Ho ho ho and a merry publication to an old classic newly found.
A beloved Yuletide story gets an unexpected sequel, replete with hijinks.
Recently discovered in an overstuffed file cabinet by Barry’s son, this follow-up to Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree (1963) has finally found its way to publication, decades after its creation. Plagued once more by Christmas tree woes, Mr. Willowby, a mustachioed, white-presenting elder, is pacing his stately manor. Whereas in the previous book, his tree was too tall, now it looks like he won’t have one at all! The delivery van is stuck in the snow, leaving the kindly old man bereft. Along comes Barnaby Bear, who, upon seeing his friend’s plight, finds an ideal tree on a hill high above and makes the unfortunate decision to ride the conifer down to the house. Turns out, steering a tree is an impossibility, and the next thing you know, Frisky Fox, Dusty Duck, Benjamin Rabbit, and Mistletoe Mouse are along for the ride. A crash-landing through Mr. Willowby’s front door and a special cameo appearance from Santa all make this the happiest holiday on record. Readers young and old needn’t have any familiarity with Mr. Willowby’s earlier Christmastide adventure to appreciate the wild antics. Barry’s tale hasn’t aged a day; its rhymes remain intact and scan with alacrity, while the fun and frolicsome art taps into the cartoonish nature of the shenanigans.
Ho ho ho and a merry publication to an old classic newly found. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9780593708194
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
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
BOOK REVIEW
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This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers.
The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries.
The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit’s frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention.
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-3817-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
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