A high-spirited holiday charmer.
Hanukkah suits these dinos to a T.
All the dinosaur households are getting ready for the Festival of Lights. At Bary’s, they clean, mop, and dust so the house will look its best when Gran arrives. Meanwhile, T. rex prepares a scrumptious brisket for his family, and Tricera makes applesauce for his guests. Everyone’s excited to participate in Dino-Hanukkah. A group of little ones are anxious to light the menorah on each of the eight nights. However, they are told that the youngest dino child gets first dibs at performing the solemn ceremony. Readers watch as the dinosaurs lead songs and blessings, savor latkes and jelly doughnuts, open gifts, spin dreidels, win chocolate coins, and reenact the story of the brave Maccabee heroes of ancient times. This latest entry in the popular series is a rollicking holiday story, told in jaunty, bouncy rhyming couplets that scan very well and convey the happiness of the holiday, its traditions, and the warmth of family closeness. Several characters are referred to by nicknames that play off their species name—for instance, “Bary” for Baryonyx, “Stego” for Stegosaurus, and “Allo” for Allosaurus. Readers might have benefitted from backmatter identifying the dinosaurs by their full names. The vivid digital illustrations depict wonderfully energetic, expressive cartoonish dinos bursting with lively good cheer. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A high-spirited holiday charmer. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781728419213
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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