155-156 Two Christmas Books

155. Board book: Dog's First Christmas. Natalie Nelson. 2024. 28 pages. [Source: Library] [board book, Christmas, pets, babies] [4 stars]

First sentence: Season's greetings! I am Dog. This is Baby. And it is Christmastime. A tree comes to live with us at this time of year. See this ball? It's not for fetching. See these branches? They're not for tugging.

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get. A dog and a baby having their first Christmas. It provides young ones with this perspective--Christmas through the eyes of a dog. The text is simple, yet not too simple. The illustrations are also on the simple, understated side for the most part. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I think there's also a cat-themed Christmas book which I'd be interested in reading at some point. If you love babies and pets and Christmas, this one is a fun title to share with the youngest of readers. 

156.  Santa Mouse Finds a Friend. Michael Brown. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, Christmas] [3 stars]

First sentence: At Christmastime when Santa Claus flies his sleigh from house to house, he brings along a little a friend, a friend who we all know as Santa Mouse. Each year they travel far and wide to visit all good girls and boys, arriving while the world's asleep with gifts of books and games and toys.

Premise/plot: Santa Mouse returns in this newest Christmas-themed picture book by Michael Brown. Santa and Santa Mouse are traveling via sleigh on Christmas Eve when the pair spots a kitten in trouble. What will they do? Will this kitten be saved?

My thoughts: The illustrations are SUPER adorable. I was less impressed with the text itself. It was fine. If you have a little one that LOVES kittens or cats, this one might be worth it for the illustrations alone. OR if you happen to be familiar with the Santa Mouse character.

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

154. The Most Boring Book Ever

154. The Most Boring Book Ever. Brandon Sanderson. Illustrated by Kazu Kibuishi. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, 4 stars, unreliable narrator, read between the lines]

First sentence: A boy sat in a chair. That's it. He just sat in the chair. Sitting in chairs is boring.

Teachers and librarians may love, love, love this one to read aloud. Perhaps. It would definitely be one for teaching children to READ BETWEEN THE LINES and learn the concept that not all narrators are reliable or trustworthy. The illustrations, of course, steal the show--rightly so. 

I knew it would be a silly, over-the-top adventure and I was all in. I did enjoy it. It shows a certain kind of humor.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

153. Board book: Persuasion

153. Board book: Persuasion: A Colors Primer. Jennifer Adams. Illustrated by Alison Oliver. 2024. 22 pages. [Source: library] [3 stars]  

First sentence: Beige house. Sage dress. Navy coat. Ivory sails. Mauve ribbons.

Chances are you've heard about picture books for older readers or picture books for adults. This is an example of board books for adults. The babies that get Persuasion read aloud to them will have parents that love, love, love Jane Austen and/or love English literature. It's not a super-practical book when it comes to actually being a concept book teaching colors. Not a primary color to be found. 

What the book accomplishes is being cutesy. If Persuasion is one of your favorite books. If you love reading and watching Persuasion. If you know the story backwards and forwards. Then this book might bring a smile. 

I enjoyed it. Persuasion is my favorite Austen. I don't think it's a super-necessary books for most parents. However it is a novelty-board book of sorts--targeting adults who LOVE Austen.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

152. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals

152. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [picture book]

First sentence: There once was a man who loved his tidy home and who didn't like animals. One day, a cat appeared. "I don't like cats," said the man. "Go away." But the cat didn't. The man liked sleeping in the sun. So did the cat. The man liked watching the rain. So did the cat. The man liked to eat dinner precisely at 6 P.M. So did the cat. "Hmph," said the man. "Maybe THIS cat isn't so bad."

My thoughts (preview): I have loved, loved, loved some of Deborah Underwood's previous books. I have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED some of LeUyen Pham's previous books. The fact that one of my favorite writers paired up with one of my all-time favorite illustrators meant only one thing: I MUST READ THE BOOK. I did request my library order a copy! (I am so happy now that others will enjoy it too!) I squealed a bit when I saw it had been ordered and put myself on the hold list....

SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU NEED A BOOK UNTIL IT IS IN YOUR HANDS. 

Premise/plot: How does a [somewhat cranky] man go from hating animals to loving animals????? One day at a time apparently. It starts with one cat....but of course, one cat never stays one cat. As his heart starts growing day by day, his life is transformed. He is no longer the same man by the end of the book! 

There *is* a twist. It does state this twist on the cover. It does. GoodReads likewise spoils it. However, I went into the book not reading the "fine print" if you will. I LOVED being surprised. I would recommend NOT telling little ones before reading it aloud.

My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS ONE. There are no words for how much this book stole my heart. 

I highly recommend this one as a read aloud. I could see it working in libraries, in classrooms, and, of course, in homes. I think it would be a great one to interject with questions like WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN NEXT?  etc. 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

151. Santa's First Christmas

151. Santa's First Christmas. Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Sydney Smith. 2024. [October 22] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book, Christmas, Santa]

First sentence: In the old days, Santa didn't have Christmas. All year, he made toys at the North Pole, which he loaded up in his sleigh each Christmas Eve, then flew all over the world to place under trees.

