Seasonal Celebrations

In cultures and countries around the world, especially in the northern hemisphere, this time of year represents a pause.  Mother Nature is at rest, so perhaps it is a time for us to reflect on the past seasons and celebrate.  Possibly, there are small, everyday things to honor, elevating the ordinary to extraordinary.  There are centuries-old traditions to commemorate; many steeped in religious beliefs or holiday observances.  Cold, snow, and wind bring their own special events.  For many, a new year is welcomed.

Following are six titles (with one more to arrive soon), which you might consider for reading during these several months.  The first book, Season of Light (Farrar Straus Giroux, September 13, 2022) written by Jess Redman with illustrations by Ramona Kaulitzki, takes eight single words and wraps them in activities and elements, defining those words for those who participate and for those who wish to understand.  From beginning to end, this book is uplifting.

After red and green dreams,

We wake up before the sun.

We're counting down December days

But savoring each one.

Joy, wonder, together, giving, song, story, faith, and light are featured through observing three families residing in a community.  We see them making snowflakes, hanging ornaments and stockings.  Relatives are welcomed and visited.

Kindness is presented through the giving of gifts and food. Caroling sends music throughout the town, bringing happiness to families, businesses, and those now residing in communal spaces.  Stories of Christmases past and present are shared.  Together the children in the three families participate in a Christmas play before they and their parents step outside into the snowy night for a final gathering.

Author Jess Redman focuses on people preparing and participating with an emphasis on placing others first.  Her four-line rhyming text supplies a rhythm readers enjoy and anticipate as the pages are turned.  For each of the eight words, they are preceded by the same phrase---

This is a season of . . .

This technique binds all the portions of the narrative together and references the title of the book which is also the final thought.  Here is another passage.

Our voices ring out

Silver bells and midnights clear

First noels and glorious morns

Offerings of goodwill and cheer.

On the right side, front, of the dust jacket readers can see the three families circling the community tree.  Windows, tree lights, and handheld candles are alight amid the snow falling at night.  The title text is embossed in gold.  On the back, to the left of the spine, on a crisp white canvas are four of the children from the families.  Above them the words read:

This is a season of joy . . .

of faith . . .

of light.

On the book case the image from the back of the jacket is moved to the front beneath the title text.  The same words are used on the back of the case, but they are set in a bird's eye view of the city as snow falls on the hills, road, and homes.  A snowman is featured on the right side on the top of a hill.

The opening and closing endpapers in a muted red highlight a pattern of reindeer, a branch of berries, a pine bough, and snowflakes all done in muted brown and cream.  A double-page picture of a glowing sky, snowy landscape and bare trees provides a place for the title and verso pages.  

These illustrations by Ramona Kaulitzki, digitally rendered, are colorful and embrace the emotions of the holiday. They are full-page pictures, smaller visuals grouped together, and two-page images for the single sentence text announcing the next word. The use of light in each scene elevates the narrative.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture.  The sky, near the horizon, is glowing.  Buildings, windows lighted, line the background on the left, crossing the gutter.  Another building stands alone on the right.  In the distance is the church and another building.  In the town center is the Christmas tree.  Gathered around it are shoppers, dog walkers, children and families.  They are listening to the three musicians.  Snowflakes gently swirl in the air.

Warmth flows throughout Season of Light written by Jess Redman with artwork by Ramona Kaulitzki.  This title is both a reminder and a nod to tradition.  You will want to add this title to your personal and professional holiday collections.

To learn more about Jess Redman and Ramona Kaulitzki and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names.  Jess Redman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Ramona Kaulitzki has accounts on Behance, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images.

Back in 2002, author illustrator Matt Tavares illustrated 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Or Account Of A Visit From St. Nicholas (Candlewick Press).  This volume measures seven and one-half inches by eight and three-quarters inches.  Along the spine is a deep cranberry cloth binding which sets off the sage green border around St. Nicholas as he visits a home.  There are delicate gold elements in that sage green border.  That same green shade is featured within the book, outlining text and pictures with a fine line frame.  The opening and closing endpapers are patterned in shades of red, somewhat like wallpaper in homes during the time period in which the poem was penned.  The exquisite and highly detailed artwork done in pencil elevates this pictorial interpretation of the poem to spectacular.  

This year 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Or Account Of A Visit From St. Nicholas (Candlewick Press, September 13, 2022) written by Clement C. Moore with illustrations by Matt Tavares has been recreated in a larger volume measuring just under ten by twelve inches.  On the front of the book's dust jacket and book case, we can see a close-up of St. Nicholas driving his reindeer-pulled sleigh off into the Christmas night as he calls out his famous exclamation.  The golden text is embossed.  On the back, to the left of a bright red spine, the same bright red color provides a border for an interior picture.  It is Papa looking out the bedroom window  

to see what was the matter.

The same A Note from the Illustrator appears prior to the beginning of the poem with a few alterations.  The dedication to his wife, Sarah, remains in this edition.  The title page is artwork depicting town buildings glowing from snow covered objects and a full moon just as in the prior edition.  We look between those buildings, their shadows stretching from one side of the street to the other side.

In this stunning book, the artwork extends to each page edge, whether it is a single-page picture or a dramatic double-page visual.  The illustrations are darker, still as detailed, but have a slight grainy effect.  In this book the text is framed on the top and bottom with an intricate leafy border in red and white.  If the picture is a two-page illustration the border is only along the bottom.  On some of the pages of text, just as in the original book, there are smaller images representing a moment in time, like a candle just blown out or a jack-in-the-box jumping up.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  It is if we are standing outside in the street at night.  Two different fence styles border the sidewalk, close to us as we look left to right down the street.  Behind the fences are trees and landscaping in front of magnificent homes.  When we can see the sky above those structures there are some clouds among the stars.  Santa and his sleigh are landing on one of the housetops on the right side.  It is the variety of perspectives which I find wonderful.

This volume of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Or Account of A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore with artwork by Matt Tavares is a title to have in every collection, personal and professional.  It is one to compare with other artwork by other artists.  Some versions change the text, but this book keeps the text the same as it was originally published 200 years ago in 1823.

To learn more about Matt Tavares and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  There is a page dedicated to this book where you can view interior illustrations.  Matt Tavares has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

For fans of the one-of-a-kind, buttered-toast loving pig, a new title takes readers to Deckawoo Drive for a Christmas journey.  One of the residents has a deep desire to go caroling, but not one other person wishes to join her.  They all have excuses, but our carol-loving child is not deterred.  A Very Mercy Christmas (Candlewick Press, September 27, 2022) written by Kate DiCamillo with artwork by Chris Van Dusen is a faith-restoring, miracle-believing, and soul-brightening tale which is utterly charming.

Stella Endicott felt joyful.  She felt like something

miraculous might happen.  She wanted to sing.

Frank, Stella's brother, was not ready to go caroling at the drop of a hat.  Mr. and Mrs. Watson were in the middle of a fruitcake disaster.  However, Mrs. Watson suggested Stella take Mercy with her.  Mercy was happy to accompany Stella.  They headed to the Lincoln sisters' house.  

There grumpy Eugenia Lincoln refused to go caroling with a pig and her happy sister, Baby, was told no one was at the door.  At this point, Stella is feeling a wee bit less happy.  General Washington, the Lincoln sisters' cat joins Stella and Mercy.

