A modern fairy tale that speaks to our unsettled times.
Hooray! It’s King Winter’s birthday!
King Winter wants only one thing: to celebrate with his siblings, all monarchs devoted to the various seasons, whom he hasn’t seen since childhood. They convene at King Winter’s home to feast, lovingly depicted in a warm, vibrant spread full of food and flora. With all the seasons in one place, however, chaos ensues outside the icy fortress. Leaves and plants quickly bloom and wither away, confused animals are unsure when to hibernate, and conflicting weather patterns cause both too much water in some parts of the world and not enough in others. After realizing that their reunion is the cause of the pandemonium, the siblings quickly disperse and things go back to normal. Though King Winter realizes that he and his loved ones can’t be together, he’s comforted by the memories of their gathering. Inspired by an original fairy tale written by author Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz while fleeing persecution from Nazi Germany, Freedland tells a straightforward but complex story that speaks to both the inevitable changing of the seasons and the extenuating life circumstances that keep many families apart despite their love for each other; this is a much-needed tale in today’s world. Sutton’s intricate art showcases vast landscapes, affected by the monarchs’ celebration. King Winter and Queen Spring are pale-skinned; King Summer and Queen Autumn are dark-skinned.
A modern fairy tale that speaks to our unsettled times. (information about Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz, photograph, illustration from Boschwitz’s unpublished manuscript) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: tomorrow
ISBN: 9781782694670
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
Powered by whimsy and nostalgia, a doggone adorable tale of superheroes transforming the world for the better.
Can flying puppies, fueled by people’s hugs, save the world from gloom?
Light-skinned Snarly McBummerpants is busy sending out Mopey Smokes (evil-looking dark brown clouds) from his volcano on the Island of Woe to create a sad state of affairs. But the caped puppies, each equipped with a rocket and hailing from “the outer reaches of NOT-FROM-HERE,” use their abilities to conquer the morose McBummerpants and bring happiness back to everyone’s lives. The meticulously detailed illustrations carry the story, dark colors turning to rainbow hues and frowns turning to smiles. From Big Brad to Tiny Brad, the smallest, most powerful puppy, who “[licks] a kiss right on the tip of Snarly McBummerpants’s nose,” these absolutely endearing pooches elicit a universal “AWWWWWWWWWW!” from all who encounter them. Joyce’s witty illustrations depict diverse children and adults who appear to hail from different decades. Two teenagers wear the bobby socks and saddle shoes of the 1940s and ’50s and sit atop a retro soda cooler. Other kids ride the skateboards of a later era. Laurel and Hardy, classic movie performers who may need introduction, are amusingly pictured as bullies turned florists (a little odd, since only Hardy bullied Laurel). Even McBummerpants seems reminiscent of an old-time movie villain. The text is less inventive than the pictures, but the message of good over evil is always timely.
Powered by whimsy and nostalgia, a doggone adorable tale of superheroes transforming the world for the better. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665961332
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
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
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