by Frank McCourt & illustrated by Raúl Colón ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 6, 2007
Pulitzer Prize–winner McCourt offers a sweetly sentimental, longer Christmas story about his mother, Angela, who is anticipating the holiday with her family in the Ireland of a past generation. The six-year-old girl feels sorry for the life-sized baby Jesus figure in the crèche at her church because to her he looks cold without a blanket to cover him. Angela takes the Jesus figure home with her, putting him in her own bed to warm him up. Young readers will have to accept Angela’s notion that the baby is somewhat real, while adults will recognize the religious symbolism and the antecedents of the responsive Christ Child figure in other stories. McCourt’s strong narrative voice and Irish cadences and expressions add flavor to his well-written story, complemented by humorous dialogue displaying a dry wit. Colón’s lovely watercolor and pencil illustrations in muted tones use subtle lighting and a grainy texture that suggest old photographs, and his sensitive interpretation brings Angela and her family to life. The same story is also available in an edition targeted at adults, with more sophisticated illustrations by Loren Long. (Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4169-3789-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2007
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by Frank McCourt ; illustrated by Raúl Colón
by Ben Gundersheimer ; illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 18, 2020
Haunting and beautiful.
As the sun sets and the moon rises, an unnamed young child says good night to everything in the natural landscape.
In the simple, brief, descriptive text the child calls out, “Lilah Tov,” to hens and roosters, bears and bats, beaches and waves, clouds and stars, fish and birds, mountains and streams. There is no other narrative, at least not in words. Naggan’s lush, detailed, soft-edged landscapes provide another, deeper, and more nuanced level to the proceedings. “Lilah tov” means “good night” in Hebrew, and there is a menorah on the windowsill, indicating that this family is Jewish. By dress and household appearance, they seem to be living in the late 19th or early 20th century. After a simple meal, they pack their belongings and leave their small rural home. The protagonist is saying good night to the creatures and places spotted on what readers will see as a lengthy journey. Beneath a full moon a man rows them across a body of water, and the journey continues on the other side. At the end of their travels there is a new home awaiting them. They travel quietly and surreptitiously, but there is no explanation within the text of where they are and why they leave. Are they refugees escaping something dreadful? Each young reader will interpret the work differently depending on individual understanding and knowledge of history, or perhaps with a wise adult to help.
Haunting and beautiful. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5247-4066-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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by Ben Gundersheimer ; illustrated by Dow Phumiruk
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by Ben Gundersheimer ; illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero
BOOK REVIEW
by Ben Gundersheimer ; illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero
by Tomie dePaola & illustrated by Tomie dePaola ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1999
A wondrous occurrence, an ancient tradition, and an elderly nun’s abiding faith are the basis of this moving Chirstmas tale from dePaola (26 Fairmount Avenue, p. 629, etc.). Sister Angie is overjoyed when her niece Lupe and her husband are selected to play Mary and Joseph—here, Maria and José—for Las Posadas, the reenactment of the journey into Bethlehem. When Sister Angie becomes ill and Lupe and Roberto become stranded in a heavy snowstorm, it seems as if the celebration will be delayed. However, a couple arrives just in time to take the place of the missing players. The whole village participates in the procession, from the singers who follow Mary and Joseph, to the “devils” who attempt to prevent the weary travelers from finding lodging. After several rebuffs, the couple arrives at the gates of the courtyard; these open and the entire assembly enters to celebrate. When Lupe and Roberto finally show up, the other couple is nowhere to be found. The story takes a supernatural twist when Sister Angie discovers that the figures in the church’s manger scene have come to life, temporarily, for the procession. The mysteries and miracles of the season are kept at bay; this simple narrative spells everything out, resulting in a primer on the tradition. Richly hued, luminescent illustrations radiate from the pages; an introduction and author’s note provide additional information. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-399-23400-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999
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by Cheryl B. Klein ; illustrated by Tomie dePaola
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by Tomie dePaola ; illustrated by Tomie dePaola
BOOK REVIEW
by Tomie dePaola ; illustrated by Tomie dePaola
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