Horace Broom is too attached to celestial gazing to carol, so Stella, Mercy and General Washington decide to do it on their own.  The trio sing out Joy to the World, and are surprisingly joined by Maybelline, LeRoy Ninker's horse.  

As dusk descends, Stella, Mercy, General Washington, and Maybelline are greeted with new sounds, joyful sounds.  Each voice chimes in to affirm the personalities we know and love.  As they travel for a feast of buttered toast, a true miracle quietly surrounds each person.  

With her beloved skill of blending narrative and dialogue, Kate DiCamillo tells a tale of neighbors realizing the truest definition of the word, neighbor.  Each time Stella stops at a neighbor's home, another layer is built into the story.  Although Stella's original spirit is dampened, she believes that Mercy and General Washington are the best kind of pals to go caroling.  Adding in Maybelline is a stroke of genius.  In this story, Kate DiCamillo uses Stella, (and Mercy, General Washington, and Maybelline) to remind all of us miracles are possible when joy is involved. (It is guaranteed the final sentence will give you goosebumps of happiness.)  Here is a passage.

The pig looked over at Stella, and then she put her

snout up to the stars and let out a strange sound.

It wasn't an oink.  It wasn't a squeal.

It was a noise full of hope and wonder and longing.

It was---almost---melodious.

Words like bright, colorful, and bold come to mind when you look at the open dust jacket made by Chris Van Dusen.  The snow-covered landscape of Deckawoo Drive with lights and wreaths sends out a holiday hello to readers.  Mercy and Stella are looking their Christmas best.  The title text is embossed in silver.  To the left of the spine, framed in a star-studded scalloped sky, is an interior image.  It shows the neighborhood group gathered around a table as Mrs. Watson approaches with a huge stack of buttered toast.

The book case is done in a hue of blue with thin lines fashioning stripes.  Tiny diamonds make a pattern in these stripes.  A wide red cloth band covers the spine.  On the front of the case is Mercy Watson looking at an open box or ornaments.  The opening and closing endpapers are yellow and white check.  With a page turn, we see a snowpig, Mercy, alone in a white setting with a blue scalloped border.  It is the attention to details that sets the work of Chris Van Dusen apart.  Above the dedication is Mercy's Christmas stocking with a piece of buttered toast peeking out the top.

Single page images opposite text framed in the blue scalloped border followed by brilliant double-page visuals encourage readers to turn the pages as fast as they can.  What will happen to Stella, Mercy and General Washington next?  It is the final double-page picture with the final sentence that will have readers releasing a long and satisfied sigh.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a single-page picture.  Here Stella, Mercy, General Washington, and Maybelline are standing and sitting together on the sidewalk.  Snow covers the nearby lawns.  Lights twinkle in outside trees.  Windows glow with lights inside the homes.  The sky is studded with stars as the horizon shows the sun recently set.  Stella, Mercy, General Washington, and Maybelline have their heads raised and are singing Deck the Halls.

Regardless of how you feel when you first start reading A Very Mercy Christmas written by Kate DiCamillo with illustrations by Chris Van Dusen, you will feel much more joyful when you finish it.  In fact, you'll probably read it again right then and there.  Your personal and professional collections won't be complete without a copy of this title.

To discover more about Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Kate DiCamillo has another site linked here.  Kate DiCamillo has an account on Facebook.  Chris Van Dusen has accounts on Facebook and Instagram.  Mercy Watson has a site linked here.  At Penguin Random House, you can view interior images.

One of the best parts of this season is discovering something new done by a person, a family or an entire country.  How wonderful it is to encounter an Icelandic tradition presented in The Christmas Book Flood (Farrar Straus Giroux, November 1, 2022) written by Emily Kilgore with pictures by Kitty Moss.  Once you've read this book, you'll agree this is a tradition to spread around the world.

Darkness blankets the land,

covering forests and homes,

mountains and bookshops.

Northern lights shine down on a village with people trying to stay warm inside and outside their homes.  Snow is coming.  So is the Book Flood.  Book Flood?

On December 24th, people give books to those they love.  

Reading is magic when you have the right book.

People shop in earnest for the perfect book for each person in their lives.  There are so many choices it is hard to select a title.  

Snow has started to fall as people hurry to make their purchases.  Each heart is happy as they move within the shops.  It is mere hours until the gift giving begins.  A final treasure is located!

Now wrapped, the waiting is nearly over. It's time!  Each present is opened.  Each book is a new beginning.  Hot chocolate is savored as are all the different books.  Reading throughout the night, stories travel throughout a community and beyond its borders.

With each sentence, author Emily Kilgore paints a picture as deftly as an artist.  She supplies us with a place and time rich in descriptive words.  We cannot help but join with the townspeople as they get ready for the Book Flood.  We feel the anticipation growing until we, like those in this town, can hardly wait.  Happiness flows from the pages as people seek the right book.  And then, satisfaction settles like a warm blanket as the reading commences.  Here is a passage.

There's laughter and hope

and holiday cheer:

bright twinkling lights,

hot cocoa, soft music,

Clouds of warm breath,

tight hugs of hello,

the soft crunch under boots

as they trudge through fresh snow.

When opening the dust jacket, the reader will first notice the city scene extends flap edge to flap edge.  The brightness of the setting sends out merriment along with the falling snowflakes and airborne books, moving like birds through the night.  The tree in the town center, made of books, draws our eyes to the main character, a child longing for the Book Flood and also seeking the right book to give.  Her furry friend is eager to start their next adventure.  The title text is embossed in gold.

On the book case, some of the shops are still the same.  The sky is darker with fewer snowflakes but books still fly.  The ground is covered in snow.  Our protagonist rides her bike down the street with her dog running alongside her.  The tree in the town center is now an evergreen trimmed in lights and ornaments.  There are so many small details on the book case and dust jacket, readers will spend hours looking at all of them.

The opening and closing endpapers feature the town before and after the Book Flood.  One shows the end of autumn with a crescent moon in the upper right-hand corner.  The other shows a snowy landscape with northern lights, flying books, and magic in the air.  The moon, still in the right-hand corner, is full.  The verso and title pages highlight a single image with the girl riding through town with her pup in the bike's basket.  It is as if they are riding inside a book.

Rendered by Kitty Moss, the illustrations appear to be alive.  The layers in each collage are intricate and well-defined covering single and double pages and once, a smaller one wrapped in white space.  They ask us to pause, and we do.  Her choice of colors mirror the time, place and mood of the narrative.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page picture.  The sky is now very dark with hints of snow and stars.  On the left side, buildings in the community are a backdrop for bustling people trying to make final selections.  A couple walks up a snowy hill outside of town on the left.  On the right side, our young girl rides her bike up a large snowy hill.  She appears as a silhouette with a long shadow.  The skeletons of several trees are visible.  An owl carrying a book in its beak flies over the town.

In case you've ever wondered why some people say books make the best gifts, this title makes it abundantly clear as to why this is a truth.  The Christmas Book Flood written by Emily Kilgore with artwork by Kitty Moss is a gift.  In an Author's Note more is explained about this tradition.  Be sure to place a copy of this title in your personal and professional collections.  Let the Book Flood begin!

