Lighthearted Hanukkah fun.
An invitation to the youngest Hanukkah celebrants to twirl like holiday spinners.
Set to the sprightly rhyme scheme and rhythms of “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed,” this Hanukkah ditty stars five—what else?—miniature dreidels spinning so gleefully that each in turn experiences a minor mishap (e.g., getting dizzy and falling, tripping, and one simply leaving) until only one remains. Following each episode, Mama dreidel calls a professional-looking doctor dreidel who cautions against further spinning—ill-timed advice given that spinning is a dreidel’s holiday raison d’être. In the end, all’s well that spins well, as all five dreidels are reunited and advised to spin again. Logic isn’t the point here, but some slight fun is, and so are holiday symbols: menorahs, wrapped gifts, latkes, the Star of David, and gold-wrapped chocolate gelt are all on display here. Most importantly, the brightly smiling, gaily colored dreidels bear the Hebrew letters nun, gimel, heh, and shin, forming the acronym for the Hebrew saying “Nes gadol haya sham,”meaning “A great miracle happened there.” This refers to Hanukkah’s origin—the miracle of one day’s supply of oil in the menorah in Jerusalem’s Great Temple remaining lit for eight days. Young readers may be aware of those holiday emblems, but even if they aren’t, they’ll likely be acquainted with the song this tale is based on and will gladly frolic about to that cheery game’s rhythms and appreciate this story’s satisfying ending. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Lighthearted Hanukkah fun. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66592-238-8
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what readers want and expect from the board-book master.
Pookie and family celebrate Thanksgiving.
Boynton’s precocious little pig is back in this holiday installment. The family gets ready for Thanksgiving by baking pies, welcoming Nemmy and Boppa for dinner, and sharing gratitude (and pie!). Boynton’s familiar rhyming text and simple, thick-lined illustrations are exactly what readers have come to expect from this series: Pookie is a little silly, the story bounces along, and the artwork is warm and cozy. Though most of the action takes place inside, the passage of day is clear through the window, from daylight to the setting sun. Decorations and a tree with just a few leaves on it indicate the autumnal season. There are two pages where numbers are called out, presented differently from the rest of the typeface (Pookie and their parents prepare apple pie and one pumpkin pie, and there will be five guests at dinner). The only bolded digits are one and five, even though the text does mention that there will be a total of two pies—a stylistic choice that seems to point readers to counting practice but that feels a bit random. Overall, though, this is a worthy new story about one of Boynton’s most beloved characters. True to form, it’s a toddler-friendly read, providing context for the festivities and a sweet representation of gratitude. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Exactly what readers want and expect from the board-book master. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66592-263-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Cute and sprightly but not a standout.
Deck the stalls?
A bevy of barnyard animals, a cat, and some dogs get fully into the Christmas spirit by sprucing up the farm with colorful decorations, including holly berries and sparkling baubles. They have a great time and sing while going about their merry chores in a manner somewhat in keeping with the rhythm of the classic tune “Deck the Halls.” (In fact, a flock of sheep are shown holding song sheets for it.) As might be expected with these particular celebrants, some of the familiar lyrics are altered just a bit; for instance, “boughs of holly” is “translated” as “cows and holly.” Adult readers expecting the rhythm here to work exactly as it does in the original will be disappointed, because it doesn’t—it’s clunky. This is merely a brief, lightweight spoof of the familiar ditty, so it’s recommended that grown-ups read rather than sing this—except for that final line!—to very young targeted audiences, who may be unfamiliar with the actual song anyway. Some fun is still to be had in the illustrations, however. The spirited, wittily expressive animal characters are depicted having a fine time romping about and producing a variety of onomatopoeic sounds throughout. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Cute and sprightly but not a standout. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66591-435-2
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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