A Christmas tale that humorously imparts a teamwork lesson that can be practiced all year long.
A holiday rivalry turns into a recipe for success.
A powder blue goblin with huge eyes looks right at readers and bemoans the fact that elves hog the holiday spotlight and that everyone thinks they are perfect. After all, goblins officiate at the Great Sock Slug Race, participate in Pigeon Plucking Day, and support Taco Tuesdays! And goblins work hard, too. The protagonist decides to go to the North Pole and prove once and for all that goblins are just as capable as elves. The goblin tries caring for reindeer, wrapping presents, and making toys, with disastrous but funny results. Being an elf is difficult until the goblin learns the secret: T.O.Y.S., or “Teamwork Optimizes Your Success.” Careful observation of the colorful, appealing Christmas-themed illustrations shows the goblin working alone at the beginning of the book while the elves collaborate. But after trying T.O.Y.S., the Goblin successfully completes some tasks that previously presented a challenge. In the end, the goblin embraces T.O.Y.S., or is that toys? The goblin is a relatable protagonist, and the story contains a solid message. Adults will chuckle at references to the Keebler-esque elf who bakes cookies in a hollow tree, the Elf on the Shelf, and the three elves associated with the “world’s loudest cereal.” The elves are depicted with an assortment of skin and hair tones. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A Christmas tale that humorously imparts a teamwork lesson that can be practiced all year long. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781665921794
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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