To learn more about Emily Kilgore and Kitty Moss and their other work, please access their websites by following the link attached to their names.  Emily Kilgore has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Kitty Moss has accounts on Instagram and Pinterest.  This title is highlighted by John Schu at Watch. Connect. Read.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images.

In my humble opinion, you will never forget the first time you see the northern lights.  For me it was very late one night, nearly very early in the morning.  I was traveling home after an event as my school's junior class advisor.  At the time, I was living in a community in northern Michigan, less than an hour away from the top of the Mitt.  As I turned off a major highway onto my road, I was stuck speechless by the sight before me.  The entire sky was pulsating in pinks and greens, in a wide arc from horizon to horizon.  It was incredible!

In his newest title, The Lights That Dance In The Night (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, November 1, 2022), author illustrator Yuval Zommer brings his considerable talents to bear in showcasing the natural spectacle known as the aurora borealis.  In this book, we follow the beginning and journey of these lights.  Through the words and artwork of Yuval Zommer, we experience this phenomenon as if we are standing beneath them.

We are the lights

that dance in the night.

We started our journey as specks

of dust blown to Earth

from the Sun.

The lights traveled to the far reaches of the north.  They cast a colorful, shimmering glow to animals below them.  Polar bears, Arctic hares, seals and puffins all noticed their presence.  They shone on boats traversing the seas and on whales beneath the water.  

Arctic foxes, musk oxen, wolves and wild cats played under and called out to the lights.  Birds flew and gathered.  Reindeer looked up at the skies.  Animals were not the only ones to marvel at this display of dancing lights.

People paused and stared.  Storytellers told tales.  All animals and all people regardless of their size or age wondered at this natural magic.  Piercing the darkness, this magic offered something for all.  

Whether you read the words penned by Yuval Zommer to yourself or aloud, they convey an extraordinary truth of the northern lights.  We know the science behind them, but they still reveal themselves as enchanting and otherworldly.  The rhythm supplied by the words mirrors the movement of the lights, rhyming beautifully like a melody.  Here are two separate passages.

Our dancing lights made whales sing 

and bells on boats began to ring.

We lit the skies for forest birds,

we sparkled over reindeer herds.

The signature artwork of Yuval Zommer begins to shimmer on the open dust jacket.  Here, on the front, animals and people are drawn to the lights in the night sky.  Different colored glitter covers most of the elements in this scene.  On the back, to the left of the spine, swirls of color cross the sky as white birds glide upward through the glow of the lights and stars.  Text describes the book above the snowy landscape.  

On the book case, a single polar bear stands amid hues of blue above the title text in white on the right side.  A few stars are positioned above the bear.  On the left side, we are brought close to puffins who fly and play and seals who clap beneath the lights that dance in the night.

A pale dusty lavender covers the opening and closing endpapers.  A trio of white stars and a single star with a tail above them makes a pattern across these pages.  Yuval Zommer's dedication reads:

Dedicated to all

light seekers.

A two-page picture covers the verso, dedication and title pages.  A boat, puffins, northern birds, reindeer, a polar bear and whales are together here.

Two-page visuals or a series of three panels fill the pages of this volume. The intricate elements in each illustration beckon us to look and wonder.  We feel as though we are in a northern forest or near the shores of an Arctic sea.  Which animal are we?  Or are we only observers?  As humans gather, will we listen to the tales told by tellers or stand outside and watch the lights?  Or perhaps, we will do both.  

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page image.  Across the blue-hued sky, the northern lights pulse in yellow, purple, and green.  Forest trees are shown in white, standing among a landscape in blue and snowy white.  A reindeer on the left and a reindeer on the right face each other.  They wear traditional domestic blankets and harnesses.  Birds fly above them and rest in their antlers.

No matter how many times you read The Lights That Dance In The Night written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer, you are mesmerized by the marriage of the words and illustrations each time.  You cannot help but yearn for your next sighting of the northern lights.  Maybe it will be this year.  I highly recommend you place this title in all your collections and gift it to those you love.

To learn more about Yuval Zommer and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name which takes you to his agency's website.  Yuval Zommer has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Yuval Zommer frequently posts pictures from his books on both platforms, as well as artwork done by readers of his books.

After the December rest amid the celebration of holidays, families, and friends, January heralds in a new year, the start of something unlike the past filled with potential and possibilities, but typing the final entry in this post, my eyes fill with tears.  Carols, now Silent Night, are playing on an Ambient Worlds music video.  When I enter in the title, and author and illustrator names, I find it hard to believe Patricia MacLachlan is no longer with us.  In this book, Snow Horses: A First Night Story (Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, November 8, 2022), she is collaborating again with artist Micha Archer.  Together they have created a vision of beauty, a story of tradition and hope.  This is both a memory and a captured moment.

SNOW FALLING

all day---

all night.

Drifting over

meadows

and gardens

and roads. 

In a nearby barn, sheep, covered in snow, gather inside.  Patiently waiting in their stalls are two horses, Tim and Tom.  They long to pull the large sleigh outside.  Jenny, their driver, takes them from the barn, putting on their bell-decked bridles and turns on the lights on the sleigh.  Horses and driver leave the barn gleaming with tiny white lights.

Happily, the horses move toward town.  They love this time of year.  In the town's market, horns blare.  Children climb into the sleigh, their laughter and chatter filling the air.  A golden dog races alongside the sleigh.

Children, Jenny, Tim, Tom and the golden dog move through the streets with houses lit with white lights.  After the children go home to sleep, the sleigh again fills with riders.  These are the grandparents, uncles and aunts, and old friends who were once children riding in the sleigh on this last night of the old year.  They, too, fill the air with laughter and chatter and memories.  The golden dog runs with them, too.

Finally, Jenny, Tim and Tom go home. The sheep are fast asleep.  Soon the horses rest.  And the little golden dog . . .

Patricia MacLachlan was an author with the ability to bring readers into a specific time and space through her descriptive, lyrical language.  In this book, her characters, human and animal, are fully realized.  We want to be with them.  We want to know them. We understand what it is to be the sheep on a snowy winter night and the horses who can hardly wait to pull the sleigh.  Regardless of our ages, we experience the joy of both the children and the older adults.  This is the gift of Patricia MacLachlan's writing.  Here is a passage.

Tim and Tom pull the sleigh past the

library with a light in every window,

across the old stone bridge,

along the icy river,

up the hill,

and down the hill,

where in every window

of every house

there are little lights.

The town sparkles. 

Rendered in collage with homemade papers and ink by Micha Archer, the illustrations we first see on the dust jacket and book case are an introduction to the wonder waiting inside the pages of this book.  On the right side of the jacket, children in the town come to pet Tim and Tom, standing patiently amid the falling snow.  This visual continues over the spine and to the left edge of the back of the jacket.  The author, illustrator, and title text are varnished.  You can almost hear the jingle of the bells on the horses' harnesses.

On the book case is another two-page picture.  Here we are privy to a vast country landscape as the sun sets in the background behind a grove of trees and rolling, snowy hills.  In the foreground Jenny is in the sleigh with Tim and Tom pulling.  The little golden dog runs behind the wagon.

The opening endpapers are also the dedication and verso pages.  This showcases an even more vast pastoral panoramic view.  Lines of trees, etched in darker colors line rolling hills.  We see the barn on the far right side and in the distance is the town.  A full moon hangs in the sky with a frosty circle of light around it.  This is a bird's eye perspective.  On the closing endpapers, everything is colored in hues of blue now.  Snow is heavily falling.  Lights dot the path to the barn and light windows in the town.  Anticipation hangs in the air.

