Christmas Is Here
words from the King James Bible; illus. by Lauren Castillo
Primary    Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins    32 pp.    9/10
Preschool, Primary Simon 32 pp.
10/10 978-1-4424-0822-7 $12.99
Over three wordless spreads, a young child walks with his family through their neighborhood to take in a live Nativity scene. The third spread brings us up close to view the boy looking thoughtfully into the manger at a sleeping Christ child. As the biblical story begins (“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field”), readers are transported to the setting of the first Christmas. The seemingly incongruous pairing — formal Bible verses and Castillo’s child-friendly illustrations — works beautifully, with subdued colors and unfussy compositions making the archaic text more accessible. As the Nativity story comes to an end, the pictures gently carry readers to the present, but the spirit of that long-ago miracle remains in the air, evoking the real meaning of Christmas. KITTY FLYNN

Llama Llama Holiday Drama
by Anna Dewdney; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary    Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins    40 pp.    
Preschool    Viking    40 pp.
10/10    978-0-670-01161-2    $16.99   g
In his fourth book, Llama Llama wonders how it is that despite the “hustle bustle” of the season, the countdown to Christmas Day moves at a snail’s pace. After too much shopping (and waiting) and baking (and waiting), Llama Llama melts down, and Mama Llama gives him a much-needed hug. She tells him that “wishing, waiting, wanting things . . . / we forget what this time brings”; while presents are nice, “the true gift is / we have each other.” Dewdney’s illustrations convey the hectic atmosphere in such details as spilled eggnog and strings of lights strewn across the floor. Those who grinch about the frustrating pace of the holidays will enjoy this acknowledgment that Christmas can be hard on everyone — and that a quick snuggle is always a good idea. jennifer m. brabander

Captain Sky Blue
by Richard Egielski; illus. by the author
Primary di Capua/Scholastic 32 pp.
9/10 978-0-545-21342-4 $17.95
Jack’s “best toy pal” is Captain Sky Blue, a gift from Santa. Egielski’s illustrations depict a very-much-alive companion who helps Jack build an airplane from a kit; dramatic pictures then tell how Sky becomes separated from Jack. When his plane is struck by lightning (“MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!”), Sky parachutes out (“Time for a nylon letdown!”) and crashes into an iceberg (“Anything bent? Brain housing group?”) before stumbling upon a place he recognizes. Egielski’s art-deco depiction of Santa’s workshop includes an elegant sleigh, whose piloting Sky takes over during a Christmas Eve storm before reuniting with Jack. Airplane aficionados or not, young listeners are bound to thrill to this exciting tale. jennifer m. brabander

O Christmas Tree:
Its History and Holiday Traditions
by Jacqueline Farmer; illus. by Joanne Friar
Primary Charlesbridge 32 pp.
7/10 978-1-58089-238-4 $16.95.
Paper ed. 978-1-58089-239-1 $7.95.
The author addresses the question, “How did the Christmas tree custom begin?” From the evergreen boughs used by ancient Egyptians to celebrate the winter solstice to modern LED lights and pink aluminum trees, Farmer provides a wealth of information about the social history of the Christmas tree. She also traces its development both as plant and as cash crop. Illustrated with warm gouache pictures filled with cheer, the book is accessible and well-organized, perfect for browsing. A list of resources is appended (but no source notes are given). martha v. parravano

A Wish for Elves
by Mark Gonyea; illus. by the author.
Preschool, Primary Holt 40 pp.
9/10 978-0-8050-8814-4 $12.99.
Schlepping gifts, untangling lights, shoveling snow — it’s enough to dampen any kid’s Christmas spirit. For the main character, the last straw is having to clean his room. “Life would be easier if I had elves,” he muses, and the next day, Santa’s little helpers arrive and prove useful — at first. Enormously amusing cartoon panels show the little buggers commandeering the remote, hogging the bathroom, and making general nuisances of themselves. Crisp, geometric, Christmas-hued illustrations use only the simplest of forms (e.g., Santa is all circles; the elves are triangles), but a tilt of the main character’s rectangular eyebrows speaks volumes. Likewise, the text is economical, with just a few speech bubbles doing most of the work. Young listeners will be tickled by this be-careful-what-you-wish-for story. elissa gershowitz

