Though the book is unlovely, the interactive format could inspire some worthwhile conversation.
This alphabet-centered rhyming scavenger quest asks readers to point out Hanukkah-related symbols and fare, from the obvious to the more nuanced.
Beginning with “Antiochus” for the letter A, the king who “would not let the Jews be free,” Balsley briefly identifies the significant symbols of the holiday’s commemoration. These include the “Brave Maccabees,” the small “Cruse of oil” and the temple being “Dedicated” after “freedom won,” making sure to capitalize in a bold type the essential letter for each vital word (initials except for “eXtra”). Each page has a question or directed visual activity to complete using the simply drawn picture clues. “So now we have Eight special days. / Special how? Describe the ways. // Which Menorah shows day three? / Count the Flames and you will see.” Typical examples such as L for latkes and M for menorah share the alphabet with unrelated choices such as R for Reading and Q for Quick to fill out the alphabet structure. Despite this, the basics of remembrance—through celebration, the lighting of candles, gifts and gatherings with potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts—are strongly evident. Though the theme is executed capably, the production is lackluster, created digitally with childlike caricatures inhabiting both biblical and modern-day scenarios.
Though the book is unlovely, the interactive format could inspire some worthwhile conversation. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4677-0420-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2013
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
Let these crayons go back into their box.
The Crayons return to celebrate Easter.
Six crayons (Red, Orange, Yellow, Esteban, who is green and wears a yellow cape, White, and Blue) each take a shape and scribble designs on it. Purple, perplexed and almost angry, keeps asking why no one is creating an egg, but the six friends have a great idea. They take the circle decorated with red shapes, the square adorned with orange squiggles “the color of the sun,” the triangle with yellow designs, also “the color of the sun” (a bit repetitious), a rectangle with green wavy lines, a white star, about which Purple remarks: “DID you even color it?” and a rhombus covered with blue markings and slap the shapes onto a big, light-brown egg. Then the conversation turns to hiding the large object in plain sight. The joke doesn’t really work, the shapes are not clear enough for a concept book, and though colors are delineated, it’s not a very original color book. There’s a bit of clever repartee. When Purple observe that Esteban’s green rectangle isn’t an egg, Esteban responds, “No, but MY GOSH LOOK how magnificent it is!” Still, that won’t save this lackluster book, which barely scratches the surface of Easter, whether secular or religious. The multimedia illustrations, done in the same style as the other series entries, are always fun, but perhaps it’s time to retire these anthropomorphic coloring implements. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Let these crayons go back into their box. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-62105-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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