Readers will study each illustration, noting the details Micha Archer brings to each scene.  On the title page, a double-page picture brings us near to the barn amid lines of trees, groves of trees, rolling hills and a fenced area for the horses, now wearing blankets. (Be sure to study the branches of the trees and the materials used to form them.)  Each of the following two-page illustrations or one and one half page pictures with varying perspectives takes us on an exploration of this New Year's Eve festivity.  You will have to remind yourself to keep breathing after seeing the sheer loveliness before you.

One of my many favorite illustrations is for the above-quoted text.  The sky and landscape are done in shades of turquoise.  The homes are varied in color with snow on their rooftops.  Some of the houses are in the foreground and others are on the other side of the river in the background.  The streetlights cast large glowing balls of light.  Each window is glowing with light.  Snowflakes fill the air and cover the tree branches.  The children ride in the sleigh driven by Jenny and pulled by Tim and Tom.  The little golden dog runs next to the sleigh.  (A portion of this image appears on the cover of the November/December issue of The Horn Book Magazine.) 

This work by Patricia MacLachlan and Micha Archer is certain to become a seasonal and holiday classic.  Readers of all ages will find themselves in the pages of Snow Horses: A First Night Story.  You cannot help longing for a sleigh ride on New Year's Eve.  Do yourself a favor and make sure a copy of this book is on your personal bookshelves in case the sleigh does not appear in your town.  Your learners will enjoy reading a copy hopefully found on your professional shelves, too.

Here is a link to the obituary for Patricia MacLachlan appearing in Publishers Weekly on April 5, 2022.  To learn more about Micha Archer and her other work, please follow the link attached to her name to access her website.  Micha Archer has an account on Instagram.  At the publisher's website, you can view interior images including the entire dust jacket and book case.

A Foursome Of Seasonal Treats (Seasonal Treats #2)

 As mentioned in the first post, in times of darkness, especially on a global level, people will seek and embrace the joy of celebrations.  These observances remind us of family, unity, and connectivity.  They remind us of past, present, and future miracles.  

Four September publications draw our attention to three holidays.  They present the best each event offers. They individually and collectively are a form of light. The first of the four, Binny's Diwali (Scholastic Press, September 1, 2020) written by Thrity Umrigar with illustrations by Nidhi Chanani, follows a little girl anxious to acquaint her classmates with her favorite holiday.

Binny woke up happy but nervous.  It was her

day to share about Diwali, the Festival of Lights!

Each month her teacher, Mr. Boomer, asks a classmate to speak about a holiday they enjoy.  Eagerly Binny dresses in the clothes her parents placed for her to wear.  Her mother is wearing a sari her father bought her for Diwali.  People shop for gifts for each other during Diwali.

Wearing her new clothes, Binny eats special treats with her parents for breakfast.  She will take additional jalebis and pedas with her to school.  Her father encourages her with words as comforting as the food.  At school, her mother gives her a gentle reminder about the oil lamps used in the celebration.  

When Mr. Boomer calls Binny's name, something happens.  Shyness makes her nearly speechless.  She closes her eyes remembering her mother's words about the diyas, the oil lamps.  This is all this little girl needs for her excitement to be released. She explains Diwali's name, length, and what it represents. 

Each wonderful custom associated with this holiday is shared; the fireworks, the sparklers, the streamers, and the diyas.  She demonstrates the use of the colored powders, and she shares the delicious food she brought.  Best of all is the image she creates in the minds of her fellow students.  It is the image of a traveler on an airplane looking down at a city during The Festival of Lights.

Author Thrity Umrigar invites us to experience the joy Binny has for this special holiday with her combination of text and conversation.  She gives us insights into the specifics of this five-day celebration by weaving information into Binny's thoughts and in her actual presentation to her classmates.  With each added layer of description to her friends and teacher, readers will find themselves wishing they were in Binny's classroom.  Here is a passage.

Binny did want to share her favorite holiday with her friends.

But she couldn't find the words.

Mr. Boomer put a kindly hand on her shoulder.  "Take a

deep breath," he whispered.  "I know you can do this."

[Please note I am working with an F & G.]

When you open the dust jacket, the glorious complementary blend of hues of purple and golden yellow continues over the spine to the far-left edge.  The cut-out paper streamer Binny brings to her classroom supplies a wonderful decorative top border on the front and the back.  The expression on Binny's face is one of contented happiness as the glow of the diya is reflected in her eyes and the light wraps around her face.  The design on the front and back of the jacket extends to the edges of the flaps.

Thanks to John Schumacher, here is a look at the book case, case cover.

Love the case cover for @ThrityUmrigar and @nidhiart’s Binny’s Diwali: pic.twitter.com/xNy7TI0FSC

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) September 11, 2020

On the opening and closing endpapers is a pattern of diyas in shades of intricately decorated green, red, and blue on the palest of green backgrounds. Readers will notice the difference between the left side and the rights side.  Perhaps this represents before and after and during the celebration.  On the title page with a canvas of rich purple is a delicate design from left to right along the bottom lighted by diyas.  Binny is standing on the far right in her new clothes and her special blue suede shoes, holding a lighted diya.

These illustrations by Nidhi Chanani were rendered

digitally with handmade texture brushes.

They span page edge to page edge across two pages or single pages.  They supply an atmosphere of happiness and tradition.  Readers will be fascinated by the motifs in Binny's home, clothing, her community, and in the depictions of Diwali with all the lights spread before the homes. 

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is a double-page picture.  It is the pause taken by Binny when she can't think of what to say in front of her classmates.  On the left is a close-up of Binny.  We see her upper body and face with her eyes closed to concentrate.  Behind her on the right, crossing the gutter and going to the far-right edge is a scene of a community enjoying Diwali.  In front of the brightly colored homes, with all kinds of families standing in the doorways, are patterns of light made by the diyas.  This is an uplifting vision of goodness, of hope. 

Even now, after multiple readings of Binny's Diwali written by Thrity Umrigar with illustrations by Nidhi Chanani, a feeling of quiet joy wraps around this reader.  Readers will find a kinship with this girl and how Diwali is a welcome part of her life, and the lives of many others.  At the close of the book is a page titled The Diwali Story.  This is one of several legends about why Diwali is observed.  It is followed by The Five Days Of Diwali.  To close the author and illustrator have written notes about the meaning of this holiday to them.  This title is meant to be shared.  It is meant to be a part of your personal and professional collections. 

To learn more about Thrity Umrigar and Nidhi Chanani and their other work, please follow the link attached to their name to access their websites.  Thrity Umrigar has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Nidhi Chanani has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  Here is a link to a Book Joy Live event hosted by Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher featuring conversations with both the creators.  Enjoy this video with artist Nidhi Chanani chatting about this book.

This year Hanukkah begins on the evening of December 10, 2020 and finishes on the evening of December 18, 2020.  It commemorates a miracle, a miracle centered in light.  The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol (Candlewick Press, September 8, 2020) written by Arthur A. Levine with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes is a beautiful offering by two gifted collaborators.  It is one story inviting more, as he states at the end of his Author's Note:

I have often wished that we could build up a bit more mythology too.  In the same way that new recipes for matzah brei or a beautiful new piece of music can enhance our experience without changing the religious observances and meaning of Jewish holidays, I wanted to do that with a story.  I hope you enjoy!

