CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 11, 2012
"Young buckeroos who like their Christmas stories punchy rather than sweet might just take a likin' to ol' Dwight, Darryl and Dub. (Picture book. 4-7)"
Three lonesome cowboys stuck out on the range face a "low-down and miserable" Christmas without the usual treats and trimmings until a surprise visit from "Santy Claus" brightens their holiday.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 30, 2012
"Many other Nativity stories, such as Hurry! Hurry! Have You Heard? by Laura Krauss Melmed and illustrated by Jane Dyer (2008), more effectively convey the excitement of animal characters journeying to the stable. (Picture book/religion. 3-7)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"The verdict? Titles in the I Spy genre with multiple searches on each spread have more to offer. Case closed. (Picture book. 5-8)"
Santa must solve the mysterious disappearance of toys from his workshop through this search-and-find quest with detailed pages full of elves at work and play.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"A clever and creative parody of the old holiday chestnut. (Picture book. 4-7)"
An amusing parody of "The Night Before Christmas," set in an underwater world with marine life filling the familiar roles of family members and Santa.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2012
"A lyrical, unusual viewpoint for the Nativity story, seamlessly matched with gorgeous illustrations that are unlike other interpretations of the Christ Child's birth. (Picture book/religion. 5 & up)"
Hopkins, the noted poet and anthologizer of children's poetry, offers an original free-verse poem, a Christmas Eve musing about her newborn son in Mary's first-person voice.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 11, 2012
"Peppa Pig and her friends seem destined for further adventures to complement the currently popular TV series. (Picture book. 2-5)"
Peppa Pig moves from her preschool TV series shown on Nick Jr. to the holiday bookshelf with this simple, amusing story about Santa's missing list of toys and their intended recipients.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 2, 2012
"The moving-picture feature, while gimmicky, can seem quite magical to young children, and this one has better text, illustrations and mechanism than most of this kind. (Picture book. 2-6)"
A shiny red cover with a see-through panel shows Santa ready to take off with his reindeer in this changeable picture book featuring panels that shift smoothly with the pull of a tab from one holiday scene to another, closely related one.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2012
"Fans of the original javelina story will welcome this reappearance after two decades. This Christmas treat strikes just the right balance between spicy and sweet. (Picture book. 4-8)"
This Christmas-themed sequel to
The Three Little Javelinas (1992) revisits the three javelina siblings and their nemesis, the coyote trickster character.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2012
"Younger fans of historical fiction, librarians and rare-book aficionados will enjoy this, but its appeal is limited, and the Christmas connection is minimal. (Picture book. 8-11)"
A 15-year-old boy finds his place in an Irish monastery during the Middle Ages in this long, beautifully illustrated story about illuminated manuscripts.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"Cheerful and cozy. (Picture book.4-7)"
In this Scottish import, a little girl named Catriona and her cat, Mac, celebrate Christmas together at home in Edinburgh, with Catriona learning an important lesson about Christmas gifts.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"Though there aren't many family holiday books of this sort available, this version is suitable only for large library collections with heavy demand for Christmas activity books. (Nonfiction. 5-9, adults)"
This compendium of old-fashioned craft projects, recipes and stories was written by a Waldorf kindergarten teacher in Germany and translated for English-speaking countries, though the focus remains European and is not well-suited to the U.S. market.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"Avast, me hearties! Here be another bonny piratical parody ready for the readin' to the young'uns at the Christmas season. (Picture book. 3-8)"
The pirate cabin boy who narrated
A Pirate's Night Before Christmas (2008) returns with this sequel, another witty parody of a holiday classic.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
"But hey, it's all good. Keep movin' and groovin', Pete. You're one hip cat. (Picture book. 3-8)"
He's back! That wildly popular cat steps in to save Christmas in the nick of time when Santa Cat gets sick.
Read full book review >
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 18, 2012
"Wrapped up with some drawing paper and pens, this clever Christmas cartoon construction might spark some creative projects. (Graphic picture book. 5-10)"
This lightweight, mildly humorous story about Santa, his favorite elf and a Christmas knight advises kids to draw their own comic strips, though no practical help is offered in drawing instruction.
Read full book review >
