A charming story about honoring traditions while staying true to oneself.
A young girl of Chinese descent finds a way to stand out at the Lunar New Year parade.
The Lao family is getting ready to celebrate the upcoming holiday. Together, they make food, prepare lucky gifts, and create decorations. And they bring out the special clothes they’ll wear at the parade, including three matching qipáo dresses, one for each Lao sister. Sunny, the youngest, loves all her family’s traditions, but she doesn’t love her qipáo. Originally made for her oldest sister, Eva, the garment is decorated with a dragon, Eva’s zodiac sign. Handed down to her middle sister, Aria, it’s red, Aria’s favorite color. Now it belongs to Sunny, but nothing about the dress says “Sunny” at all. Besides, it makes her look exactly like her sisters. Sunny wistfully dreams of golden, sparkly, unconventional qipáos that would be entirely her. Alas, a new dress is out of the question. One of the Lao family’s golden rules is “Never waste anything!” and the three sisters always match. Any young reader with older siblings will relate to Sunny’s struggle with her hand-me-down dress, and her creative solution demonstrates how individual expression can be compatible with family expectations and traditions. Phuong’s soft, vibrant illustrations capture the festive details of the new year and Sunny’s eager mind and forceful will. Mandarin Chinese phrases are transliterated and translated throughout.
A charming story about honoring traditions while staying true to oneself. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780593694626
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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