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
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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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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