Though it’s fairly unoriginal at its core, this story’s charismatic star will have appeal in dog-loving households.
A rescued dog chosen as a Hanukkah present at an animal shelter relates his good luck as he learns to adapt to his new family and home.
Zoe and Zach welcome their new pet, a playful, medium-sized, golden-brown dog, and name him Latke (he’s exactly the color of one). The newest member of the family assumes all the celebratory aspects of the eight-day Hanukkah holiday are just for him and innocently creates a mild disturbance on each night. Latke eats the sufganiyot and latkes, rips open presents, chews up the dreidels and candles, slobbers all over the chocolate gelt and knocks the bowl of applesauce over. With each mishap, Zoe and Zach find a way to forgive, letting the curious new dog know he is very fortunate indeed. Ever remorseful, Latke finally accepts his own gift of a chew toy and understands he is one lucky dog to be part of a great family. Latke relates his own story, folding his innocent misdeeds into the basic structure of the eight nights of remembrance. Simple, childlike gouache scenes favor the star of the story, a sweet and personable mutt sporting floppy black ears against a brown happy face. He has rather more personality than the overall presentation, which cannot shed its inherent didacticism.
Though it’s fairly unoriginal at its core, this story’s charismatic star will have appeal in dog-loving households. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7613-9038-1
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
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 child-friendly tale packed with all things winter.
A look at hallmarks and celebrations of the coldest season.
Winter’s here, and there are icicles, snow gear, sledding, and snowball fights, of course. Inside, kids make decorations, snuggle under warm blankets, and sip hot chocolate. We also see kids celebrating a variety of holidays. Children play dreidel and enjoy latkes while a menorah sits in the window. Some hang ornaments on a Christmas tree; others observe Kwanzaa. Youngsters also ring in the new year with “fizzy drinks to clink.” Several kids perform a dragon dance on Chinese New Year, and in February, the little ones exchange valentines at school. The scope and vocabulary make this a perfect book to share with preschoolers both in a classroom setting and at home, and the rhyming gives it a read-aloud-friendly cadence. The illustrations perfectly encapsulate the blustery cold of winter as well as the comfort of hunkering down inside, thanks to wisps of wind across windowpanes and cozy, blanketed kids. All the scenes are fully imagined and well drawn, with plenty to observe, from squirrels peeking in at the kids making crafts and a bird’s-eye view of the town where a menorah sits in a house and a car sports decorative antlers. The quality rhymes and meaningful illustrations make this a worthy selection. The kids depicted are diverse in terms of race and ability.
A child-friendly tale packed with all things winter. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780316570138
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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