Joy to the World: Bright Night

JOY TO THE WORLD!
Happy holidays to all our dear readers and totz!

Bright Night: Lorie Ann Grover

A lovely review from Publishers Weekly!

Grover effectively reduces the Nativity story to quippy rhyming phrases in this padded board book, whose cozy mood is bolstered by Parry’s soft, gauzy-looking digital artwork. “Carry Mary,” reads the opening spread as Joseph leads a donkey down a road as birds, butterflies, and a rabbit dance around the couple. From there, they land in the “safe place” of the stable, celebrate “boy joy” when Jesus is born, and enjoy a little “swaddle, coddle” before visitors arrive, having followed the “far star” in the night sky. It’s a simple, punchy, and jubilant retelling. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)

Preorder is available here. 

Bright Night

by Lorie Ann Grover

illustrated by Jo Perry

Zonderkidz, Oct. 3, 2017

BOB and 6 more Christmas Stories: Sandra Boynton

This is a true board book with small, sturdy pages. What makes its form different from a typical board book is that the seven stories (BOB plus 6 more) are made easy to find by tabs on the right.

I’m a Sandra Boynton fan, and this book does not disappoint. It begins with:

BOB

I have a tiny reindeer.

He says his name is Bob.

He likes to enterain me.

He says it is his job.

(To the very end of this two-page tale, the narrator still believes Bob is real, despite his sister’s nay-saying.)

The seventh story is actually a song. Christmas Lullaby comes with accompanying 1-page sheet music, in case you want to play it with your tot. This one is soft and sweet. The third and final stanza:

Good night, my little present,

and always peace to you.

I’ve nothing more to ask for—

You are my wish come true,

Oh, you are my wish come true.

A fun and lovely book sure to please parents and totz!

BOB and 6 more Christmas Stories

Author-illustrator: Sandra Boynton

http://kids.simonandschuster.com/

It's Christmas Time: Salina Yoon

We've turned the Thanksgiving corner and many are anticipating Christmas. It's Christmas Time! is a clever addition to holiday books for readertotz.

Author Salina Yoon calls this book a Slide and Play. Out of the cover slides a purple panel which is not fully removeable. However, within the panel are foil circles which little fingers can remove. In the above illustration, the flat dots of color really are the foil circles.

On the following pages, these then can be added to a snowman or wreath. They can be popped out and inserted into a gingerbread house, used to decorate cookies, or shining wrapping paper. Finally, of course, they can be added to the full spread of the Christmas tree. The accompanying text walks us through these seasonal activities. It ends with the sweet:

"The Christmas tree is trimmed with lights.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

The flat illustrations with bold color are fun and appropriate. Your totz will be challenged to see the circle shape as various objects while their excitement grows for the Christmas celebration.

It's Christmas Time!
by Salina Yoon
additional illustrations by Angela Navarra
design by Pamela Notarantonio
Scholastic, 2010

Duck & Goose, It's Time for Christmas: Tad Hills

Could these characters be any more adorable? I love Duck & Goose. It's winter, and Goose is enjoying all kinds of wintery pleasures such as catching snowflakes, sledding, and making snow angels. Duck looks on, saying things like:

Goose, it is not time
for catching snowflakes.

It is not time for sledding.

Turns out that:

Come on Goose!

It's time for Christmas!

A sweet, sturdy board book totz will enjoy this holiday season. And it has great glitter on the cover, which I always enjoy (and totz will too). Nice!

Duck & Goose, It's Time for Christmas
Author-illustrator: Tad Hills
Schwartz & Wade, 2010