Holiday

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  The dynamic Barnett-Klassen duo ponder the question of the title with a whole brainstorm of ideas.  Does Santa cinch up his belt or shrink to the size of the mouse?  Does he ever get stuck partway down and need a kick from the reindeer?  And what about those homes without chimneys?  Does he turn into a letter and drop through the mail slot?  Or slip through the pipes and come out the faucet?  And don’t even get started on how Santa goes back up the chimney!  However it is accomplished, the narrator concludes, we’re all so glad he can do it.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Get ready for some ho-ho-ho’s when you share this book with kids, who will no doubt be inspired to come up with some new ideas about Santa to add to Mac Barnett’s list.  Jon Klassen takes the idea and runs with it, and readers will love the images of Santa dripping through the faucet and flattening himself to go under the door.

Cons:  We can speculate, but we will never know for sure.

An Ofrenda for Perro by Judith Valdés B., illustrated by Carlos Veléz Aguilera

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Published by little bee books

Summary:  Benito is devastated to lose his dog Perro, who has been his companion since he was born.  As his family gets ready to celebrate Día de Los Muertos, Benito is slowly drawn into the preparations.  His father explains that the holiday isn’t a celebration of the dead, but of the love they have for those who have passed.  His mother shows him that her memories of her great-grandfather mean that he’s not really gone.  When Benito finds Perro’s ball, he is able to smile at his memories of his beloved dog, realizing that his memories will always be with him.  Includes an author’s note with additional information about Día de Los Muertos and a glossary. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A great resource for Día de Los Muertos, or for anyone who has lost a pet, with explanations that kids will understand and relate to, and beautiful illustrations inspired by the holiday.

Cons:  I couldn’t help thinking that Perro (Spanish for dog) deserved a slightly more imaginative name.

Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas by Matt Tavares

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Dasher the reindeer is back in this follow-up to Matt Tavares’s 2019 book Dasher.  Excited for Christmas, Dasher finds herself unable to sleep on the night of December 23 and goes off to look for adventure.  She finds carolers singing around a Christmas tree and enjoys herself so much she doesn’t notice the snow moving in.  When she realizes it’s time to go home, the storm is so thick that she can’t find her way.  She winds up at the home of a young boy named Charlie who gives her a compass to guide her back north.  Dasher makes it back just in time to take her place pulling Santa’s sleigh and makes sure that the jolly old elf has a compass to leave under Charlie’s tree.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another beautiful Christmas story from Matt Tavares that perfectly captures kids’ excitement about the holiday and all of its magic.  

Cons:  In my opinion, the best Matt Tavares Christmas book remains Red and Lulu.

A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  Huldah is excited to be turning ten on June 19, 1865.  That excitement grows when, on the morning of her birthday, soldiers ride up to the Texas plantation where Huldah and her family live and announce that all slaves are free and have been since Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier.  All around her is a celebration, and a group of women begins to create freedom flags.  Huldah takes some time for herself, climbing a tree to capture a sunbeam in a jar.  When she returns, it’s time for her birthday celebration.  Her friends and family give her her own freedom flag; later, during a moonlit walk with her family, she wraps her baby sister in the flag, and the family celebrates this day of jubilee.  Includes an author’s note about how she came to create the quilts that illustrate this book.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  With Juneteenth coming up in a few weeks, this is a great introduction for younger readers, illustrated with distinctive quilt-inspired illustrations.  Kids may want to design their own freedom flags after reading this.

Cons:  There’s not a ton of information about Juneteenth here, so you may want to supplement with some other resources.

Danbi’s Favorite Day by Anna Kim

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Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

Summary:  In this follow-up to Danbi Leads the School Parade, Danbi is excited to celebrate Children’s Day.  “Back in Korea,” Danbi tells her friends when she invites them to the celebration, “it’s the day when all your wishes come true.”  But Danbi’s parents, who have to work at their deli, can’t host a big party. Her mother reminds her that Children’s Day is “about celebrating the children on Earth who will one day lead the world.”  They compromise with a party behind the deli, and all the children arrive on the big day.  There’s dancing and drawing with sidewalk chalk until a sudden storm sends everyone inside.  Danbi is sure the party is ruined, but her parents give the kids permission to eat whatever they want from the deli, and that, combined with her mother’s special rainbow cake, makes Children’s Day a true celebration of children.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The story and illustrations convey the joyful energy Danbi seems to bring to all aspects of her life and can serve as a good introduction to the Children’s Day holiday.

Cons:  No additional information about Children’s Day.

Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Versify

Summary:  Moon travels around the world during the month of Ramadan, as the part of her visible to Earth changes from the tiny crescent that signifies the beginning of the month to a full circle, and back to the sliver that heralds the end of the month and the Eid celebration.  She watches Muslims in countries around the world fasting, worshiping, and practicing kindness and charity.  As night falls on the Eid celebration, “a billion faces smile up at Moon.  Moon sees a world of love and kindness, and she glows with gratitude.”  Includes a brief author’s note with additional information about Ramadan, information about the lunar cycle with pictures of the phases of the moon, and a Ramadan glossary.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This is a much-needed introduction to Ramadan with beautiful illustrations that show Muslims from all around the world.  I love that it’s told from the perspective of the moon and includes some scientific information…check out the phases of the moon on the endpapers.

Cons:  The labels identifying the different countries were in a smallish font that didn’t show up well; it took me a few pages to notice them.

Chloe’s Lunar New Year by Lily LaMotte, illustrated by Michelle Lee

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Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Chloe is excited to celebrate Lunar New Year, as she and her parents and younger brother Noah work all day getting ready for the evening’s reunion dinner with extended family.  There are all kinds of food to prepare, as well as a thorough cleaning of the house, sweeping out the old to make room for good luck in the new year.  Chloe mentions her grandmother, A-má, several times throughout the day, but when evening falls, only her aunt and uncle come for dinner.  Everyone enjoys all the foods they’ve prepared, and the final pages show the family lighting incense and putting food in front of a photograph of A-má, honoring their ancestor.  Includes an author’s note about Lunar New Year, with specific information about how it is celebrated in Taiwan, and a recipe for Fortune Cake.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another good resource for Lunar New Year, with a simple story and cheerful illustrations showing a family preparing for and celebrating the holiday.  The bit about A-má is left open for interpretation but provides a good way to show the custom of honoring ancestors.

Cons:  Like A Sweet New Year for Ren, this was a little light on the plot.

Through the North Pole Snow by Polly Faber, illustrated by Richard Jones

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  A little fox out hunting accidentally falls through the roof of a house buried in the snow.  He’s rescued by a pair of red-clad arms belonging to an old, tired-looking man with a white beard.  After getting comfortable, the fox settles in at the end of the man’s bed, and the two enjoy a long winter’s nap.  With the arrival of warmer weather, they wake up, and the man gets to work building all kinds of things to fill his empty shelves.  As the days start to grow short again, snow arrives along with a blizzard of letters.  The man reads each one, using them as a guide to fill his bag.  On Christmas Eve, he hitches up his reindeer, and the fox accompanies Santa Claus as he rides his sleigh into the night sky.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This became my go-to holiday book to read to my PreK-1 students.  They enjoyed gathering clues with the fox to learn Santa’s identity and job.  The pictures at the end will certainly get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

Cons:  The fox seemed a bit slow to catch on. The clues are all there, but he doesn’t completely catch on until he’s taking off in the sleigh with Santa and the reindeer.

The Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore, illustrated by Kitty Moss

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Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary:  A girl searches for a gift book for Jólabókaflóɗ, or the Christmas Book Flood.  As the nights grow longer, people all over Iceland shop in bookstores and by searching the Book Bulletin to find books that they will give as gifts on Christmas Eve.  Time is running out, but the girl finally finds the perfect book.  On Christmas Eve, she and her family exchange books, then everyone settles down with blankets, pillows, and hot chocolate to read through the long December night.  Includes an author’s note with additional information about the Christmas Book Flood.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The very definition of hygge, this cozy book with its colorful illustrations is the perfect Christmas Eve read, for yourself or to give as a gift.

Cons:  Preschoolers may not find book shopping to be the most exciting holiday activity to read about.

The Mystery of the Love List by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo

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Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

Summary:  As the only porcupine in her class, Pippa sometimes feels like she stands out.  It’s a lonely feeling.  When her teacher makes a Valentine’s assignment to compile a list of “things that take up room in your heart”, Pippa would rather read her latest Sherlock Gnomes book.  But when she finds a heart with a list that’s similar to her own, she puts her detective skills to work trying to figure out who her potential friend might be.  It’s a tough case to crack, but when Pippa finally figures it out, she comes up with the perfect way to connect: writing a new story called “Sherlock Gnomes and the Mystery of the New Best Friend,” which she leaves for her friend to find in her desk.  The last page shows Pippa and new friend Mitzie the Mouse meeting up in the forest.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A cute story for Valentine’s Day that celebrates friendship and introduces some elements of mystery books.  Kids will have fun spotting Pippa’s new friend in the pictures before she figures out who it is.

Cons:  It doesn’t feel like the right week to be thinking about Valentine’s Day.