by Eric James ; illustrated by Marina La Ray ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2014
Pass on this bland offering unless you are desperate for a Halloween book that mentions places near you.
Unless readers are familiar with cities and towns in Ohio, the conceit falls flat in this arbitrary, rhyming tale of what happened one Halloween.
A boy recounts his fantastical Halloween adventures in rhyming couplets that occasionally work in a name or two from the Buckeye State. “The creepies were crawly, the crazies were crazed, / The zombies from Athens had eyes that were glazed. / The ogres from Dayton were ugly as sin, / With big bulging noses and warts on their chin.” Although the text scans relatively well, the illustrations do little to add to the story. The type has a jittery aspect that changes size and boldness yet does not consistently add valuable emphasis. Even when the slim plot takes a turn—the narrator is awarded the prize for “The Best Costume in Ohio”—the story lacks overall appeal. One of 25 titles meant to provide localized Halloween fun, it is only barely passable in that niche. Other locales include California, the Carolinas, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New England, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. All of Canada is encompassed in another, and there is a generic A Halloween Scare in My House for everyone else.
Pass on this bland offering unless you are desperate for a Halloween book that mentions places near you. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4926-0624-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
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by Eric James ; illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski
by Jean Reagan ; illustrated by Lee Wildish ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 20, 2015
Maybe these kids should try babysitting Santa.
The creators of the bestselling How to Babysit a Grandpa (2012) and How to Babysit a Grandma (2014) continue their series with this story about a brother and sister who want to capture Santa on his annual visit to their home.
The children discuss improbable ideas for spotting or catching Santa, including a complicated sequence with notes to lure Santa up to their bedroom. They wait up for Santa, and a nighttime view of Santa and the reindeer on the neighborhood’s roofs makes his arrival seem imminent. Then, in a disappointing conclusion, the children fall asleep with no sign of Santa’s arrival. In the morning it’s clear Santa has been there, as the presents are under the tree and the cookies and carrots have been eaten. There is a trail of red glitter leading to the chimney from the letter the kids sent to Santa, but that’s the only surprise this story has to offer. Readers might be expecting some sort of exciting trap for Santa or some clever way the children get to meet him or ride in his sleigh. No…just a sprinkle of red glitter. Digitally produced illustration are bright and cheery, with cute kids and amusing details, but sharp-eyed readers will notice the decorated Christmas tree in the living room is inexplicably placed in four different locations on different pages.
Maybe these kids should try babysitting Santa. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-49839-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2015
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More In The Series
by Jean Reagan ; illustrated by Lee Wildish
by Jean Reagan & JaNay Brown-Wood ; illustrated by Lee Wildish
by Jean Reagan ; illustrated by Lee Wildish
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by Jean Reagan ; illustrated by Lee Wildish
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by Jean Reagan ; illustrated by Eduardo Marticorena
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by Jean Reagan & JaNay Brown-Wood ; illustrated by Lee Wildish
by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 6, 2022
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses.
An elusive new quarry leads the How To Catch… kids on a merry chase through a natural history museum.
Taking at least a step away from the “hunters versus prey” vibe of previous entries in the popular series, the racially diverse group of young visitors dashes through various museum halls in pursuit of the eponymous dino—whose quest to “spread kindness and joy ’round the world” takes the form of a mildly tumultuous museum tour. In most of Elkerton’s overly sweet, color-saturated scenes, only portions of the Loveosaurus, who is purple and covered with pink hearts, are visible behind exhibits or lumbering off the page. But the children find small enticements left behind, from craft supplies to make cards for endangered species to pictures of smiley faces, candy heart–style personal notes (“You Rock!” “Give Hugs”), and, in the hall of medieval arms and armor, a sign urging them to “Be Honest Be Kind.” The somewhat heavy-handed lesson comes through loud and clear. “There’s a message, he wants us to think,” hints Walstead to clue in more obtuse readers…and concluding scenes of smiling people young and otherwise exchanging hugs and knuckle bumps, holding doors for a wheelchair rider, and dancing through clouds of sparkles indicate that they, at least, have gotten it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 9781728268781
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
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More In The Series
by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton
by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton
by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton
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by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Paul Gill
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by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton
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by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Paul Gill
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