Corderoy, Tracey. Mouse’s Night Before Christmas. Illus. by Sarah Massini. Nosy Crow, 10/2020. [32p.] $17.99. 978-1-5362-1440-6.
Although this begins with the first four lines of the famous poem, this is actually a new story about a little mouse who helps Santa deliver presents. The rhyming text has bounce and the mixed media cartoonish artwork is inviting. A nice storytime book for secular audiences with a charming ending.
Dale, Penny. Dinosaur Christmas. Nosy Crow, 09/2020. [28p.] $16.99. 978-1-5362-1449-9.
Seventh in the popular series about dinosaurs and their vehicles. Here, they use snowmobiles to help Santa free his sleigh from the snowdrifts. The very brief narrative uses repetition and onomatopoeia to engage young listeners. The full color paint and pencil art depict realistic dinos; their names are given on the endpapers. Mainly for dinosaur fans.
Dodd, Emma. Christmas Is Joy. Templar/Candlewick, 09/2020. [24p.] $14.99. 978-1-5362-1545-8.
This simple rhyme is a celebration of wintertime family, beginning each sentence with “Christmas is…” A reindeer and calf are the main characters, seen in the snow. It seems odd that with the repeated “Christmas is” that there is no mention of Jesus or the Nativity. Still, the beautiful digital art, highlighted by silver foil accents, is lovely.
Hattie, Ellie. I Love You More Than Christmas. Illus. by Tim Warnes. Tiger Tales, 09/2020. [32p.] $17.99. 978-1-68010-208-6.
Daddy, Mommy, and Baby Bear prepare for Christmas in this British import, by decorating the tree, baking goodies, and more. The narrative alternates between a rhyming text in italics and a non-rhyming description of what is occurring. Part of the title is repeated throughout, which makes it a great choice for participation during storytime, especially since this is completely secular.
Toht, Patricia. Pick a Pine Tree. Illus. by Jarvis. Candlewick, 09/2020. [36p.] $12. 978- 1-5362-1602-8.
Originally published in 2017, this update has a pop-up Christmas tree on the next to last page. The text instructs the reader on how to set-up and decorate the tree: “Trim the trunk a little bit, just enough so it will fit.” The family features a white father and brown-skinned mother with straight black hair. A nice addition.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool
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