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THE GREAT SPRUCE

Name: THE GREAT SPRUCE
Author: John Duvall
ISBN: 978-0-399-16084-4

by John Duvall ; illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2016

A pleasant holiday story with a subtle hint to protect living trees instead of cutting them down.

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A boy named Alec saves his family’s huge spruce tree from being cut down as a Christmas tree.

Alec loves the gigantic tree his grandpa planted decades earlier. Every year Alec and Grandpa decorate the tree with ornaments and outdoor lights. When Alec’s parents agree to let the tree be cut down for a nearby city’s Christmas tree, Alec convinces his family and the local townspeople to dig it up instead. The huge tree is dug up and transported by truck, barge, and horse-drawn sleigh to the big city, which appears to be New York. Alec and his grandfather go along with the tree, and the boy gets to turn the switch at the tree-lighting ceremony with the mayor. The story has the flavor of a tall tale, as the tree seems too impossibly huge to dig up and move and then return to its original home, and the tree seems to have grown even taller in its temporary location in the city. Appealing illustrations in acrylic ink and colored pencil and a huge trim size accommodate all the different views of the giant tree and its unusual journey. Alec and his family are white, the mayor of the big city has dark skin and hair, and the crowd scenes include people of many ethnic backgrounds.

A pleasant holiday story with a subtle hint to protect living trees instead of cutting them down. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-399-16084-4

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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HOW TO CATCH A DADDYSAURUS

From the How To Catch… series

by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2023

This frenetic ode to fatherhood is predictable fare but may please series fans.

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It’s time to look for the elusive Daddysaurus.

In this latest installment in the seemingly never-ending series about a group of diverse kids attempting to trap mythical creatures, the youngsters are now on the lookout for a big mauve dinosaur with an emblazoned D on his stomach and a superhero cape. The fast-moving Daddysaurus is always on the go; he will be difficult to catch. Armed with blueprints of possible ideas, the kids decide which traps to set. As in previous works, ones of the sticky variety seem popular. They cover barbells with fly paper (Daddysaurus like to exercise) and spread glue on the handle of a shovel (Daddysaurus also likes to garden). One clever trick involves tempting Daddysaurus with a drawing of a hole, taped to the wall, because he fixes everything that breaks. Daddysaurus is certainly engaged in the children’s lives, not a workaholic or absent, but he does fall into some standard tropes associated with fathers. The rhyming quatrains stumble at times but for the most part bounce along. Overall, though, text and art feel somewhat formulaic and likely will tempt only devotees of the series. The final page of the book (after Daddysaurus is caught with love) has a space for readers to write a note or draw a picture of their own Daddysaurus. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This frenetic ode to fatherhood is predictable fare but may please series fans. (Picture book. 4-8)