Julien Chung ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2024

A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.

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A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.

The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.

A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024

ISBN: 9781665954761

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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GREEN IS FOR CHRISTMAS

by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 2021

Fun enough to read once but without enough substance to last.

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Familiar crayon characters argue over which color is the essential Christmas color.

Green starts by saying that green is for Christmas. After all, green is for holly. But Red objects. Red is for candy canes. Green is for fir trees, Green retorts. But Red is for Santa Claus, who agrees. (Santa is depicted as a white-bearded White man.) Then White joins the fray. After spending the year being invisible, White isn’t giving up the distinction of association with Christmas. Snow, anyone? But then there’s Silver: stars and bells. And Brown: cookies and reindeer! At this point, everyone is confused. But they come together and agree that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without all of them together. Someone may get the last word, though. In Daywalt and Jeffers’ now-signature style, the crayon-written text is spare and humorous, while the crayon characters engage with each other against a bare white background, vying for attention. Dot-eyed faces and stick legs on each object turn them all into comical, if similar, personalities. But the series’ original cleverness is absent here, leaving readers with a perfunctory recitation of attributes. Fans of the crayon books may delight in another themed installment; those who aren’t already fans will likely find it lacking. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Fun enough to read once but without enough substance to last. (Picture book. 3-6)