A Yuletide tale brimming with good tidings, cheer, and interactive fun galore.
A last-minute holiday worry bothers young Alfie, but of course his beloved babysitter, Quentin, is here to help.
Mom, Dad, and Alfie are deep in Christmas Eve preparations when Quentin arrives to take Alfie to the outdoor market. Once there, Alfie confides his problem: He still hasn’t sent Santa his wish list! Quentin reassures him: Santa is central, but the letters in the word Christmas will help him see that there’s more to this holiday. Through the market they go, spotting holiday activities, images, and accessories: cookies, holly, reindeer, ice skates, sleds, trees, music, an angel, and finally, Santa. Alfie lines up with the other kids and presents jolly-looking store Santa his list in person. And before the two part ways, Quentin gives Alfie an early gift of reindeer antlers to wear. Adults hoping that Alfie will learn that the holiday means “peace” and “brotherhood” or that the youngster will think of giving gifts as well as receiving them will have to extend the story on their own. Nevertheless, this tale, based on the popular podcast Quentin and Alfie’s ABC Adventures, exudes holiday joy, and each page is filled with examples of words beginning with the target letter (for H, signs reading “Happy Holidays” and “Henry’s Houseplants”; for R, a storefront reading “Reed’s Radiant Headwear”). The firmly outlined illustrations are colorful and clear, and each target letter gets a bold initial. Alfie, Quentin, and Santa are Black; background characters are diverse.
A Yuletide tale brimming with good tidings, cheer, and interactive fun galore. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9780374394530
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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