The Twelve Bots of Christmas
by Nathan Hale; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary Walker 32 pp.
10/10 978-0-8027-2237-9 $14.99
Library ed. 978-0-8027-2238-6 $15.89 g
Hale, the illustrator of the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge (rev. 11/08), puts a robotic spin on this Christmas song. His imaginative variation replaces two turtle doves with “Two Turbo-Doves” and eight maids-a-milking with “Eight Moto-Milkers.” Robo-Santa, who looks like he has been cobbled together from spare factory parts, accumulates the presents on the left page while the featured gifts are shown on the right. The digitally created art comes together in one final double-page spread, where “Droids a-dancing” boogie next to “Clock-Lords sleeping” and “Beat Bots thumping.” There’s plenty of fun here for techies, gadget fanatics, and readers looking for a humorous new spin on a classic. chelsey g. h. philpot

The Christmas Eve Ghost
by Shirley Hughes; illus. by the author
Intermediate Candlewick 32 pp.
9/10 978-0-7636-4472-7 $15.99
Hughes’s latest is a love letter to her childhood in 1930s Liverpool. Like Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales (rev. 11/04), its strength comes as much from the specificity of the author’s memory as from the Christmastime setting. Bronwen and her brother and mother are new in town, doing laundry for the rich folks up the hill but keeping “ourselves to ourselves,” especially when it comes to the Catholic family next door. Hughes’s descriptions and illustrations of the washing process are surprisingly compelling: boiler, washtub, mangle, clothesline, and iron all shown in loving detail. The titular ghost is a noise heard in the corner of the washroom on Christmas Eve while Mam is out, and the resolution brings the entire family a little closer to their new community. lolly robinson

12 Days of Christmas
illustrated by Rachel Isadora
Preschool Putnam 32 pp.
10/10 978-0-399-25073-6 $16.99
Setting this traditionally European holiday song in Africa, Isadora uses her now-familiar fabric and painted paper collages to create a lively cross-cultural picture book. In other picture book renditions, the cumulative nature of the text allows for less and less space for art, just when we need more space for the growing gifts. Isadora takes care of this problem neatly, creating small square icons or rebuses representing each gift. Not only does this solve the design problem, it also gives pre-readers a way to participate. Repeat viewers may look for signs that the gift-giving scenes take place in one location, but the drummers, dancers, and leapers actually hail from different parts of the continent—a fact Isadora acknowledges with a map and author’s note at the end. lolly robinson

The Nutcracker
illustrated by Alison Jay
Primary Dial 40 pp.
10/10 978-0-8037-3285-8 $16.99 g
There seems to be at least one new Nutcracker picture book every holiday season. The paintings in this latest offering exude nostalgia, with scenes bathed in golden light and an antiqued crackle added to the paint’s surface. Even so, Jay imparts an appropriate sense of danger, combining rounded figures (an overfed cat, gowned women who look like Parcheesi pieces) with sharp, stick-thin limbs that seem liable to break any second. The text plays second fiddle to the pictures, but since this version is just telling the watered-down ballet version, that’s forgivable. The art holds its own with ease, providing food and toys worth drooling over, a daring color palette, and page designs with plenty of forward motion. lolly robinson

The Spider’s Gift:
A Ukrainian Christmas Story
retold by Eric A. Kimmel; illus. by Katya Krenina
Primary Holiday 32 pp.
8/10 978-0-8234-1743-8 $16.95
Decorating a tree is all the Christmas celebration Katrusya’s poor Ukrainian family can afford this year. When her mother discovers spiders living in the Christmas tree, it’s Katrusya who insists the tree remain indoors to keep the spiders from freezing. The spiders reward Katrusya’s kindness by turning their webs to pure silver and the tree’s decorations to beautiful jewels. This Christmas tale, popular throughout central and eastern Europe, is based on the belief that spiders are “a model of diligence and modesty.” Kimmel’s retelling includes Ukrainian words and phrases, italicized and explained for better understanding of the folktale and the culture. Krenina’s oil paintings, done in lush, warm tones, are quietly festive. katrina hedeen

