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SHMELF THE HANUKKAH ELF

Name: SHMELF THE HANUKKAH ELF
Author: Greg Wolfe
ISBN: 978-1-61963-521-0

by Greg Wolfe ; illustrated by Howard McWilliam ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2016

Those in search of seasonal stories that contain a blend of Christmas and Hanukkah will find an entertaining tale here.

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What! Some good children will not receive Christmas presents?

Santa’s elves are busy preparing for Christmas and checking The List for the names of those children deserving of presents. The newest elf, named Shmelf, is aghast to learn that there are many young ones who “would not receive presents, / Though it seemed that they should!” He consults with the head elf, who informs him that these children are “actually Jewish” and that they “celebrate Hanukkah, / Their own jubilee.” Shmelf visits a family, observes their joyous festivities, and is thrilled to see all the gifts. Santa then dresses him in blue and white, gives him a sleigh, a Jewish reindeer named Asher, and sends him out on Hanukkah to enhance the festival celebrations; the text suggests that Jewish readers leave him “some gelt and a nice kosher dill.” Wolfe tells his tale in rhyming couplets and includes a very brief history of the origins of Hanukkah. McWilliam’s digital illustrations are bright and busy, showing both white and black elves and a Jewish family with a white father and a dark-skinned mother; Santa is white.

Those in search of seasonal stories that contain a blend of Christmas and Hanukkah will find an entertaining tale here. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-61963-521-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!

From the Pigeon series

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.

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Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!

Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 31, 2026

ISBN: 9781454999621

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MONSTER AND PUPPET SHOW!
by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci ; illustrated by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PIGEON WON'T COUNT TO 10!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

- BOOK REVIEW
WILL THE PIGEON GRADUATE?
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)