The action appropriately snowballs in this uproariously funny seasonal romp.
In this children’s book, animals take over a house left empty during Christmas.
The night before traveling for the holiday, Katy Randall spies a frog shivering at the window. Leaving the next morning, the girl accidentally drops her mitten, propping the front door open. The frog moves in to enjoy a nice, warm, quiet house, but then a host of animals—beavers, bears, rabbits, owls, and more—discovers the open door. The frog lays down some house rules (clean up your mess; no eating anyone) to cope. On Christmas Day, the animals throw a huge party and are almost caught by people looking through the window. Thinking fast, the creatures pose like Santa, his sleigh, and his reindeer, with the frog sporting a fake red nose as Rudolph. They depart before the Randalls return but leave a few surprises, like fur on the towels. Stranger still is a certificate saying the family’s won a prize for the town’s best Christmas window display, citing their creative use of “stuffed animals.” Katy makes sure to leave her mitten in the door every year. Langteau, who has written several children’s books, tells a hilarious Christmas story with a building sense of anarchy. Quatrains rhyming in an abcb pattern offer a rollicking rhythm emphasized with typography: “And soon, just like that— / Christmas Day had arrived / and their lives felt like one giant treat / They sang and they danced, / and exchanged simple gifts. / But what they did mostly was EAT!” Still, parents may want to warn kids not to follow Katy’s example considering the dangers of possible burglars. Debut illustrator Brannon provides full-page, soft-edged images in rich, glowing colors dominated by tawny red-orange, deep blue, and pine green; the Randalls have terra-cotta skin. She underscores the book’s energy and humor with details such as the rabbits’ racetrack chalked on the floor and the wonderfully ridiculous, impromptu Christmas display.
The action appropriately snowballs in this uproariously funny seasonal romp.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-578-55965-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Shake the Moon Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 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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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Charming.
An assortment of unusual characters form friendships and help each other become their best selves.
Mr. and Mrs. Tupper, who live at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, are antiquarians. Their daughter, Jillian, loves and cares for a plant named Ivy, who has “three speckles on each leaf and three letters in her name.” Toasty, the grumpy goldfish, lives in an octagonal tank and wishes he were Jillian’s favorite; when Arthur the spider arrives inside an antique desk, he brings wisdom and insight. Ollie the violet plant, Louise the bee, and Sunny the canary each arrive with their own quirks and problems to solve. Each character has a distinct personality and perspective; sometimes they clash, but more often they learn to empathize, see each other’s points of view, and work to help one another. They also help the Tupper family with bills and a burglar. The Fan brothers’ soft-edged, old-fashioned, black-and-white illustrations depict Toasty and Arthur with tiny hats; Ivy and Ollie have facial expressions on their plant pots. The Tuppers have paper-white skin and dark hair. The story comes together like a recipe: Simple ingredients combine, transform, and rise into something wonderful. In its matter-of-fact wisdom, rich vocabulary (often defined within the text), hint of magic, and empathetic nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways, this delightful work is reminiscent of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, Our Friend Hedgehog by Lauren Castillo, and Ivy Lost and Found by Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin.
Charming. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: May 27, 2025
ISBN: 9781665942485
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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