A fresh, interstellar Christmas adventure that’s sure to be a read-aloud staple for the season.
Santa finally visits Mars in an intergalactic twist on Clement C. Moore’s “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”
One young Martian is filled with excitement on Christmas Eve. Could this be the year that the red planet finally gets a visit from Santa? After going to bed, the little Martian is soon awakened by a clamor that could only be Santa himself. Disaster strikes when Santa’s sleigh begins to malfunction and crash-lands on the surface of Mars. The Martian must summon the Outer Space Rescue Division for help: “Come Hubble and Gamma! / Come Barlow and Oort! / Come Kelvin and Nova! / Come Quasar and Vort!” Using an array of tools and blueprints, technicians rush to the rescue, checking everything from the cockpit to the cocoa dispenser. After Santa and the technicians have put things right, a relieved Santa goes on his way—full of cookies and polar-ice juice—but not before filling the stockings of the snoozing Martians. Playful, bouncy rhyming couplets are modeled after the original poem, with familiar themes sprinkled throughout and plenty of gadgets and gizmos for aspiring engineers and outer-space lovers alike. Dynamic illustrations convey movement and excitement in muted tones, with tons of fun, extraterrestrial details to spot. Martians have fuzzy, round heads like cotton balls, with large eyes, fluffy tails, and colorful antennae. Santa is tan-skinned.
A fresh, interstellar Christmas adventure that’s sure to be a read-aloud staple for the season. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781250870308
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Godwin Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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