Holiday

When’s My Birthday by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Christian Robinson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary: “When’s my birthday/where’s my birthday?/how many days until my birthday?” an exuberant child asks repeatedly as she counts down to the big day.  She anticipates eating cake and other treats, inviting friends to a party, and getting presents.  The night before her birthday, she vows to stay awake, but ultimately falls asleep, dreaming of tomorrow.  And finally…”It’s the daytime!/here’s my birthday!/happy happy! hee! hee! hee!/time for cakey/wakey wakey/happy happy day to me!”  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:   I’ve seen this on some Caldecott prediction lists lately.  The simple rhyming text and cheerful collage illustrations perfectly capture pre-birthday excitement for the under-ten crowd.  This would make an ideal birthday gift.

Cons:  I was pretty exhausted by the time the birthday finally arrived.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

‘Tis the Season: Some Holiday Read-Alouds

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

If you’re looking to fill the long hours of anticipation of the next two weeks, here are some new books to add to your collection.

Merry Christmas, Peanut! by Terry Border. Published by Philomel Books

Kids will love the illustrations created from household items that tell the story of Peanut and his family as they travel to Grandma’s for Christmas dinner.  Along the way, they pick up a host of lonely characters who need a place to spend the holiday.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster. Published by Albert Whitman and Company

Little Red Ruthie is bring applesauce and sour cream to go with her Bubbe Basha’s legendary latkes.  When a wolf follows her there, she has to quickly think of a way to fill him up on latkes instead of her and her Bubbe.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Waltz of the Snowflakes by Elly Mackay.  Published by Running Press.  The Nutcracker in Harlem by T. McMorrow, illustrated by James Ransome.

                 

Two stories inspired by the classic ballet.  The Nutcracker in Harlem reimagines the story in 1920’s Harlem.  Waltz of the Snowflakes is a wordless celebration of a reluctant girl’s first experience at the ballet, and how she slowly gets caught up in the magic of the tale.  For Waltz of the Snowflakes, click here.  For The Nutcracker in Harlem, click here.

 

Nativity by Cynthia Rylant.  Published by Beach Lane Books

Simple, spare text and paintings tell the story of Jesus’s birth, concluding with four of the beatitudes offered as a sample of the adult Jesus’s teachings.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares.  Published by Candlewick Press

Red the cardinal panics when the enormous tree he and Lulu call home is cut down and taken away…with Lulu still in it.  He follows the tree to New York City, where he finally finds it in Rockefeller Center, ablaze with colored lights.  Red and Lulu become city birds, settling down in Central Park after Christmas.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

 

 

 

Rettie and the Ragamuffin Parade: A Thanksgiving Story by Trinka Hakes Noble, illustrated by David C. Gardner

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Published by Sleeping Bear Press

Summary:  Rettie has to be mother and father to her three younger siblings, since their mother is sick with consumption and their father is fighting in World War I.  Life in their tenement building is difficult, all the more so when the influenza epidemic hits.  Their building is quarantined, and Rettie is worried that she won’t be able to get out for the Ragamuffin Parade on Thanksgiving.  This is an annual event for poor immigrant children to collect pennies from their more well-to-do neighbors.  Rettie works hard, helping to keep the apartment building clean and washing rags to earn some extra money.  Finally, the quarantine is lifted in time for Rettie to go to the parade.  Not only that, but the cold weather slows down the influenza epidemic, and the war comes to an end in early November.  Rettie joins the rest of America in celebrating Thanksgiving by using the pennies from the parade to buy her family apples and a pumpkin. Includes an author’s note about the Ragamuffin Parade, which may have been the inspiration for the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade.  32 pages; grade 1-4.

Pros:  Part of the “Tales of Young Americans” series, this is a heartwarming story of a young girl persevering under difficult circumstances.  Readers will learn a lot of history from Rettie’s story, and the illustrations show a great deal of historical detail as well.

Cons:  Rettie seems a little too good to be true.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  In brief, rhyming text, a boy tells of his journey to Washington, D.C. to ride with his grandfather in the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, a parade of motorcyclists held on Memorial Day every year to honor America’s veterans.  The focus is the Vietnam War, where Grandpa fought and lost friends.  The motorcyclists camp the night before, then get up at dawn to join the parade.  It winds past the Lincoln Memorial and ends at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where there are speeches and tears.  Finally, the boy and his grandfather sit in a field at the end of the day, watching a shooting star in the night sky.  A brief author’s note tells about the Thunder Ride.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Readers with interests in the military, history, or motorcycles will enjoy this; it would also make a great Memorial Day read-aloud (sorry I’m a little late…maybe Veterans’ Day?).

Cons:  The illustrations don’t reflect the diversity of those who served in Vietnam.

The Christmas Story by Robert Sabuda

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Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

Published by Candlewick 

Summary:  The story of Jesus’ birth is told through six intricately designed pop-ups.  The text is faithful to the Bible story, beginning with Mary’s visit from the angel announcing the birth, moving on to shepherds and wise men, and concluding with the whole gang gathered at the manger.  The pop-ups are all white with golden highlights on a blue background.  Go here for a page-by-page preview: https://vimeo.com/174534813.  12 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  The pop-ups are truly amazing, with angels and stars soaring above many of the pages.  A beautiful introduction to the Christmas story.

Cons:  The fragile nature of the paper art and $26.00 price tag may make this a better choice for a home library than a public one.