Premise/plot: Santa celebrates his FIRST Christmas thanks to his elves. True, they probably spent years not thinking about how Santa spends his Christmas and not noticing the lack of celebrations; however, it's never too late. This picture book chronicles Santa's private celebrations. 

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. It is decidedly better than your typical children's picture book featuring Santa. I didn't quite love, love, love it. But it is a solid read. 

The end papers are VERY bright. The colors of the illustrations are more subdued, darker. I enjoyed many of the illustrations. I didn't love each spread equally. Spreads I loved, I loved. Spreads I didn't, well, I had more of a meh response. That being said, I enjoyed this one for sure. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

150. Fox Plays Ball

150. Fox Plays Ball (I Can Read!) Corey R. Tabor. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [early reader, I Can Read, series book]

First sentence: Fox is ready to play ball.

My thoughts (preview): May be my favorite book about football! (I'm not a sports fan).

Premise/plot: Fox has starred in plenty of previous books. In this adventure, Fox and his friends play football! But who will win the game? The BEST player may just surprise you!

My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Corey R. Tabor's books. Especially his Fox series, but, really I've never been disappointed by his work. This one was a fun, silly sports-theme read. I loved the twist!

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

149. The Tree of Life

149. The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World. Elisa Boxer. Illustrated by Alianna Rozentsveig. 2024. 41 pages. [Source: Library] [nonfiction; j nonfiction] [5 stars]

First sentence: In a season of sadness, hope came to the children as a tiny tree, tucked inside a boot. It was winter, World War Two, and the boot belonged to a prisoner in a ghetto called Terezin. There were children in the ghetto too. The prisoner saw they were scared and separated from their families.

Premise/plot: Nonfiction picture book for older readers. (Older readers being mid-elementary school on up). It tells the story of a tree--a sapling--nurtured by those in great peril. Despair perhaps was the easier choice, but hope the better one. This is the story of how the tree survived...and continued to inspire hope for generations.

My thoughts: Definitely worth reading. Words don't really do justice. I don't even know what to say beyond that. 

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

146-148 Three Christmas Picture Books

146. Mr. Santa. Jarvis. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book] [4 stars]

First sentence: Mr. Santa? Is it really you? Did you read my letter? And have you wiped your shoes? Would you like to meet my fishes? Isn't gingerbread delicious? Dogs or cats, Mr. Santa? You have to choose. Mr. Santa, want to hear me play? Can reindeer talk?

Premise/plot: A child has an adventure with Santa....or does she?

So essentially, the whole book captures one girl's one-sided conversation with Mr. Santa. I say one-sided only because the dialogue does not reveal any answers to the questions. I love how question-heavy the book is. It's BUBBLY. In an enthusiastic, joyful way that captures innocent moments of childhood. You know that super-excited, exuberant, can't keep quiet, can't-keep-still level of pure joy and happiness. The book is great at capturing that. 

The ending--for better or worse--is ambiguous. Did the girl dream her adventure with Santa? Or was it 'really real.' The book can certainly meet children where they are perhaps....

My thoughts: I was torn between four and five stars. I certainly enjoyed this one. It reminds me in some ways of Polar Express. However, Polar Express is firmly in the Santa is REAL camp. Polar Express the book is also more fantastical. This was a much simpler story. The dialogue was great. I could see these questions being genuine, authentic questions that a kid might have. 

I'm also torn on if Mr. Santa should have talked within the book. His not talking leans me towards it being more an imaginative friend situation. [She of course heard EVERY answer to every question.]

147. Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho. William Boniface. Illustrated by Julien Chung. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

First sentence: A told B,
and B told C,
"I'll meet you in the branches
of the Christmas tree."
"Whee!" said D to E F G
"We'll be the decorations
on the Christmas tree."
Chicka chicka boom boom!
Everbyody zoom zoom! 

Premise/plot: A holiday themed addition to the Chicka-Chicka series of books. The original Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was written by Bill Martin Jr. THAT book is a classic. This one features the letters of the alphabet having adventures/misadventures in a Christmas tree. 

My thoughts: Predictable for sure. I am conflicted between three stars and four stars. I think adults who grew up on the original may react differently than actual children who may just see this as a joyful way to continue the fun of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. It can never be the original, but it can be fun or lean towards fun. And the good news of it being holiday-themed is that it is just around for a few weeks.

148. Christmas at Hogwarts. J.K. Rowling. Illustrate by Ziya Gao. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

First sentence: Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. 

Premise/plot: This is an illustrated [slightly abridged] chapter from the first Harry Potter novel in picture book format. The chapter, of course, being the Christmas chapter. (I do appreciate how many/most of the novels do feature holiday stories).

My thoughts: Is it necessary? Maybe. Maybe not. I do think the answer depends on YOUR reaction to the illustrations. The illustrations DO steal the show, if you will. Very atmospheric. 

Again, I'm torn on the rating. The illustrations were great. Definitely enjoyed looking at the illustrations, noticing all the details, the expressions, etc. But would I reach for this over the novel? I'm not sure. 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers