A clever, wonderfully illustrated holiday story.
A clumsy young werewolf has a surprising Halloween in this picture book.
Stan loves Oct. 31—the only night of the year that he has “permission to be as scary as he wanted.” However, on Oct. 30, he falls and breaks his foot. Because he has a cast and a cane, he fears he won’t “keep up with the pack,” and he watches sadly as his friends leave without him on Halloween. He spends the evening trying to entertain himself outside—donning a sheet for “ghosting,” riding a broom like a witch, and wrapping himself in toilet paper to resemble a mummy. However, each activity makes him fall over. Disappointed that he didn’t frighten anyone, he goes home, where friends and family throw him a surprise party. Shocked, Stan trips and falls. He rejoices when partygoers recoil from his disheveled, injured appearance, though, as he’s achieved his goal to be scary. Sutter’s story is simple but cleverly depicted. Married illustrators Thorne and Thorne’s full-color images are fantastic, with autumnal tones that positively glow. Many are quite detailed, as in a depiction of a table with party treats and a spooky but charming house. Outside scenes feature such accents as bats and witch silhouettes in the sky. The book includes recipes for festive snacks, including “Spider pizza.”
A clever, wonderfully illustrated holiday story.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-950169-38-2
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Spork
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
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A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area.
A pair of cardinals is separated and then reunited when their tree home is moved to New York City to serve as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
The male cardinal, Red, and his female partner, Lulu, enjoy their home in a huge evergreen tree located in the front yard of a small house in a pleasant neighborhood. When the tree is cut down and hauled away on a truck, Lulu is still inside the tree. Red follows the truck into the city but loses sight of it and gets lost. The birds are reunited when Red finds the tree transformed with colored lights and serving as the Christmas tree in a complex of city buildings. When the tree is removed after Christmas, the birds find a new home in a nearby park. Each following Christmas, the pair visit the new tree erected in the same location. Attractive illustrations effectively handle some difficult challenges of dimension and perspective and create a glowing, magical atmosphere for the snowy Christmas trees. The original owners of the tree are a multiracial family with two children; the father is African-American and the mother is white. The family is in the background in the early pages, reappearing again skating on the rink at Rockefeller Center with their tree in the background.
A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area. (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7733-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
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