Engaging illustrations, wonderful pacing, and themes of generosity combine for a warm Christmas surprise.
A mysterious gift leads to a grand adventure in this Ukrainian import.
Little Hare wakes up to a loud sound and goes outside to find a big present on the roof of her small, snow-covered home. Whose present could it be? Little Hare loads the gift onto her sled and checks to see if it belongs to her forest animal neighbors: Mr. Fox, Auntie Owl, the piglets, and Mr. Snowman. Finally, Little Hare runs into none other than Santa Claus himself! Santa’s in trouble—a snowstorm caused him to lose the presents he intended to deliver. Ever the earnest helper, Little Hare helps him find and gather up the missing packages. She’s delighted when Santa tells her he’ll grant her a wish; she asks to help him deliver gifts from his sleigh. Next morning, Little Hare awakens to the knowledge that her friends will be getting presents and is more than a little surprised to find one for herself—a bunny-size snowplow, “perfect for visiting friends and delivering gifts of any size.” Charming, at times exaggerated illustrations make effective use of perspective and proportion; Little Hare seems especially diminutive, dwarfed by an immense, pink-skinned Santa. Gently building suspense before coming to a satisfying conclusion, this holiday tale stresses kindness and consideration—traits that are important at any time of year.
Engaging illustrations, wonderful pacing, and themes of generosity combine for a warm Christmas surprise. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781636551166
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Red Comet Press
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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
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