No bones about it. This book has pep, drive, and the perfect vibe for the Halloween season.
Patriotic fare gets a scary vibe in this bouncy tale of “a Halloween din.”
Three little skeleton drummers receive an important invitation. They have been invited to play at the White House, aka the most haunted house in the nation, on Halloween. The three lose no time getting their act together, soon playing on the front lawn for a diverse group of dressed-up children and Barack Obama himself, with Michelle at his side! It’s only when they go inside that they encounter a roll call of all the spirits that haunt the home, from a giant cat to Abigail Adams to ghostly pets of all shapes and sizes. Though spirited (pun intended), occasionally the rhymes stumble a little in their scansion (“So come along, join us, as we make our way / to America’s capital, where we’ll play”). Readers may hardly care as Gatlin’s cheery skeletal crew (like a bonier version of Alvin and the Chipmunks) is full of verve. An author’s note lists the reported hauntings that have occurred at the White House (almost all of whom appear in the text and art throughout the book) and even mentions how Dapier himself dressed up like a skeleton at the Obamas’ first Halloween celebration. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
No bones about it. This book has pep, drive, and the perfect vibe for the Halloween season. (books, websites) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-5246-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
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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