Extends the brand, though in a patchwork way, without giving the spirit of Christmas much beyond lip service.
In a tale that harks back some 2,000 years, a young Christian refugee, future preserver of the Christmas Spirit, helps save a land of arctic elves and ice gnomes from a deadly threat.
Wedging in commentary from Fisbee, the original Elf on the Shelf, and borrowing from both Christian and Norse mythologies, Bell ships her newly orphaned 12-year-old and his beloved dog, Barry (who, anachronistically, is a Saint Bernard), from Anatolia to the northern Mountains of Enchantment. After the failure of an ice wall that kept out the evil one-eyed Gangleri and his bird companions, Huginn and Munnin (variously referred to as both ravens and crows), Nicholas and his dog play instrumental roles in guarding the Lumistella Stone. This rechargeable sacred object is a fallen fragment of the Christmas Star, which has the ability to heal the Christmas Spirit—and two mighty foes are desperate to use its powers for ill: the greedy Gangleri and the treacherous, enigmatic Mother Earth, former lovers who were torn apart by their “selfish desires.” In this work, even the countering forces on the side of “truth and love” are militarized—“We fight for Christmas! ATTACK!”—leading to plenty of combat scenes. Some readers will spot the parallels between Gangleri and Odin. This rather flat commercial tie-in may hold appeal for ardent fans of the franchise.
Extends the brand, though in a patchwork way, without giving the spirit of Christmas much beyond lip service. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780063327467
Page Count: 320
Publisher: HarperPop/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
Plays to Rowling’s fan base; equally suited for gifting and reading aloud or alone.
A 7-year-old descends into the Land of the Lost in search of his beloved comfort object.
Jack has loved Dur Pig long enough to wear the beanbag toy into tattered shapelessness—which is why, when his angry older stepsister chucks it out the car window on Christmas Eve, he not only throws a titanic tantrum and viciously rejects the titular replacement pig, but resolves to sneak out to find DP. To his amazement, the Christmas Pig offers to guide him to the place where all lost Things go. Whiffs of childhood classics, assembled with admirable professionalism into a jolly adventure story that plays all the right chords, hang about this tale of loss and love. Along with family drama, Rowling stirs in fantasy, allegory, and generous measures of social and political commentary. Pursued by the Land’s cruel and monstrous Loser, Jack and the Christmas Pig pass through territories from the Wastes of the Unlamented, where booger-throwing Bad Habits roam, to the luxurious City of the Missed for encounters with Hope, Happiness, and Power (a choleric king who rejects a vote that doesn’t go his way). A joyful reunion on the Island of the Beloved turns poignant, but Christmas Eve being “a night for miracles and lost causes,” perhaps there’s still a chance (with a little help from Santa) for everything to come right? In both the narrative and Field’s accomplished, soft-focus illustrations, the cast presents White.
Plays to Rowling’s fan base; equally suited for gifting and reading aloud or alone. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 12, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-79023-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism.
Stories of Buddha’s past lives help a young boy “find [himself] in the moment.”
Binh and his siblings, who are of Vietnamese descent, can’t believe they’re spending the weekend at a silent meditation retreat. Binh would rather play his Game Boy so he doesn’t have to meditate and inevitably think about the bullies at school. It is only when Sister Peace tells stories about the Buddha and his past life that Binh is able to imagine himself entering a video game–inspired world and thus process his feelings of shame, isolation, and anger. With each Jataka tale, Binh’s awareness expands, and so, too, does his ability to be present for and helpful to those around him. A welcome addition to the handful of middle-grade stories featuring Buddhist protagonists, this exploration of identity and Buddhist principles will find an audience with young readers who love Raina Telgemeier but aren’t quite ready to level up to the complexity and nuance of Gene Luen Yang’s epic American Born Chinese (2006). The video game elements are compelling, although they understandably diminish as the story progresses and the protagonist’s inner life grows. Warm fall colors and luscious black lines anchor the story as it transitions among flashbacks, stories, and the present day. Filled with talking animals, the parables can be a little heavy-handed, but the witty banter between Binh and the narrator during fantasy sequences provides levity. (This review was updated for accuracy.)
A thoughtful, humorous, community-centered exploration of identity and Buddhism. (bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9780759555488
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
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