While this plot is not as strong as other Little Hedgehog outings, fans will enjoy another cozy Christmas story about the...
Little Hedgehog celebrates another happy Christmas with his animal buddies in this latest entry in a popular series.
This time the group of friends is spending several days leading up to Christmas at Little Hedgehog’s comfortable home. They decorate their Christmas tree together in harmonious fashion on the first night, but after their second night sleeping on the floor together, everyone is in a cranky mood. Someone was snoring, someone else couldn’t sleep, a third someone stole cookies off the Christmas tree, and worst of all, Little Hedgehog has lost his special red hat. On Christmas morning, Little Hedgehog receives a new red hat knitted by Badger, and the old red hat is discovered hidden in the Christmas tree with a sleeping squirrel nestled inside. The squirrel joins in the Christmas morning festivities as the animals play with their Christmas toys. As in previous entries in the series, Little Hedgehog’s hat has a flocked, velvety surface that adds an additional layer of interest to the appealing, large-format illustrations. The animals are cute and cuddly as always, especially Little Hedgehog, and their outdoor activities, including skating and sledding, complement the warm, comfortable indoor scenes of the burrow decorated for the holiday.
While this plot is not as strong as other Little Hedgehog outings, fans will enjoy another cozy Christmas story about the endearing creature and his special hat. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-068-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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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