A fantastical addition to tradition that highlights how the tale remains relevant and powerful.
The story of the Maccabees gets a whimsical new take in Bub’s picture book.
Opening like a fairy tale, this retelling of the Hanukkah story begins with King Antiochus: “He was very powerful and wanted all people to believe as he did,” the narrator explains. The king’s army makes everyone worship the king’s way, even destroying the Jewish Temple to enforce his rules. But Judah Maccabee and his small army stand up to the king and restore the Temple, and the small container of oil they find—only enough for one night—miraculously lasts for eight. Here, Bub introduces the Hanukkah Fairies, each of whom represents one of the virtues of the Maccabees. The following pages detail what the virtues mean and highlight each illustrated fairy. This creative addition, along with a fairy queen who poses riddles to children on the five days before the Hanukkah celebration begins, may give families some new ideas to liven up their own traditions. The language is aimed at young independent readers, using a largely accessible vocabulary that includes some stretch words (virtues, ingenuity, integrity). The author’s simplistic illustrations, rendered in marker (sometimes with pencil linework showing beneath the color), are reminiscent of newspaper cartoons. Certain key words and phrases are rendered in color, rather than black font, which may limit accessibility for some readers.
A fantastical addition to tradition that highlights how the tale remains relevant and powerful.Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9798350982916
Page Count: 40
Publisher: BookBaby
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.
Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.
Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665954785
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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