The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas:
An Austin Family Story
by Madeleine L’Engle; illus. by Jill Weber
Primary Farrar 46 pp.
9/10 978-0-374-38005-2 $12.99
“December is probably my favorite month,” begins Vicky Austin, teenage star of L’Engle’s Austin Family Chronicles and narrator of this story set in her childhood. It’s a busy time for the Austins: while seven-year-old Vicky nervously rehearses for the Christmas pageant, the entire clan prepares for the arrival of a new baby. Vicky marks time with an advent calendar, the constancy of which offers comfort as she worries that Mother may be in the hospital over Christmas. This new edition of a story first published in 1984 includes unobtrusive spot illustrations done in an inviting folk-art style; readers will feel as though they’re glimpsing the Austins’ very own well-loved ornaments and other holiday memorabilia. Compact trim size further highlights the coziness of the family drama. elissa gershowitz

Tacky’s Christmas
by Helen Lester; illus. by Lynn Munsinger
Preschool, Primary Houghton 32 pp.
9/10 978-0-547-17208-8 $16.99
How can Nice Icy Land’s penguin colony defend itself from a trio of fierce hunters? Dress Tacky up as Santa, decorate him like a Christmas tree, and throw in some shaving cream beards. The hunters think they’ve stumbled upon “Sandy Clawz” and “Sandy’s elfies,” and all visions of hunting penguins dance out of their heads. And to think, everyone considered Tacky’s gifts — cans of shaving cream — odd. Munsinger’s jolly illustrations ratchet up the silliness of Lester’s laugh-out-loud story, and Tacky is as Tacky as ever. A CD of holiday songs is included. Scoop up a bowl of fish pudding, spray on a shaving cream beard, and belt out “Deck the Iceberg.” Fa la la la la! kitty flynn

The Christmas Giant
by Steve Light; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary Candlewick 32 pp.
9/10 978-0-7636-4692-9 $15.99
Humphrey, a friendly giant, and Leetree, a tiny elf, are assigned to grow the holiday tree for Christmastown. Their relative sizes are complementary — Leetree plants the little seed, while Humphrey holds the large watering can; Leetree trims the low branches, and Humphrey the high. After a mishap results in the loss of their perfectly grown tree, Humphrey and Leetree use their respective skills to create an even more beautiful tree out of wrapping paper and ribbon. Light’s colorful illustrations in pen and ink and pastels do most of the storytelling with expressive characters and several wordless pages of panel drawings that reveal outcomes step-by-step. The value of collaboration and teamwork is clearly demonstrated as the dynamic between the two characters is rewardingly reciprocal. katrina hedeen

The Year Without a Santa Claus
by Phyllis McGinley; illus. by John Manders
Primary Cavendish 40 pp.
10/10 978-0-7614-5799-2 $16.99 g
Santa Claus decides one year to take his first vacation: “Crick in my back, / a cold that lingers, / aches in my toes and all ten fingers, / bit of lumbago, / touch of gout, / climbing down chimneys is simply out.” The reaction of children around the world surprises Santa in this story that highlights the selfless spirit of the season. McGinley’s rhyming text was originally published with illustrations by Kurt Werth (rev. 12/57) and later inspired the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated TV special of the same name. This new edition maintains all of the original’s read-aloud charm while accentuating its playfulness with Manders’s vibrant gouache and pencil illustrations. cynthia k. ritter

Santa Duck and His Merry Helpers
by David Milgrim; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary Putnam 32 pp.
10/10 978-0-399-25473-4 $12.99 g
Nicholas Duck is back, this time encumbered by pesky younger siblings who horn in on his job collecting Christmas wish lists for Santa (“We’re gonna be better helpers than you!” “We’re gonna be Santa’s favorites!”). The siblings get carried away, promising unrealistic gifts to everyone (to the frog, who asks for a box of flies: “I’ll get you a beautiful princess!” “I’ll get you a castle!” “I’ll get you your own planet!”), but when Nicholas steps in to lecture them on the true meaning of Christmas, he’s the one who learns the lesson. As in Santa Duck (rev. 11/08), the digitally produced cartoon-style illustrations feature speech balloons, lively humor, and revisionist Christmas carols. “Silent Quack, Holy Quack . . . ” martha v. parravano

Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas
by Julia Rawlinson; illus. by Tiphanie Beeke
Preschool, Primary Greenwillow 32 pp.
10/10 978-0-06-199033-5 $16.99
Fletcher the fox, worried that Santa won’t be able to find the rabbits in their new burrow, begins to build a trail of stick arrows to point Santa in the right direction. As he passes by his friend Squirrel, a flock of birds, and three mice, they all pitch in, arriving at the rabbits’ new home, where they enjoy pie and Christmas songs. Rawlinson’s descriptions (“Every tree in the forest was frost-sprinkled and sparkling, and frozen puddles creaked and crackled under Fletcher’s paws”) are transporting. Beeke’s painterly illustrations mirror the text—”shivery darkness” is matched by a purple night sky and bare trees dusted with white, while “light and whisper quiet” snowflakes are as gossamer as spider webs. chelsey g. h. philpot

