Vibrant illustrations and a relatable message.
A little witch learns how to fly a broom after some initial wobbles and woes.
Under a full moon, the excited witch heads out for her first flight. This maiden voyage isn’t easy, and she has to break out her wand to stop the runaway broom. Eventually, the little witch and the little broom work together, and she carefully tries to fly again. George’s simple, rhyming text bounces along. The brown-skinned, pink-haired witch is utterly adorable. Her ensemble alone imbues her with personality, from her forest-green outfit to her flower-laden oversize hat to her magenta boots. The young witch’s expressions are used to great effect. A particularly compelling layout shows bright blue tears brimming in her eyes as she watches other flying witches silhouetted against the moon. The palette largely includes deep shades of purple with gold and blue-green complements. There are no specific references to Halloween, but pumpkins appear in the backgrounds on some pages. The storyline is very much in the spirit of a child learning to ride a bike for the first time; there are struggles and frustrations at first, but ultimately the young witch is exuberant as she successfully takes off. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Vibrant illustrations and a relatable message. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-80392-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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