Appeal may be limited to those children with “eyes as wide as the Texas skies.” (Picture book. 4-6)
A late-19th-century U.S. Army fort is the setting for this retelling of the Nutcracker ballet.
Centennia, a white girl with sausage curls, and her freckled brother, Caleb, are eagerly awaiting a Christmas party at Fort Davis, Texas. The guests at the party include Col. Grierson, who gives Centennia a wooden nutcracker. Jealous, Caleb damages the nutcracker. In the middle of the night, Centennia returns to the parlor, where suddenly the tree, the nutcracker, and all of the toys begin to grow. Centennia is nearly overpowered by rattlesnakes, but the swashbuckling nutcracker comes to her rescue. He magically becomes a handsome soldier who takes Centennia to a fantasy land of Texas treats. There she meets the “Bluebonnet Fairy” and witnesses the “Dance of the Mockingbirds,” square-dancing armadillos, and the “Waltz of the Wildflowers.” Pedantic storytelling and undistinguished illustrations make this an unexceptional book. An author’s note with facts about Fort Davis and the historical figure of Col. Grierson, who began the regiment of the so-called buffalo soldiers, provides background for the presence at the fort of two nonwhite characters, a soldier and a little boy. It does not, however, address the pueblo within which the dances are performed.
Appeal may be limited to those children with “eyes as wide as the Texas skies.” (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4556-2331-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Pelican
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
A welcome addition to autumnal storytelling—and to tales of traditional enemies overcoming their history.
Ferry and the Fans portray a popular seasonal character’s unlikely friendship.
Initially, the protagonist is shown in his solitary world: “Scarecrow stands alone and scares / the fox and deer, / the mice and crows. / It’s all he does. It’s all he knows.” His presence is effective; the animals stay outside the fenced-in fields, but the omniscient narrator laments the character’s lack of friends or places to go. Everything changes when a baby crow falls nearby. Breaking his pole so he can bend, the scarecrow picks it up, placing the creature in the bib of his overalls while singing a lullaby. Both abandon natural tendencies until the crow learns to fly—and thus departs. The aabb rhyme scheme flows reasonably well, propelling the narrative through fall, winter, and spring, when the mature crow returns with a mate to build a nest in the overalls bib that once was his home. The Fan brothers capture the emotional tenor of the seasons and the main character in their panoramic pencil, ballpoint, and digital compositions. Particularly poignant is the close-up of the scarecrow’s burlap face, his stitched mouth and leaf-rimmed head conveying such sadness after his companion goes. Some adults may wonder why the scarecrow seems to have only partial agency, but children will be tuned into the problem, gratified by the resolution.
A welcome addition to autumnal storytelling—and to tales of traditional enemies overcoming their history. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-247576-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Cozier than a roaring fire and sweeter than milk and cookies, this earns its “Christmas classic” stripes with flying colors.
Even the man with the bag needs a little help getting into the Yuletide spirit.
Barnett returns with yet another Christmas title, following How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? (2023), illustrated by Jon Klassen. Prepare for some potential confusion, since the titular “first Christmas” isn’t about the first time Santa started delivering gifts, but rather the first Christmas Day he’s celebrated himself. Usually after working hard on Christmas Eve, Santa sleeps in an extra half hour and then gets right back to work. The elves and a concerned polar bear decide to take matters into their own hands, so this year they surprise Santa with breakfast in bed on Christmas morning, then plunge into other activities: trimming a Christmas tree, stringing the North Pole up with lights, baking cookies, reading stories aloud, giving Santa presents, and enjoying a feast so decadent that it would make a reformed Grinch blush. Barnett narrates with a pitch-perfect mixture of droll amusement and holiday charm: Santa initially appears to be humoring his elves, only to really get into the spirit himself. Smith’s signature illustrations rely on bright colors and shapes. This seeming simplicity is belied by each scene’s unique lighting and reflections, imbuing everything with a singular warmth. Santa is pink-skinned and rosy-cheeked; the elves vary in skin tone.
Cozier than a roaring fire and sweeter than milk and cookies, this earns its “Christmas classic” stripes with flying colors. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9780593524978
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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