Jeannette Claus Saves Christmas
by Douglas Rees; illus. by Olivier Latyk
Primary McElderry/Simon 40 pp.
10/10 978-1-4169-2686-3 $16.99
Santa is too sick to deliver presents, so it’s up to his daughter, Jeannette, to make the around-the-world trip on Christmas Eve. Off she goes, with Santa’s eight reindeer grudgingly pulling his sleigh through the night sky (who knew they hated hauling Santa around?). “Everything was going exactly right,” until the impertinent hoofed “hat racks” dash away back to the North Pole, leaving her stranded on a rooftop and the gift drop-off only half completed. Resourceful Jeannette is up to the challenge; she manages to get the job done and even provide a home for some cheerful stray cats and dogs in the process. The stylish cartoon illustrations exude warmth and attitude. kitty flynn

La Noche Buena:
A Christmas Story
by Antonio Sacre; illus. by Angela Dominguez
Primary, Intermediate Abrams 32 pp.
11/10 978-0-8109-8967-2 $16.95
A little girl spends her first Christmas with her father’s side of the family, in Little Havana in Miami. There her abuela and uncles and cousins include her in their Cuban holiday traditions, especially the preparations for “La Noche Buena,” or Christmas Eve. Nina helps make the marinade for the pig roast, laughs and tells stories with her cousins, and on the big night joins in the feast, attends midnight mass, and dances until the sun comes up on Christmas Day. The upbeat acrylic illustrations in tropical colors capture the warmth of family togetherness and the joyous celebration of “the best night of the year.” martha v. parravano

It’s Christmas, David!
by David Shannon; illus. by the author
Preschool Blue Sky/Scholastic 32 pp.
9/10 978-0-545-14311-0 $16.99
Shannon’s latest David story highlights many of the naughty or overzealous things his mischievous title character does near Christmastime: getting scolded for peeking at presents, writing an extensive wish list for Santa. His transgressions make him fear he’ll receive coal from Santa on Christmas morning instead of presents. The book includes winter versions of previous David escapades: he goes streaking down the street (now with hat, mittens, and boots) and breaks a window (with a snowball). As with all the David books, humorous illustrations fill in the gaps of the minimal text and keep readers wondering what David will do next—right up until the final page, with its typical heartwarming conclusion. cynthia k. ritter

Christmas with the Mousekins
by Maggie Smith; illus. by the author
Primary Knopf 40 pp.
9/10 978-0-375-83330-4 $15.99
Library ed. 978-0-375-93330-1 $18.99
Crafters young and old will ooh and ahh over this attractive picture book that tells the story of a mouse family’s homey Christmas preparations. Double-page spreads of detailed directions for making crafts and cookies alternate with spreads showing the Mousekin family busily baking, painting, sewing, knitting, and more—not a factory-made toy/ornament/treat in sight. Even the noncrafty may be inspired by Smith’s pattern-filled illustrations to take scissors in hand and cut out some snowflakes. This cozy depiction of a completely homemade, handmade celebration and perfect family Christmas (no fighting, no last-minute trips to the mall) may be idealistic, but isn’t hope and optimism what the season’s all about? jennifer m. brabander

Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa
by Donna L. Washington; illus. by Shane W. Evans
Preschool Tegen/HarperCollins 32 pp.
10/10 978-0-06-072816-8 $12.99 g
Li’l Rabbit feels left out of the Kwanzaa preparations: “He couldn’t remember the names of all the days. He wasn’t allowed to light the candles.” Worst of all, his beloved Granna Rabbit is sick and unable to prepare the Karamu banquet. Li’l Rabbit gets a gentle lesson in the meaning of the holiday as he wanders through the neighborhood in search of something to help his grandmother feel better. The plot is slight but enough to pull young listeners along; Evans’s fanciful paintings feature a host of helpful animal characters, each imaginatively dressed and posed along the route of Li’l Rabbit’s quest. The closing Karamu is a feast of food and friendship. Harambee! roger sutton