A sweet, upbeat way to get kids jazzed for Christmas.
Christmas is a time for joyful, musical celebration.
This charming homage to Christmas-preparation merriment is expressed through simple, four-line verses as various animal families, friends, and neighbors are depicted gaily getting ready for the holiday. Each verse seamlessly incorporates a boldfaced, italicized word or phrase drawn from the lyrics of one of 14 well-known Christmas songs, including “Deck the Halls” and “Joy to the World.” These songs are listed in the back of the book, and readers may access the full lyrics to all the carols via QR codes. But while readers are encouraged to match the lyric snippets from the verses to the songs from which they’re derived, there’s actually no way for them to do so if they’re unfamiliar with all or some of the actual carols, as no printed hints are offered in the body of the text. Still, the book is a lively, cheery exploration of the Christmas spirit, radiating from very colorful digital illustrations that portray a variety of animal species enjoying warm, cozy times with family and friends, decorating homes and trees, enlivening cold winters with yummy repasts and toasty clothing, and honoring inclusivity. Note these lovely lines, apt for all times and all seasons: “Joy to the World!The time has come/to celebrate each other, / no matter where you’re from.”
A sweet, upbeat way to get kids jazzed for Christmas. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781728265872
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Sept. 7, 2023
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A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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