In this ho-ho-hum effort, a boy named Sam stows away in Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve and then is invited along for a visit to an island spa and amusement park. Santa takes a special interest in Sam because the boy is the only child ever to thank Santa for all his Christmas gifts. Sam joins Santa and the elves in surfing, games and the park’s rides and events, but the attempts at humor seem forced. Several references and jokes in the text and illustrations will not be decodable or funny to young children (a gingerbread-man band named Bread Zeppelin, for example), and the premise of a midnight trip with Santa followed by a memorable surprise gift under the tree is awfully close to the plot of The Polar Express, without the gravitas. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3126-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2009
Categories: CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
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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
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
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A little bear named Teddy gets ready for Christmas with his father, Big Bear, in this decidedly cheerful British import.
Teddy is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Christmas, asking his father endless questions in the manner of little ones everywhere. Father and son work together to wrap presents, bake a cake and search for a Christmas tree. The tree that Teddy chooses is too large to fit through the doors of their house, and when they bring it through the window, the top of the tree snaps off. Teddy dissolves into tears at the accident, but father and son work together to repair the damage and decorate the tree for Christmas Eve. A joyful concluding spread shows the bear pair on Christmas morning, sprawled under their tree, eating cake and candy and enjoying their unwrapped gifts. The text is aggressively jolly, with sound effects and key words and phrases set in display type and lots of exclamation marks. But Chapman’s large-format illustrations are appealing, with plenty of humor and motion, and her bears are amusing—especially Teddy, who really does look like a teddy bear come to life.
A story with a youngster getting ready for Christmas with just his dad should be a welcome choice for single fathers to share with their children. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-149-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2013
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
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