 

The Christmas Boot by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  Hannah Greyweather spends her days trying to survive in the cold winter.  One day while out gathering firewood, she finds a boot and puts it on over the rags she has wrapped around her left foot. She can’t believe how warm the boot makes her foot, and when she goes to bed, she wishes she had a right one.  Lo and behold, the next morning, there’s a pair of boots at her bedside.  The day after that, there’s a pair of mittens tucked inside, and when she comes back from her chores, Hannah discovers her cabin has been replaced by a big, fancy house, complete with feast and feather bed.  A knock on the door reveals the source of the gifts—Santa himself, returning to reclaim his missing left boot.  As soon as he puts it on, everything goes back to the way it was.  Hannah doesn’t mind giving up the fancy house, but she tells Santa she did like the warm boots and mittens, and wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to.  The next morning, Santa has granted her wishes; when an “Arf” comes out of the left boot, Hannah discovers she has a new puppy for company.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A heartwarming holiday story, with splendid illustrations from Caldecott artist Jerry Pinkney.

Cons:  Let’s hope Hannah gives that left boot a thorough cleaning before sticking her foot into it.

Lady Liberty’s Holiday by Jen Arena, illustrated by Matt Hunt

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  The Statue of Liberty is feeling blue, even though she’s green.  She’s stiff, achy, and tired of seeing the same skyline every day.  Her friend Moe the pigeon suggests she take a vacation.  So one night, Lady Liberty breaks free of her pedestal and goes on a walking tour of the United States.  She’s delighted by all she sees—from the Jersey shore to the wheat fields of Kansas to the Rocky Mountains to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Unfortunately, she is missed back in her home town of New York City, and, as spring moves into summer, there are rumors that the Fourth of July celebration will be canceled.  Moe goes off in search of his friend, and finds her perched on the edge of the Grand Canyon, feeling small for the first time in her life.  Hearing about the Fourth of July, Lady Liberty rushes home, making it back just in time for a grand fireworks display on the Fourth.  The final two pages tell the story of the Statue of Liberty and some little known facts about her, along with some additional resources.  40 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  This would make a great introduction to some of America’s famous landmarks, as well as a great Fourth of July read-aloud.

Cons:  Sorry to be reviewing a great Fourth of July read-aloud on August 30.

Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manazo, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

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Published by Atheneum

    

Summary: It’s Christmas Eve, and Jose’s mami is feeling homesick for Puerto Rico. Not only that, but their oven is too small to cook the roast.  So Jose and his father box it up and set off for the local pizzeria to use the big oven there.  Along the way, they meet up with neighbors in and around their apartment who are experiencing a variety of holiday stresses.  A few hours later, they return, bringing the pizza shop owner for dinner and a fragrant cooked roast.  The delicious odors draw the neighbors to their apartment, and everyone forgets their troubles to enjoy a merry Christmas Eve dinner.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A feel-good Christmas story with a culturally diverse cast of characters.

Cons:  A pretty bah humbug collection of neighbors until dinner is served.

Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon, illustrated by Mark Siegel

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Roaring Brook Press 

Summary:  After the Night of Broken Glass, Oskar’s parents put him on a ship to America.  His father’s last words to him are, “Even in bad times, people can be good.  You have to look for the blessings.”  Oskar arrives in New York City on the seventh day of Hanukkah, which is also Christmas Eve.  He has to walk over one hundred blocks to find his Aunt Esther.  As he walks, he looks for blessings.  An old woman feeding pigeons gives him a loaf of bread to eat.  A boy playing in the snow gives him a pair of mittens.  And Eleanor Roosevelt herself gives him a few kind words.  As night falls, and the Hanukkah candles begin to glow in windows, Oskar at last reaches his destination and finds a new home.  Grades 1-3.

Pros:  A beautifully illustrated, moving story about finding good in the world during a bleak time in history.  An author’s note explains that the events of Christmas Eve 1938 are historically accurate, including Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to New York City.

Cons:  While very young children would enjoy this story, it does require at least a basic explanation of Nazi Germany and the beginning of the Holocaust.

Happy Hanukkah!

The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton, illustrated by Cathy Gendron.

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Published by Millbrook Press 

Summary:  Although the Nutcracker ballet seems like a timeless holiday tradition, it’s only been around since the second half of the twentieth century.  Three brothers from Utah, Willam, Harold, and Lew Christensen, were responsible for bringing the Russian ballet to the U.S.  The Christensens came from a dancing family and grew up to become dancers, vaudevillians, and, eventually, teachers and producers.  During World War II, money and dancers were both in short supply.  The brothers were working in San Francisco and needed a hit to keep ballet alive in that city. When Willam heard someone whistling Tschaikovsky on a city street, he was reminded of a production of the Nutcracker he had been involved with years before.  The brothers’ low-budget production premiered on Christmas Eve and was a huge hit.  Over the next several years, the show spread to other cities across the country, so that by the 1960’s, the Nutcracker tradition had taken hold.  Back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator about their research, a timeline, a summary of the story of the Nutrcracker, and suggestions for further reading.  Grades 2-5.

Pros:  I was surprised to learn how recently the Nutcracker came to America.  The history was interesting, and the illustrations, inspired by Edgar Degas, capture the grace and beauty of ballet.  The conversational tone of the text keeps the story moving along.

Cons:  Some of the details of the brothers’ lives seemed extraneous to the main story.  A little editing might have made this a better read-aloud for younger readers.