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FIVE LITTLE DREIDELS

Name: FIVE LITTLE DREIDELS
Author: Jeffrey Burton
ISBN: 978-1-66592-238-8

by Jeffrey Burton ; illustrated by Juliana Motzko ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2022

Lighthearted Hanukkah fun.

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An invitation to the youngest Hanukkah celebrants to twirl like holiday spinners.

Set to the sprightly rhyme scheme and rhythms of “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed,” this Hanukkah ditty stars five—what else?—miniature dreidels spinning so gleefully that each in turn experiences a minor mishap (e.g., getting dizzy and falling, tripping, and one simply leaving) until only one remains. Following each episode, Mama dreidel calls a professional-looking doctor dreidel who cautions against further spinning—ill-timed advice given that spinning is a dreidel’s holiday raison d’être. In the end, all’s well that spins well, as all five dreidels are reunited and advised to spin again. Logic isn’t the point here, but some slight fun is, and so are holiday symbols: menorahs, wrapped gifts, latkes, the Star of David, and gold-wrapped chocolate gelt are all on display here. Most importantly, the brightly smiling, gaily colored dreidels bear the Hebrew letters nun, gimel, heh, and shin, forming the acronym for the Hebrew saying “Nes gadol haya sham,”meaning “A great miracle happened there.” This refers to Hanukkah’s origin—the miracle of one day’s supply of oil in the menorah in Jerusalem’s Great Temple remaining lit for eight days. Young readers may be aware of those holiday emblems, but even if they aren’t, they’ll likely be acquainted with the song this tale is based on and will gladly frolic about to that cheery game’s rhythms and appreciate this story’s satisfying ending. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Lighthearted Hanukkah fun. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-66592-238-8

Page Count: 14

Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S POETRY

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THE WHEELS ON THE DUMP TRUCK
by Jeffrey Burton ; illustrated by Alison Brown

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THE ITSY BITSY ANGEL
by Jeffrey Burton ; illustrated by Sanja Rešček

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TWINKLE, TWINKLE, FAIRY FRIEND
by Jeffrey Burton ; illustrated by Zoe Waring

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EIGHT JOLLY REINDEER

by Ilanit Oliver ; illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 10, 2014

As with many holiday gifts, the sparkly packaging may interest toddlers more than what’s inside.

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Readers can count down eight of Santa's reindeer as they jump up and out of the scene.

In each one of the mostly double-page spreads, one reindeer, from Dasher to Blitzen, plays a central role in a winter activity (sledding, ski jumping, ice skating—and soccer and yoga?) that launches the creature into the air. Glitter-speckled tabs, each with small portraits of a member of Santa's herd, appear at either the top or the right side of each page, which little fingers will enjoy flipping. In what looks to be pencil-and-watercolor cartoons, Rogers uses different facial expressions, as well as collars, bows or other accessories, to distinguish the reindeer from one another. Donner (not Donder) and Blitzen are squeezed together on the penultimate spread, likely to keep the page count down. The verse mostly scans, but the rhyme scheme has become the cliché of counting books: "Eight jolly reindeer / stretching up to heaven. / Up goes Dasher / and then there are... // Seven...." Santa, his iconic sleigh and the eight reindeer in flight make a dramatic and required appearance on the book's final double-page spread.

As with many holiday gifts, the sparkly packaging may interest toddlers more than what’s inside. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Aug. 10, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-545-65145-5

Page Count: 16

Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Sept. 2, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
ARE YOU MY DADDY?
by Ilanit Oliver ; illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

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BOO!

From the My Little World series

by Jonathan Litton ; illustrated by Fhiona Galloway ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2015

Predictable text, a slight storyline, and cutouts that toddlers will use to turn the pages make this an acceptable...

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Six bug-eyed, smiling iconic Halloween characters are startled by mysterious shouts of “Boo!” but little ones won't be fazed.

Beginning with “Night owl, night owl, was that you? / Were you the one who shouted BOO?” the same question is repeated on each page, substituting the name of the Halloween symbol pictured. Young readers will soon know the response: “It wasn't me!” The eyes of the owl, cat, pumpkin, witch, spider, and wizard are nesting, die-cut holes of decreasing size. The character from the previous page is included on each double-page spread, providing visual continuity. The next-to-last spread shows all six characters worriedly asking, “Who's hiding out there in the night?” The final page turn reveals the obvious answer: “It's a ghost!” The placement of the word “Boo” changes on each page, which may confuse toddlers who learn to anticipate text through its consistent appearance. Despite the bright, almost garish illustrations in purple, black, orange, green, blue, and pink, the perennially smiling characters are static and flat; both witch and wizard are Caucasian.

Predictable text, a slight storyline, and cutouts that toddlers will use to turn the pages make this an acceptable introduction to the fun of Halloween. (Board book. 1-3)