Nate Gadol was a great spirit who had eyes as shiny as golden coins and a smile that was lantern-bright. In answer to people's prayers, he made things last as long as they needed to.

Nate Gadol has always been available for large requests such as making oil last for eight days thousands of years ago, or for the tiniest but most important task to bring happiness to someone sick.  If you needed Nate Gadol, regardless of the issue, he was there.  Many years ago, when a particular family left Europe to journey to America, they had nothing left to celebrate Purim, except for a small bit of chocolate held by Mrs. Glasser.   When she looked inside her handkerchief the chocolate had multiplied. To the delight of her husband and children, it kept multiplying!

Nate Gadol held a special place in his heart for this good-natured family.  He noted their kindness and generosity toward their neighbors when they reached their destination.  The winter of 1881 brought added hardship to the Glasser family and their neighbors, the O'Malleys.  To help the sick O'Malley child, Mr. Glasser sold a handmade piece of furniture to pay for medicine.  It left them with nothing.

Now, readers, what you need to know is this night was also Christmas Eve.  Nate Gadol, pondering the problem of the Glasser family heard a noise.  It seemed his friend Nick (wearing a red suit and sitting in a broken-looking sleigh) was in trouble.  The two chatted a bit about the smaller amounts of seasonal magic in the air this year.  Then Nate had an idea.  A trade was made.

Nate Gadol, maker of magic, visited the O'Malley and Glasser homes on this evening.  Traditions past were honored.  And new ones, began.

Woven into the words written by Arthur A. Levine is a bit of Nate Gadol's magic.  Sentence by sentence as if he is telling a story to us, face to face, he spins this enchanting tale with descriptive imagery.  He provides examples to support the wondrous accomplishments of Nate Gadol and the pure hearts of the Glasser family.  Even though we are holding a book in our hands, we lean in, captivated by every moment leading us to what was a miracle for two families.  Here is a passage.

That night happened to be Christmas Eve.  The wind howled through the cracks like an angry cat, and snow began to settle on the rooftops, where Nate Gadol stood looking out over the street.  Suddenly, Nate heard a rumble of something like hooves on tar, and a voice shouting "Whoooaaaa!" behind him.

In a stunning display of artistry, Kevin Hawkes creates a memorable person as evidenced by his depiction of Nate Gadol on the front of the open dust jacket.  Here is a being able to move with grace wherever he is needed.  We can see by the windows in the building two families are observing two holidays.  How glorious that the children look up and see Nate Gadol.  What you cannot see is all the gold foil on this jacket.  It brightens the text, Nate's hair, vest, boots, and bag.  It flows from his hands.  This golden magic continues throughout the book on Nate Gadol and when he works his miracles.  To the left, on the back of the dust jacket, on top of another building is Santa Claus, seated in his sleigh with his reindeer spread before him.  He is waving toward his friend.

On the book case readers will see a replication of the buildings on the dust jacket.  All the windows are darkened, and Nate and Nick are gone.  On the front of the case these words are written:

Nate Gadol is never far away.

The opening and closing endpapers are a pale, pale blue.  On the verso and dedication page a single piece of chocolate rests in a handkerchief.  On the title page Nate Gadol's bag sits between the text.

These illustrations by Kevin Hawkes were rendered

in acrylic. 

Each image is a double-page picture.  The text is placed within a separate element with a thin, red-ribboned border. The tiny gold foil details elevate the extraordinary events portrayed in each visual.  Nate Gadol is larger than life as we see how he views our world, above us, in front of us, next to us, and sometimes hidden. 

The details in each picture take us into the moment, initially drawing our attention to Nate Gadol and then bringing our eyes outward to the entire scene.  Within these illustrations Kevin Hawkes skillfully creates more than one perspective.  It's as if we are present in each setting. 

One of my many, many favorite paintings is for the text above noted.  The majority of the page is filled with a swirling of white and gray sky, snowflakes peppering every space.  In the lower portion of the illustration are red-brick buildings with rows of windows.  The most prominent building begins on the right-half of the left, crosses the gutter and extends to the right-page edge.  Of the six windows, two have lights.  The first has a single candle and the fourth from the left has a lighted menorah.  Standing on the roof, to the left of the gutter, is Nate Gadol, wind blowing through his hair and coat.  His body is twisted back to the right after hearing the noise.

This book, The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol written by Arthur A. Levine with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes, is certain to become a seasonal favorite among all readers.  It centers on the miracles of believing in that which we cannot see.  It holds light up to hope.  I highly recommend this book for your personal and professional collections.  Please take a few moments to read the entire author's note at the end of the book or here at the publisher's website. 

To learn more about Arthur A. Levine and Kevin Hawkes and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names.  Arthur A. Levine and/or his publishing house have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Kevin Hawkes has an account on Instagram.  Arthur A. Levine is interviewed by author Cynthia Leitich Smith on her site, Cynsations.  You are able to view interior images at Penguin Random House.

UPDATE:  Arthur Levine speaks about this book on NPR 

I'll bet you did not know one of the most bustling places on Earth is in the far, far north.  Here at the North Pole is the hub of all the mail written to Santa Claus.  In charge of this particular post office, Peppermint Post, is Postmaster Buck Growlersson.  As Christmas Eve gets closer and closer, the work becomes more frenzied.  Peppermint Post (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 15, 2020) written by Bruce Hale with illustrations by Stephanie Laberis is a story filled with a whole lot of hilarity and equal amounts of determination and a bit of Christmas luck.

You won't find the world's busiest post office in Mumbai, Manila, or even New York.  But head due north and there it is:  Peppermint Post.  

Shouting out orders to his postal workers, penguins, Postmaster Buck Growlersson makes sure the last wish is sent to Santa's Workshop.  Here the presents are made and loaded onto Santa's sleigh.  Buck finally allows himself to relax as he watches the sleigh carrying all the gifts, lifting into the sky.

As everyone is sipping on a well-deserved cup of hot cocoa, Buck makes a startling discovery.  It's a lost piece of mail!  Together with Fred, his head penguin, they rush to the Workshop.  The elf in chief says it's too late.  Buck begs, saying he will take the gift to Santa.

This is a challenge Buck and crew are not expecting.  The only available mode of transportation is a miserable-looking, back-up sleigh.  Fred volunteers all the workers to pull the sleigh.  How is that supposed to work?  Penguins can't fly.  They are not even supposed to be at the North Pole.

In what can only be described as a miracle, not without considerable trouble, Buck and the penguins guided by Fred start to travel skyward.  Their trip is fraught with danger and mishaps, and Santa seems to be always one house ahead.  Finally, Buck, Fred and the penguins arrive at one very special little girl's house at the same time as Santa.  Even now all does not go according to plan but remember Christmas can weave its own spell.  

As you read the words penned by Bruce Hale, you find yourself smiling, his carefree, conversational sentences inviting giggles and grins.  Lots of sound effect words invite reader participation.  Alliteration, rhyming, dialogue, and text supply a cheerful flow.  The repetition of a single phrase also welcomes readers to join in the telling.  Here is a passage.

Flying a sleigh wasn't nearly as easy as running a post office.

