A bustling, jolly holiday read.
Elmore the Christmas moose returns for another holiday season.
When Santa Claus falls sick a week before Christmas, Mrs. Claus sends him on vacation for some R&R. “I had an important decision to make: who to leave in charge while I was away,” says Santa. While the obvious choice seems Mrs. Claus, Santa decides to ask Elmore to step in for him and gives him an exceptionally long to-do list—just one of many instances of text contained in the artwork that invite readers’ laughter. Boldt’s illustrations feel busy, matching the wordiness of the writing; at times they seem as though they’d be better suited to animation, but there’s ample humor in several letters Elmore writes to Santa about his mishaps and struggles with grouchy reindeer and mischievous elves as they prepare for Christmas Eve. Santa tries to help by writing back from afar, but his medicine makes him sleepy, with a much-needed letter going unfinished, and Elmore is left to his own devices as chaos ensues in the cartoon-style illustrations. Santa rallies when he receives a particularly panicked missive and advises the moose to make this “Elmore’s Christmas.” With that encouragement, Elmore makes more work for everyone by doing away with the naughty/nice list, but all’s well that ends well as he literally takes the reins on Christmas Eve and delivers presents before Santa’s return to the North Pole. Santa and Mrs. Claus are tan-skinned; the elves are diverse.
A bustling, jolly holiday read. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780593518052
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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