Another variation on the gifts for the Christ Child theme is the focus of this delightful tale starring the Russian grandmother character of Babushka. The amusing and well-written story features a humorous Babushka who is the epitome of cleanliness. (She tells the passing wise men they must take off their boots before coming into her tidy house.) Babushka breaks away from her cleaning to carry three gifts to the Holy Family: a toy clown and a shawl for the baby and a bottle of ginger cordial to warm the grown-ups. Along her journey, she gives away each gift to someone in need, and almost turns away from the manger scene, but Mary warmly welcomes her into the stable anyway. There Babushka sees that the others have brought along all of her gifts and they are already in use. Mary reassuringly says, “Everything you gave with love, you gave to my son, also.” Tempted to clean the cobwebs in the stable, Babushka forgets those plans in order to rock the baby to sleep as hovering angels sing of peace. Enchanting acrylic paintings employ a stylized, folk-art style using flattened, distorted perspectives, jewel-bright tones, and characters that look like carved Russian dolls. This original gem of a story creates its own satisfying glow with polished tones in both words and art. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 1-84148-353-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
The words to a Christmas song from the 1950s serve as the text for this exploration of a most unusual Christmas gift. An unnamed little girl in pink pajamas is the first-person narrator, explaining in detail why she wants a hippopotamus as her present. Various views of the hippo are shown in a slightly confusing, nonlinear time sequence, but then why would time proceed in a straightforward fashion with a hippo in the house? Santa is shown pushing the hippo through the door, and the following pages show the little girl caring for her hippo, unwrapping it as a Christmas package (a different packaging treatment is shown on the cover), and then flying off with Santa as the hippo pulls the sleigh. Though the little girl and the words to the song are rather ordinary, the lively, lavender hippo in Whatley’s illustrations is a delightful creature, with a big, pink bow on its head and expressive, bulging eyes. (In fact, that hippo deserves a name and a story of its own.) The music and song lyrics are included in the final spread. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-052942-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2005
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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