Buck and his team hit a few rough spots . . .

with a BISH, 

and a BASH,

and a SPLISHETY-SPLASH.

Readers get their first glimpse of the comedy replete in every image on the front and back of the open and matching dust jacket and book case.  The expressions on Postmaster Buck's face and the crew of penguins vary between happiness, dismay and determined struggle.  You will notice the poor shape of the sleigh.  How is it even staying together?  The peppermint as the dot on the I and the single peppermint button on Buck's bag are a pleasing design touch.  Buck and his crew and the title text are varnished.

To the left, on the back, is a close up of a cup of hot cocoa in a Peppermint Post mug with the motto, Persistent, Punctual, Persevering.  Chunky marshmallows float on top of the cocoa.  Steam reaches to the gingerbread boy cookie and a letter to the left, written by Buck to Santa.  The letter is certain to have you laughing.

The opening and closing endpapers are red.  On the initial title page, a penguin is pushing a Peppermint Post cart loaded with letters.  On the formal title page Buck and Fred are at the window looking at Santa taking off from the North Pole with his sleigh loaded with presents.

The illustrations by Stephanie Laberis vary in size in support of the text and its pacing.  Her details ask you to stop at every page.  It is in the details that the narrative is enhanced by her work.  The postal clock face is a peppermint candy.  Before the penguins attempt to fly, Fred is reading a Flying for Dummies book with a red Christmas bulb attached to his beak.  Each image is highly animated.  Many of the facial expressions are exaggerated to elevate the humor.  I guarantee readers will laugh out loud more than once.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is on a single page.  Postmaster Buck is seated in his light blue chair with his back to us. (His name is on his chair.)  There is a note on his desk from Mrs. C.  You can see the peppermint candy attached to his hat resting on his desk.  His In box is empty.  His OUT box is stacked high.  Buck is lifting his hot cocoa for a taste, holding the missed letter in his paw.  In the window we can see the reflection of his front.  His face looks like that of a deer caught in the headlights.  It's a total YIKES moment.

Readers are going to love laughing at the trouble encountered by Buck and his crew and how it concludes through the merry text and visuals in Peppermint Post written by Bruce Hale with illustrations by Stephanie Laberis.  This takes the motto of our very own USPS to its maximum meaning.  This book is about the true meaning of the season, putting others before yourself.  Teamwork plays a hand in the outcome, also.  Your readers will certainly enjoy having a copy in your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Bruce Hale and Stephanie Laberis, and their other work, please follow the link attached to their names to access their websites.  Bruce Hale has accounts on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.  Stephanie Laberis has accounts on Instagram and Twitter.  At the publisher's website is an Activity Guide.

The best part of the shift in any season is to be able to share it with a best friend.  The joys of the Christmas holiday and its traditions are amplified when you enjoy making it special for someone else.  This spirit of giving is richly portrayed in a new book by author illustrator Tad Hills.  Mistletoe: A Christmas Story (Schwartz & Wade Books, September 29, 2020) is as charming as the two characters we meet.

Mistletoe greets the chilly morning.  Snow is falling.

What a beautiful day! Finally, it feels like Christmas, she thinks.

When Mistletoe arrives at her friend, Norwell's home, the snow is deeper.  She excitedly calls for him to join her.  Norwell has no desire to go outside in the cold.  He invites her inside for some tea and to sit by the warm fire.

Norwell keeps mentioning how nice it is inside.  They even decorate his Christmas tree.  Mistletoe keeps mentioning how wonderful it would be to go out in the snow together.  It's much too cold for Norwell.  He is staying inside.  On her way home, Mistletoe is inspired.

Rushing around her house, Mistletoe gathers every ball of yarn she can find, and she starts to knit.  She knits all the time, everywhere she is.  Christmas is getting closer, day by day.  Mistletoe runs out of yarn and hurries to purchase more, bringing as much as she can home.  She knits and knits and knits some more.

On Christmas Eve she is finished, falling happily asleep.  The task of delivering her gift on Christmas morning is not easy.  It is rather huge.  At Norwell's home cheerful Christmas greetings are exchanged as well as gifts which mirror the affection Norwell holds for Mistletoe and she holds for him.  Nothing will prepare you for the image of Mistletoe and Norwell finally out in the snow together.  

Each portion of this story flows gently with purpose to the next.  Tad Hills has a gift for writing simple but meaningful sentences designed to reach his intended audience.  The blend of text, conversation, and the characters' thoughts make for a more intimate story, connecting to readers' own experiences.  Here are two adjoining passages.

"Hmmm, I don't know." Norwell

walks to the window.  He watches the

snow fall. "Brrrr," he says.  "It looks

even colder out there now, Mistletoe.

I think I'll stay home, where it's cozy."

So Mistletoe puts on her hat, coat, scarf,

and mittens and sets out on her walk home.

She soon finds herself in a field of snow.  As

evening approaches, the world turns blue.  She

stops.  She is as quiet and still as she has ever been.

Mistletoe seated in the wreath on the front of the open dust jacket is downright adorable in her seasonal, colorful winter clothing.  Her sincere nature is mirrored on her quiet face.  Mistletoe and the wreath are varnished.  The text and snow are raised and textured to the touch in glittery white.

To the left, on the back, is a serene scene from the interior of the book, enlarged.  On a canvas of pale purple Norwell is lifting Mistletoe in his trunk so she can place the star on the top of his Christmas tree.  Here the text reads:

Celebrate friendship

and the gift of giving with

this cozy holiday story.

On the opened book case, case cover, is a wonderful depiction of Mistletoe running home across the snow after she has her great idea for a gift for Norwell.  A large portion of the top is a night sky brimming with snowflakes.  On the snowy white you can see footprints from left to right.  Racing toward the right edge is Mistletoe, bright red with a little green and gray on the stunning landscape.

On the opening endpapers is a lighter replication of the book case without Mistletoe present.  The closing endpapers are similar with one notable difference.  It is, after all, Christmas Day.

These illustrations by Tad Hills 

were created digitally in the Procreate app.

Tad Hills alters his image sizes from double-page pictures to a large loose circle on a single page, to full-page pictures, and smaller geometric shapes together on one page.  These accentuate the pacing of his story.  His double-page pictures are utterly delightful.  Sometimes he brings us close to his characters placing an emphasis on a moment, and other times we find ourselves stepping back to get a larger view.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is for the second passage above noted.  The world is colored in hues of blue, even the snow at the bottom of the double-page picture.  Snowflakes gently fall from top to bottom.  Tracks made by Mistletoe stretch from left to past the center on the right, curving a little bit when she stops.  Mistletoe stands with her face pointed upward.  There is a slight smile on her face and her eyes are closed. Her feet are nearly covered by the snow.

I always enjoy reading the dedications in books.  This dedication speaks directly to the words and art created by Tad Hills for Mistletoe: A Christmas Story.  It reads:

In memory of my grandmother Florence Bullard,

who taught me that the best gift comes from the heart and hand.

And to Annie and Eliza, nimble-fingered knitters extraordinaire.

This is a story to read when the snow is falling outside, and you are gathered with one or more children, friends, students, or family.  It is cozy and comforting.  We can never have too much of either.  I am happy to add this title to my personal collection.  I believe you'll want to have a copy, too.

