Ho-ho-ho’s from the goo-goo-gah-ers.
Silly Mustache Baby (and Santa Baby) holiday fun.
In this fourth book about Mustache Baby (aka Baby Billy), his pal Baby Javier transforms into Santa Baby when his facial hair (he was born with a full beard) turns white. This makes him “Santa’s #1 helper, Santa Baby!” Wanting to get in on the action, Baby Billy offers to help by making toys. Unfortunately, he likes his creations so much that he ends up hoarding them and earning a spot on the naughty list. His mustache transforms into a handlebar-style, or “BAD GUY MUSTACHE”—a somewhat fuller version of the one Snidely Whiplash sports in Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons. Santa Baby is so angry at his friend’s greed that his beard turns into a “MAD GUY BEARD,” and he “saddle[s] up the reindeer” (depicted as dachshunds) to pursue Baby Billy and recover the treats he’s stolen. A misaimed snowball hits one of the “reindeer,” which prompts the pair of babies to reconcile and care for the pup. Santa Grownup sees their compassionate deeds and rewards them with a trip in his sleigh “to help deliver presents all over the world”—but only after twice checking his list to find that “Billy had made it onto the nice list by a hair!” of course. Throughout, readers are gifted with other examples of wordplay and with comical details in the digital art. Illustrations depict Baby Billy and Santa Grownup as white; Baby Javier is presumably Latinx.
Ho-ho-ho’s from the goo-goo-gah-ers. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-328-50653-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.
Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.
Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665954785
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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