Young balletomanes will clamor to attend a live performance or perhaps aspire to dance themselves.
See The Nutcracker from the best seats in the house and from behind the curtains.
Modeled after Clement C. Moore’s “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” this book, created in partnership with the American Ballet Theatre, takes readers through the process of mounting the beloved show, with special attention paid to the youngest dancers. There are no dreams of sugarplums the night before the opening performance. Instead, these racially diverse young ones are restless, reliving the preparations that brought them to this point. First there were tense auditions, and then they learned and practiced the poses and steps before even beginning rehearsals and run-throughs with the professional adult dancers. Costumes were constructed and fitted, and the performers had their dress rehearsal. When the big day arrives, schoolwork must be done, and the dancers must warm up, don costumes, apply makeup, and have their hair styled. Finally, there are last family hugs and encouraging good wishes, and a stagehand calls out, “Places!” Allman now directs attention to the stage as readers experience the entire magical tale of The Nutcracker, followed by bows, cheers, and celebrations. Tonight, the children dream of all the fun to come in the next performances. Swaney’s illustrations spread across the pages, often showing the action in multiple spaces, depicting the grueling hard work to achieve perfection in line and movement and the utter joy of the dance. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Young balletomanes will clamor to attend a live performance or perhaps aspire to dance themselves. (scene-by-scene summary of the ballet) (Picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-18091-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
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Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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