To learn more about Tad Hills, and his considerable body of work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  Tad Hills has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

A Trio Of Seasonal Treats

Autumn does not officially arrive until Tuesday, September 22, 2020, one week from today, yet people's thoughts have been turning to the solace found during December holidays as evidenced by the #Lightsforlife hashtag on social media in March of this year.  Lights and holiday decorations appeared outside homes to spread cheer and support for others during this pandemic.  In times of darkness people seek the opposite, they hope for the opposite.  

A trio of Christmas titles, two last week, and one today, are contributing to the comfort.  Each one tells a different story, but each presents the magical merriment found during this season. Happy Narwhalidays (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #5) (Tundra Books, September 8, 2020) written and illustrated by Ben Clanton continues the delightful tale of two friends, a narwhal and a jellyfish, who, more often than not, view the world through contrasting perspectives.  In six short sections replete with their exuberant personalities and some fabulous facts, readers will find themselves singing in their minds, hearts, and maybe out loud.

Jingle Shells, Jingle Shells, Jingle All The Way!

Oh, What Fun It Is To Sing While Swimming In the Bay!

Jingle Shells, Jingle Shells, Jingle All The Way!

Narwhal is happily swimming wearing a red-and-white striped scarf with red ribbon wound around his tusk. Jelly, wearing a ski hat, is anything but happy.  Jelly is shivering in the cold.  Narwhal, in reply to Jelly, states the best part about this time of the year is the arrival of the Merry Mermicorn.  

As you might expect, Jelly is completely skeptical about a being you can't see. Moving through the water, Jelly finds a mysterious package addressed to him.  It contains six mittens.  Jelly is sure Narwhal left this package.  Now Jelly needs to find the perfect present for Narwhal.  It is not easy, not easy at all.

After consulting with Shark, Octopus, Turtle, Shelly, Star, and Otty, Jelly is no closer to finding a gift for his friend.  Suddenly Narwhal greets Jelly, noticing the wrapped gift.  Instead of opening it, Narwhal imagines all the possibilities of what could be inside.  To Narwhal, this is better than knowing.  To Jelly, it is a relief.

The duo then writes a charming story about Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick and their encounter with a grumpy green jelly bean whose flavor is

pickle-scum

snail-slime puree.

At the close of the book, Narwhal offers something to Jelly.  Jelly discovers the unexpected can be the best present.  The holiday spirit spreads from the tip of Narwhal's tusk to the ends of Jelly's tentacles and out from the pages of the book.

With the exception of the two pages of Cool Facts and parts of The Mean Green Jelly Bean most portions of this book are told in the witty dialogue between Narwhal and Jelly.  Author Ben Clanton reveals what readers have come to love about these characters in everything they say.  Their conversations also offer much for readers to ponder about holiday celebrations and friendship.  His use of puny language elevates the humor.  Here is a passage.

And you've seen this

Merry Miracle-Corn

before?

Nope!

I think she

might be

invisible.

So how do you 

know she exists?!

I can feel

it in my 

flippers! She is

REAL!

Narwhal, that might

be frostbite you're

feeling.

Using his signature color palette for the Narwhal and Jelly books, illustrator Ben Clanton brings in the crisp shades of blue, white, red and yellow accented with his heavier black outlines.  The contrast between the thinking of Narwhal and Jelly is evident on the front of the book case.  Narwhal is joyous.  Jelly is nearly freezing in the cold.  The red color is in foil.  On the left, back, four square panels further explain the difference in the duo's attitudes.  And yes, you'll be smiling or laughing before you even open the book.

The opening and closing endpapers, in deep sea blue and white, are a pattern of Narwhal and Jelly in their winter attire.  Jelly is still shivering.  On the title page the twosome is placed inside a snow globe.  On the verso and dedication page we read:

To GWEN! It is a gift to

be your papa!

(This says a lot about the heart and mind of Ben Clanton as reflected in his writing and artwork in this book and other titles in the series.)

The contents word is spelled out in red and green lighted bulbs on a string over the list of six sections.  The art 

was rendered in colored pencil, watercolor and ink, and colored digitally.  The text was set in a typeface based on hand lettering by Ben Clanton.

Image sizes shift in excellent pacing to the narrative, double-page pictures, single-page pictures and panels grouped by six, three, five, two, or four.  Most of them are outlined in a black line for framing.  Sometimes a single element will break that border.

One of my many, many favorite pictures is on a half page, framed in black.  The background is a radiating yellow.  We see the upper portion of Narwhal's body from the bottom of the image.  He is smiling with his eyes closed in contentment.  In one of his flippers is the present from Jelly, with the tag For Jelly Narwhal on it.  I wonder how many readers notice when Narwhal or Jelly are smiling, their mouths form a heart.

This newest title, Happy Narwhalidays (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #5) written and illustrated by Ben Clanton, in a well-loved series will be read repeatedly by individuals and shared from reader to reader.  It's a marvelous blend of writing, illustrations, and words of wisdom.  I can't imagine a professional or personal collection without a copy of this book.

To discover more about Ben Clanton and his other work, please access his website by following the link attached to his name.  Ben Clanton has accounts on Instagram, and Twitter.  Narwhal and Jelly have their own Facebook page and website. At the publisher's website you can listen to an audio clip and get a sneak peek at some interior images.  Here is a link to an activity kit.

In a worst-case scenario, the old saying, dating back to Aesop, referring to wishes and their results, has come true for none other than Santa Claus.  Activity at the North Pole, mere days before Christmas, has come to a screeching halt.  All the elves are in a tizzy.  Santa Baby (Henry Holt And Company, September 8, 2020) written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox explains exactly what happens when wishes are granted in an extraordinary manner.

THERE WERE ONLY

four days until Christmas, and

Santa Claus was feeling old.

Let's face facts, folks.  Santa Claus is old, very old.  This year everything about his physical appearance screams his age!  He is finding it harder and harder to control the reindeer, wander around on rooftops, slide down chimneys, and deliver presents.  Every muscle and bone in his body creaks and cracks.  His Christmas spirit is gone.  He does not feel Ho! Ho! Ho! But he will not disappoint all the children around the world.

Santa Claus does the only thing he can think to do.  He wishes using Christmas magic to be young again.  It works!  He goes from ancient, to middle age, then to young adult, and to a preteen.  Does his anti-aging stop?  It does not.  Before Santa Claus knows what is happening, he is a baby!  

All his attempts to communicate with the elves sound like baby talk.  They panic.  They try to teach this baby version of Santa Claus about the reindeer, chimneys, and presents.  He eats the list of children and their gifts and will not eat vegetables to make him grow.  And this baby does what babies do best, he cries.

Santa Claus knows it's up to him, even in this baby state, to save Christmas.  It's Christmas Eve.  He finally manages to utter three very important words which spur the entire population at the North Pole to act.  When it seems as if a miracle is happening, another disaster befalls Santa Baby.  Just as suddenly, a single act shapes the words for the best wish of all.

Sentence by sentence author Jonathan Stutzman sets the stage for Santa Claus's desperate wish by enumerating in descriptive detail all his dwindling physical and emotional attributes.  When his wish backfires epically, the comedy just keeps coming with the endeavors of the elves failing over and over again.  This leads us merrily to the almost miracle when calamity strikes again.

He cried with the fury of a thousand carolers.

