by Elissa Brent Weissman ; illustrated by Omer Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 19, 2023
A reminder that holiday celebrations are fun, no matter when, no matter where.
Two Jewish children on opposite sides of the globe celebrate Hanukkah.
Noah’s a New Yorker; cousin Nora’s a New Zealander. On phone chats, they compare time differences: When Noah eats Saturday dinner, Nora eats Sunday lunch; while Noah’s school is closed for winter break, Nora’s school is gearing up for summer. What’s alike? Hanukkah’s coming; each child has mailed the other a present. They hold a competition: “Winter vs. Summer! Who can have the world’s best Hanukkah?” As usual, lifestyles contrast. Apparel and activities diverge because of seasonal dissimilarities, yet traditions are comparable: menorahs, savories, prayers, dreidels. The cartoony illustrations—created with pencil, charcoal, and brush and ink and then assembled digitally—are lively, and the tale is energetic. Some readers might wish the book had included a map displaying the vast geographic distance between the United States and New Zealand or a discussion of the earth’s hemispheres. Still, it’s an original and fun take on Hanukkah. The book also lacks a glossary and pronunciation guide. Occasionally, undefined words in Hebrew and Maori appear, though most are comprehensible contextually; additionally, a Hebrew prayer is incorporated into an illustration but goes untranslated. Noah, Nora, and their families are light-skinned; background characters are diverse.
A reminder that holiday celebrations are fun, no matter when, no matter where. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9781419762963
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023
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by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
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