A solemn holiday is given an appealing, entertaining treatment well suited to young kids.
On the Day of Atonement, the Big Bad Wolf reflects.
It’s Yom Kippur, and the Big Bad Wolf is preparing to be bad. Things start changing at the synagogue, where he concedes a hug feels nice and almost sings along with the others. Hearing the rabbi’s sermon, Wolf wonders if he can become “better and brighter.” After services, Wolf encounters familiar story characters: a red-hooded girl and her grandmother, whom he treats kindly, and a porcine trio to whom he gives sensible home-building advice. What’s happened? Wolf’s worst instincts repeatedly try to surface, but they’re defeated by his much-improved nature, and it becomes clear that the formerly Big Bad Wolf has evolved into a much nicer lupine. That evening, after the holiday is over, the Big Good Wolf is rewarded by his grateful newfound friends. This sweet, humorous tale conveys the meaning of this important Jewish holiday in a way that’s understandable for children. Its premise proves it’s easy to err on the side of good; each of us has kindness within, and it’s satisfying to let it show. The fractured-fairy-tale motif will engage young readers and also makes familiar literary sense, as the Big Bad Wolf, naturally, is the antagonist of both “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Three Little Pigs.” The illustrations are comical and dynamic; Wolf and all other animal characters are riotously expressive. Bespectacled Little Red and Granny are pale-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A solemn holiday is given an appealing, entertaining treatment well suited to young kids. (author’s note about Yom Kippur) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781681156064
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