We are, as is Santa Baby, happily surprised when the past becomes a part of the present.  Jonathan Stutzman cleverly weaves the true spirit of the season into the final moments of the story.  Here is another passage.  

Santa Baby tried to calm the elves.  He explained what happened, then laid out an easy, three-step plan for how to change himself back to normal.

But all the elves heard was . . .

Ga-ga goo-goo

GA-GA GOO-GOO,

GOO-GOO goo-goo

GA-GA goo-goo!

Christmas was in serious trouble.

The rich darker red canvas highlights the brighter red and white on Santa Baby's (and older Santa's) suits. The Santa Baby text is in a muted gold foil as is the framing, edging on the holly and berries and snowflakes.  These details create a classic feel to the illustration.  To the left, on the back, the same framing, holly and berries showcase a crying Santa Baby.  Beneath him the text reads:

THIS CHRISTMAS,

THERE WILL

BE NO

SILENT NIGHT.

The book case features the Santa Baby and Santa Claus figures without the text and framing.  On the opening and closing endpapers, with the same deep red background, are rows of snowflakes in several sizes and white dots.  On the title page Santa Baby, wearing only a diaper and Santa hat, is looking at readers clearly bewildered.

Each illustration rendered by Heather Fox digitally in her unique style conveys a multitude of moods, comedy, and tiny details like allowing readers to read the words written on letters to Santa.  She manages to depict a range of facial emotions on Santa, Santa Baby, and the elves with the tiniest lines.  Her images may be single-page pictures, edge to edge, a collection of smaller circular visuals on a single page, three horizontal pictures on a single page, or dramatic two-page illustrations.

One of my many, many favorite images is a full-page picture with a two-tone, radiating light red background.  In the center, toward the bottom, is Santa Claus from the waist up.  His arms are raised as he holds the star representing Christmas magic over his head.  His eyes are closed, and his mouth is open as he exclaims:

"Make me

young again!"

Expect peals of laughter when you read Santa Baby written by Jonathan Stutzman with illustrations by Heather Fox aloud.  You'll also be hearing requests of "read it again."  The text and images combine in wondrous hilarious timing.  Collections of Christmas stories, personal and professional, will not be complete without a copy of this title.

To learn more about Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox and their other work, please visit their respective websites by following the link attached to their names.  Jonathan Stutzman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Heather Fox has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  The cover reveal for this title was hosted by Dylan Teut, executive director of the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival, on his blog, Mile High Reading.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.

After nearly two hundred years, the words of this poem never fail to resonate with those who read or hear it.  Numerous times in the month of December over the course of my career with students engaged in a variety of activities, browsing for books, reading books, researching online, or completing a lesson, I would stand in a central location and say:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Each one of them stopped what they were doing.  They moved toward me.  We sat down and they leaned in to hear the rest of the words.  This is the power of shared storytelling, to connect us to history and a celebration.  Of my personal one hundred, sixty-two plus December holiday books, another seven are editions of the Christmas poem sometimes known as The Night Before Christmas.  When I read this new edition, The Night Before Christmas (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 15, 2020) by Clement C. Moore with pictures by Loren Long, I was immediately struck by the lovely, thoughtful, and loving visual interpretation.  

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.   

If you look closely at the bottom of the dust jacket and matching book case, in framing similar to the outlines of buildings, Loren Long gives readers an initial hint of his intentions.  On the opening endpapers, on a canvas of white, there are four sets of children, preparing for Christmas.  There is tree trimming, letter writing, the drawing of a large picture of a fireplace, and a table full of various stages of cookie making.  On the closing endpapers, on the same crisp white background, we see the same children after the visit from St. Nicholas.

In an author's note prior to the beginning of the poem, Loren addresses his portrayal of St Nicholas based on specific words in the poem.  Do you remember them?

He continues his commentary to readers about the universal impact of Christmas regardless of 

who we are, where we live, or how we celebrate.

This author's note on the left and the title page on the right are placed in an enlargement of the four places shown on the jacket and case.

With a page turn we find ourselves for the first two phrases inside the living room of a farmhouse. Stockings hang from a mantel, and a trimmed Christmas tree is on the opposite side of the room.  Three sets of children's boots are scattered across the floor in front of the fireplace.  Between the fireplace and sofa, a table holds a plate of decorated cookies and a bunch of carrots for the reindeer.  A beagle is curled and sleeping on the sofa.  Through the main window is a barn, silo, and windmill coated with snow.

We next travel to the interior of a trailer.  Two children are sleeping in another room in bunk beds.  Their father is sleeping on the sofa in the living room with the family dog curled on a mat in front of the door.  In the corner of this room on a card table is a small Christmas tree with the word LOVE stretched across the front.  There are Christmas cookies on a plate there.  A note over a coffee maker which says Santa with an arrow pointing down invites him to make a hot drink.  Over the main window is a drawing of a fireplace with stockings hanging above it.  On another table is a lighted Nativity creche.

From here we enter a room with two sleeping boys of different races.  They have identical beds, bedspreads, and matching dressers on opposite sides of the room.  Floating stars, crescent moons, gold Christmas ornaments, a rocket ship, and an airplane hang above them.  Between them is a small table with a tiny Christmas tree on it.  Four kittens are sleeping in three different spots in the room.  Through their window is a snow-covered cityscape.

Inside the fourth home, a mother leaps from her bed, grabbing her glasses from her nearby dresser. Her hair is wrapped in a leopard print scarf. 

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Through double glass doors, bordered with lighted Christmas lights inside, we see a large full moon, homes with adobe sides and tiled roofs.  Palm trees tower over the homes.  Palm boughs can be seen near this home through the doors.  A large wreath hangs in the center of the double doors.

Each subsequent page turn takes us to varying scenes inside and outside each of these four places.  We see them from different perspectives, sometimes a bird's eye view or sometimes as if we are in the very room being featured.  As the poem progresses, the details within the places change. A red-headed and bearded man looks out the upper window of the farmhouse.  A Black man looks out the window of the city home.  There is the silence of snow and Christmas lights over the entire trailer park. The brown-skinned mother peaks around the corner of the entrance to the living room as Santa comes down the chimney into a fireplace tiled in colors of the sea.

Closer inspection of the elements in the rooms reveals more about the occupants of these homes and how they celebrate.  In the living room of the city home on the mantle is a Nativity creche and a Menorah.  It is a children's Menorah with the candle holders as dogs.  (This is an actual Menorah used by the son of librarian Susan Kusel.)  On the plate of Christmas cookies in the home situated among palm trees is a piece of key lime pie.

Rendered using

acrylic paint and colored pencil

these illustrations by Loren Long are exquisite.  Children from different racial or religious backgrounds, with a disability or different family structures will see themselves in these pictures.  Each page turn invites a closer and longer look.  Perhaps readers will see a character from one of Loren Long's previous titles.  

I simply could not select a favorite illustration.  I love them all.  The play of light and shadow, the inclusion of details, and the progression of changes within each home are charming, fabulous, and the best of the best.  

This edition of The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore with pictures by Loren Long needs to be in each personal and professional collection.  It is a splendid blend of the past with the present. It is memorable.

To learn more about Loren Long and his other work, please follow the link attached to his name to access his website.  Loren Long has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  At the publisher's blog, Loren Long talks about four illustrations in this special book.