A witty and well-illustrated update to a classic holiday tale.
Barnsley’s rhyming picture book asks: Are flying reindeer truly the right choice to pull Santa Claus’ sleigh?
An unnamed narrator laments that, despite the book’s title, mice wouldn’t be strong enough to do the job of pulling Santa’s vehicle. If cats tried to do so, they wouldn’t be able to agree on which direction to go, so they wouldn’t be a good replacement either. Dogs would slobber and sit on the sleigh instead of pulling it, and they’d shed all over the presents before delivery. Ducks, like magical reindeer, can fly, but a sleigh wouldn’t float if they landed it in a pond. The narrator quickly crosses snakes off the list (“It would be safer to walk”), as well as elephants; the latter are too heavy to land on roofs and have “elephant-sized poops” to clean up. It seems that flying reindeer may be the best choice, after all, as they make Christmas Eve a success every time. Barnsley offers a simple setup that results in a consistently clever and engaging story overall. Epelbaum’s full-color cartoon illustrations are full of small details and a vivid, starry sky background, as well as expressive faces on human and animal characters. The illustrator also effectively plays with perspective, keeping the visual interest high.
A witty and well-illustrated update to a classic holiday tale.Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9798990791503
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Rooftop Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2024
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
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BOOK REVIEW
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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