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THE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA HOTEL

A fresh, sweet way to explore the true meaning of Christmas and unexpected encounters.

A mistake and a chance encounter lead to an unlikely friendship.

Bear is settling down for a quiet, cozy Christmas reading by the fire, happy to be alone, when he hears a car horn outside. He opens the door to find an exuberant frog with luggage piled high, expecting a “Christmas EXTRAVAGANZA!” complete with a “supersonic sleigh ride.” A quick look at Frog’s upside-down map reveals that he’s on the opposite side of the world from his vacation destination. Bear kindly offers to let Frog stay with him, but the next day he realizes that he’ll have to think of creative alternatives to the activities in Frog’s brochure. They bake iced cookies to replace an “all-you-can-eat North Pole breakfast bar.” Who needs a singing Christmas tree when there’s a gigantic outdoor tree sparkling with real snow, its height emphasized by a vertical two-page spread. Best of all, viewing the northern lights from a hillside more than makes up for missing the gaudy light display at the hotel. The two characters, temperamental opposites, end up appreciating each other’s gift of friendship. The book’s large, square format gives ample room for cheery, expressive illustrations. Bear and Frog so obviously enjoy each other’s company that their differences fall away as they find the joy of newfound friendship.

A fresh, sweet way to explore the true meaning of Christmas and unexpected encounters. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-68010-102-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018

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DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH LOST CHRISTMAS!

It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.

Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.

Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)

It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023

ISBN: 9780593563168

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023

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LOVE FROM THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR

Safe to creep on by.

Carle’s famous caterpillar expresses its love.

In three sentences that stretch out over most of the book’s 32 pages, the (here, at least) not-so-ravenous larva first describes the object of its love, then describes how that loved one makes it feel before concluding, “That’s why… / I[heart]U.” There is little original in either visual or textual content, much of it mined from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. “You are… / …so sweet,” proclaims the caterpillar as it crawls through the hole it’s munched in a strawberry; “…the cherry on my cake,” it says as it perches on the familiar square of chocolate cake; “…the apple of my eye,” it announces as it emerges from an apple. Images familiar from other works join the smiling sun that shone down on the caterpillar as it delivers assurances that “you make… / …the sun shine brighter / …the stars sparkle,” and so on. The book is small, only 7 inches high and 5 ¾ inches across when closed—probably not coincidentally about the size of a greeting card. While generations of children have grown up with the ravenous caterpillar, this collection of Carle imagery and platitudinous sentiment has little of his classic’s charm. The melding of Carle’s caterpillar with Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE on the book’s cover, alas, draws further attention to its derivative nature.

Safe to creep on by. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-448-48932-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2021

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