An effective and festive approach to self-affirmation.
A reindeer searches for the secret of flight in this debut illustrated children’s book.
Unlike his illustrious brother, Rudolph, Ranger is a reindeer who can’t fly. His job at Santaland, North Pole, is merely to pull Santa’s utility sleigh. It’s late November, and Ranger is now old enough to be hitched to the big sleigh. More than ever, he wants to fly. A wise old elf advises that “if you really are ready to be put to the test, you will figure it out on your own. So I will answer your question this way: The secret lies within!” Everyone else tells him the same thing, but no matter how much Ranger searches places that could hold the hidden secret, he can’t find it. When some reindeers fall sick only days before Christmas, Ranger offers to travel to a village for special medicine. It’s a three-day round trip and time is short, so he must hurry. Several obstacles slow Ranger down, and on the way home, a giant ice chasm makes ground passage impossible. Realizing that there’s only one way to save Christmas, Ranger digs deep to find the ability to fly—not elsewhere, but within. In his tale, Salisbury gives his inspirational message appealing suspense and drama, which keeps it from being overly preachy. That Ranger needs a moment of crisis to discover inner strength makes emotional sense, and the support he gets is a superb contrast to Rudolph’s mean reindeer friends. For kids who celebrate Christmas, the setting also taps into the fun of the season. Baird provides digital images that are somewhat flat and geometric but possess charm and offer vivid details, such as shelf labels in the workshop that include “Cookies,” “Paint,” “Wheels,” and “Cocoa.”
An effective and festive approach to self-affirmation.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62652-333-3
Page Count: 50
Publisher: Jabberwocky Books
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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