An educational, if overlong, bedtime story set in nature.
Bridgman’s illustrated children’s book offers readers an alphabetic walk through the four seasons in Manitoba, Canada.
In this ABC primer, each letter of the alphabet is highlighted in a sentence referencing a detail of a particular season, such as summer’s “T is for tennis—win, tie or lose,” and winter’s “H is for hot chocolate, for your tum-tum-tummy.” The letters X, Y, and Z remain the same for every season. X is for XOXO (“hugs and kisses, just for you”), Y is for yawn, and Z is for ZZZzzz (“Sweet dreams, sleep tight / good night, good night!”). Young readers will find it helpful that each occurrence of the letter is highlighted in a different color than the rest of the sentence text. The typeface is easy to read, and each double-page spread presents a rhyming couplet, which will be a helpful tool for early readers. Some lines feel slightly awkward and may require context regarding the real-life Victoria Beach area, such as “G is for Gate—gazed from afar,” which may be a bit confusing unless the reader already knows the specific gate described. Overall, the book’s length causes the story to feel disjointed; a stronger narrative arc or consistent characters could have created a better flow, or the work could have been split into four separate books. Bridgman’s painterly illustrations don’t follow a narrative arc or share many common elements aside from the setting of Victoria Beach. They are whimsical, however, and often feature anthropomorphized animals. Jackrabbits—the inspiration for the book, according to an author’s note—appear frequently; one is even dressed up as a ghost to celebrate Halloween with some jack-o’-lanterns. A few humans with varying skin tones pop up every now and again.
An educational, if overlong, bedtime story set in nature.Pub Date: April 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-03-913270-2
Page Count: 120
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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