A tale of celebration crafted with lyrical language and rhythmic refrains.
A young Indigenous boy prepares for a special day.
Morning greets Bineshii as he rises, excited to dance at his first powwow. He gets ready, then heads to the ceremony with his family. Bineshii gathers his courage on the sidelines, tapping his fingers to the beat of the drum as new dance categories are introduced. He participates as a dancer at his own pace. With the support of his loving community, Bineshii discovers the confidence to learn new traditions. The day ends with Bineshii watching fireworks before going back home, proud of his accomplishments. Skillfully incorporating onomatopoeia, Troian (Lac Seul First Nation) brings to life the graceful movement and energy of a dancer. The drumbeat is established by phrases like “THUMP, THUMP, THUMP” and “weh ya heh ya ya.” As readers flip through the pages, excitement grows. Pichette’s (Mushkego Cree) rich illustrations are vibrant and dynamic with a unique shading technique that conveys action and elicits joy. Readers unfamiliar with powwows will find this a dynamic window into the experience; they’ll share Bineshii’s pleasure as the book draws to a close.
A tale of celebration crafted with lyrical language and rhythmic refrains. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9780063116665
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
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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BOOK REVIEW
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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