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THE READER

Name: THE READER
Author: Amy Hest
ISBN: 978-0-7614-6184-5

by Amy Hest & illustrated by Lauren Castillo ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2012

A charming (if rather implausible) celebration of a snowy, book-y, day

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Reading anytime, anywhere is touted in this story about a boy, his dog and a snowy day.

Never named in the text, the titular reader packs up a suitcase for a day of sledding and reading with his dog. Reaching the hilltop, they frolic about, making snow “angels … snowballs … more angels … and a snow dog for the dog.” Then, it’s time for “warm drinks and crunchy toast for two.” Well-fed and satisfied with their play, instead of heading home to read indoors, the reader takes out a book called Two Good Friends and reads aloud to his dog, delightedly saying, “Just like us!” at book’s end. After repacking the suitcase, they then sled downhill and return home. Although the premise might seem a bit odd—the snowy scene could spell book damage, after all—one might regard it as the wintertime equivalent of a beach read. The evocation of imaginative play on a snowy day is reminiscent of Uri Shulevitz’s Snow (1998) and, of course, The Snowy Day. Castillo’s soft, inked lines and luscious watercolors echo the text’s gentle tone. Subtle incorporation of white painted letters falling like snow around the pair during the read-aloud scene adds a lovely touch to a spread begging to be made into a poster touting the joys of reading.

A charming (if rather implausible) celebration of a snowy, book-y, day . (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-7614-6184-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
WHEN ROSIE WALKS GEORGE
by Amy Hest ; illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

- BOOK REVIEW
BIG BEAR AND LITTLE BEAR GO FISHING
by Amy Hest ; illustrated by Erin E. Stead

- BOOK REVIEW
BUNNY SHOULD BE SLEEPING
by Amy Hest ; illustrated by Renata Liwska

- PROFILES
Amy Hest's Winter Wonderland: 'The Reader'

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VALENTINE'S DAY, HERE I COME!

From the Here I Come! series

by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by Laurie Stansfield ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 27, 2022

Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day.

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A collection of poems follows a group of elementary school students as they prepare for and celebrate Valentine’s Day.

One student starts the day by carefully choosing clothing in pink, purple, or red, while a family kicks off the morning with a breakfast of red, heart-shaped pancakes. At school, children create valentines until party time finally arrives with lots of yummy treats. The students give valentines to their school friends, of course, but we also see one child making a “special delivery” to a pet, a stuffed animal, family members, and even the crossing guard. The poems also extend the Valentine’s celebration to the community park, where other couples—some older, one that appears to be same-sex—are struck by cupid’s “magical love arrows.” Note the child running away: “Blech!” Not everyone wants to “end up in love!!!” But the spread devoted to Valentine’s jokes will please readers more interested in humor than in romance and inspire children to create their own jokes. To make the celebration complete, the last pages of the book contain stickers and a double-sided “BEE MINE!” valentine that readers can, with adult help, cut out. Cheery and kid-friendly, the poems can be read independently or from cover to cover as a full story. The cartoonish illustrations include lots of hearts and emphasize the growing Valentine’s Day excitement, depicting a diverse classroom that includes students who use wheelchairs. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day. (Picture-book poetry. 4-6)

Pub Date: Dec. 27, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-38717-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO BE CONFIDENT IN KINDERGARTEN
by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by Ruth Hammond

- BOOK REVIEW
SUMMER VACATION, HERE I COME!
by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by John Joven

- BOOK REVIEW
ST. PATRICK'S DAY, HERE I COME!
by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by Emanuel Wiemans

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THE CRAYONS TRICK OR TREAT

by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2022

A laugh-inducing Halloween read-along.

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The Crayons return in time for Halloween as vampire-costumed Purple coaches the dressed-up wax pack through its first trick-or-treating venture.

It takes five houses’ worth of door-knocks for this skeleton crew of seven to perfect the protocol, with enough outlandish flubs to generate giggles in Halloween-savvy preschoolers. At Door No. 1, Orange, dressed as a jack-o’-lantern, says, “Give us your candy, Lady.” At the next, the gang, encouraged by Purple to “think holiday,” responds with an impressive array of misguided greetings, including “Merry Christmas!” and “Happy American Cheese Month!” Later, White, levitating impressively in a ghost costume, overreacts to Halloween’s “scary” aspect by overwhelming residents with a “BOO!” Peach, unnamed here but recognizably wrapperless from the initial title, exuberantly (and inappropriately) repeats, “I’m naked!” Finally, the troupe perfects its treat-inducing line, though a certain ghost cannot resist an ad lib. This excursion, like many of the holiday-themed Crayon books, has a smaller trim size, a lower price point, and far less complexity than Daywalt and Jeffers’ first two Crayon titles. Still, the pair deftly let young children in on the jokes through funny, hand-lettered dialogue and the visually telegraphed, all-in haplessness of this well-branded band. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A laugh-inducing Halloween read-along. (Picture book. 4-6)