As a well-paced explanation of Jesus’ birth, it succeeds; the rest is superfluous.
Daily activities, prayers, and Bible verses count the 25 days to Christmas and tell the story of the Nativity.
As outlined in the opening address to caregivers, this lengthy and hefty board book is intended to help young children cope with the wait for Christmas Day and understand the story of Jesus’ birth. Each day of December has its own two-page layout that includes a brief piece of the story of Christmas, an interactive activity, a prayer, and a Bible verse. Simon does a nice job of telling a complicated story in small parts over several days, making it digestible for young readers. Some of the prayers include a fill-in-the-blank portion, a nice way to engage readers in the process of composition. Some of the activities are accessible using materials found around the house, such as making a paper-link chain, while others—making handprint wrapping paper, tying jingle bells on shoes—are less so. Hartley’s illustrations feature modern people in Western attire and occasional Biblical costume, representing a range of ages and races. The cartoon style is cutesy but forgettable. Most critically, the board-book format doesn’t fit the busy content, requiring readers beyond the need for an indestructible book.
As a well-paced explanation of Jesus’ birth, it succeeds; the rest is superfluous. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5064-4854-1
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
“In an old white house in Washington, D.C., / Lived as lonely a girl as there can be….” Madeline and her cohorts revisit America in the latest sequel from Bemelmans’ grandson—this time to join the president’s solitary daughter for Easter egg–rolling on the White House lawn. That night (as Miss Clavel and the other girls sleep off the effects of too much party food), Penelope and Madeline enjoy an aerial nighttime tour of the city’s monuments courtesy of the magician introduced in Madeline’s Christmas. As before (Madeline and the Cats of Rome, 2008, etc.), Marciano closes with a note linking this spinoff to his grandfather’s unfinished work. He also pairs verse that channels his esteemed progenitor’s in tone and occasionally forced rhyme to illustrations that make a close but not exact match in style. Sandwiched between endpaper views of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Bemelmans is buried in Arlington), this homage offers a reasonably seamless continuation of the classic series, far closer in lilt and spirit than, for instance, the recent spate of Corduroy and Curious George travesties. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-670-01228-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Jan. 1, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2010
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
© 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.
