In Santa's up-to-the-minute workshop, video games beep, battery-operated toys are the order of the day, and Blitzen has been replaced by a female reindeer, Josephine. Only Elwyn clings to the low-tech handmade playthings of the past, and he's so behind the times (his most recent calendar ``said 1984'') that he misses Santa's sleigh by 20 minutes. Elwyn's toy sack lies buried in the snow until Blitzen rallies the elf for a toy-delivery mission of their own. Of course, their path crosses Santa's and he welcomes the latecomers: ``Never too late for toys.'' Created by an elf who's no where near Elwyn's age, this Christmas fantasy is written with sweetness and wit, infused with nostalgia for the good old days, and brimming with appeal for the good old now. (Picture book. 5+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-688-13755-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disappointingly fails to coalesce.
Sometimes the scariest thing is growing up.
Halloween-loving Esther, who is implied Ashkenazi Jewish and White, has had her bat mitzvah, which makes her an adult in religious terms, but she’s not ready to let go of trick-or-treating, even when her parents say otherwise. She’s also not ready to move on to high school or to do anything about her feelings for her best friend, Agustín, whose name may cue him as Latinx. But when the Queen of Halloween freezes their neighborhood in permanent Halloween, Esther finds herself reconsidering the value of forward momentum. Fink, of Welcome to Night Vale podcast fame, tries to do a lot with his creepy premise, but heavy-handed, meaning-laden passages—for example, digressions about neighbors as Esther and friends flee through yards chased by a villain flinging razor-bristling apples—slow the pace to a crawl and leave little for the reader to discover. Esther is joined in her fight against the Halloween Queen (who has sent the adults into a magical Dream and stolen the children) by Agustín; Korean American Christian bully Sasha; and seemingly boring, default White dentist Mr. Gabler, all of whom serve as foils for Esther’s emotional growth as she learns to see past the surface. This reads like two books uneasily combined: one about growing up and discovering people’s value and the other a horror story with a fantastic sense of place and some wonderfully shivery (and not entirely resolved) details.
Disappointingly fails to coalesce. (Horror. 11-14)Pub Date: July 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-302097-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
A charming illustration of childhood memories during the holiday season.
A colorful wintry tale ushers in Chinese New Year over two weeks.
In this picture book, the narrator recounts with nostalgia an observance of the traditional New Year in rural northern China. The snow-covered village bustles with activity as folks venture out to greet relatives and friends. “On the third day, uncles started giving LANTERNS” refers to an old custom in provincial Shaanxi—especially among maternal uncles. Palpable and immediate are Zhao Di’s eager anticipation and the care with which she “walk[s] through the snow with her lantern in case she slipped or the candle blew out in the wind.” Simple yet vivid close-ups depict Zhao Di and her friends, bundled head to toe and comparing lantern designs—accordion, watermelon, etc.—while braving the cold and a bunch of rowdy boys. All too soon, the 15th day arrives, signaling the end of the New Year celebrations. In a pivotal spread that shows Zhao Di sitting with her dog and chickens, readers are granted an interior view of the architecture and layout of a rustic farmhouse. In addition, the villagers’ various clothing styles, headdresses, and skin tones suggest the region’s diverse ethnicities and socio-economic landscapes. As the story concludes with the obligatory smashing and burning of the lanterns, Zhao Di comforts herself with the hopeful thought of lighting new lanterns next year.
A charming illustration of childhood memories during the holiday season. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Dec. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5420-2984-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
© 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.
