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
A Jewish audience will appreciate the overall significance of the concept and context; Gentiles will get a kick out of the...
Amphibian neighbors come to Minnie’s rescue when she accidentally spills all the matzo-ball soup she has prepared for Shabbat dinner and doesn’t have time to prepare more before sundown.
Sol Frog, Mel Frog, Gilda Frog, Golda Frog, Dinah Frog and Barney Frog reside in a pond by Minnie’s house, and like the elves in the classic Grimms’ fairy tale “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” they decide to help the kindhearted woman while she is out helping a bedridden friend. With much fervor, jumping around and catapulting of ingredients into the soup pot, a fresh and tasty soup is prepared and ready when Minnie returns—a welcome surprise for her and her Shabbat guests. The lush greens of the anthropomorphic, bulging-eyed cartoon-style frogs dominate the palette and create a rollicking atmosphere for this celebration of the performance of mitzvoth. Kindness begets kindness, and “one mitzvah leads to another” as Jewish neighbors help one another in various ways. The story’s amusing arc with its altruistic message culminates with a sculpted matzo-ball frog left as a floating clue in the soup, prompting one more mitzvah in grateful acknowledgment.
A Jewish audience will appreciate the overall significance of the concept and context; Gentiles will get a kick out of the kind frogs. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-58838-302-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NewSouth
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
Hold the peanut butter and stick to milk and cookies for Santa.
The third picture-book collaboration by McGee and Santoso (Peanut Butter & Aliens, 2017, etc.) takes a stab at holiday festivities.
Reginald the zombie, Zarfon the alien, and Abigail Zink, “the smartest girl in Quirkville,” are “eager and excited for Santa’s visit.” But then a terrible storm prompts the mayor to announce that “CHRISTMAS IS CANCELED.” The trio of friends is determined to “help Santa out of that storm.” They head out in Zarfon’s spaceship, loaded with (what else?) peanut butter. When they see the North Pole they quickly discover that the storm isn’t blowing snow all around but rather marshmallow. Santa explains that “the marshmallow cream factory has gone bonkers!” and Zarfon has the bright idea to stuff the factory’s chimneys with peanut butter. This stops the storm for a bit, but then there’s a marshmallow-and–peanut-butter explosion. The combination is nothing short of delicious, so they make sandwiches and then Santa hitches his reindeer to the spaceship (because its engines were clogged), and they sail off to deliver the goodies for Christmas. While fans of prior books may enjoy this one’s familiarity, the story is…a bit of a mess, and the art mostly replicates the action of the text without doing much to help things stick together.
Hold the peanut butter and stick to milk and cookies for Santa. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3634-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019
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