Reviews by Etta Wilson
The array of book novelties for children is truly astounding this holiday season. Publishers have created some great items in new formats, and several favorites from past years have reappeared with fresh stories. Here's a crop for stocking the stockings.
The nose knows when Christmas is coming, and Laura Rader's "The Best Smelling Christmas Book Ever" will recall all the favorite smells of the holidays. Pine-scented candle, gingerbread, hot chocolate, and peppermints are among the nine scents to tickle the nose as a mouse family creates a gingerbread house in this brightly colored scratch-and-sniff book.
Little ones can learn colors and shapes with the help of their favorite characters Elmo and Mickey and Minnie Mouse in two sturdy board books.
"Elmo's Christmas Colors" has all the Sesame Street characters getting ready for a great Christmas holiday and naming the colors they see from page to page until "brown reindeer fly across a black sky."Mickey and Minnie Mouse find circles, triangles, squares, stars, and hearts in the clear, brightly colored "Let's Find the Christmas Shapes." With its uncluttered backgrounds and straightforward text, this one is particularly good for the two- to four-year-olds.
Too good to pass up when selecting gifts comes another Mini House Book (the eighth) from Peter Lippman, "The ABC Doghouse." The family of dogs living inside act very much like happy humans as they carry out actions taking readers through the day and the alphabet. No one can resist turning the small and extra-sturdy flaps -- and reading the lively rhymed verse for each letter.
Two small pop-up books give readers a choice for their Christmas story. The five spreads in "The Day Before Christmas" depict the busy activity in Santa's home workshop before the big trip. Santa's list rolls out for him to check, Mrs. Claus takes cookies from the oven, the elves paint boats and dolls -- all before Santa hops into the sleigh on the last page.
"The First Christmas" uses the same five-spread format to present five major scenes in the nativity story: Mary and Joseph en route to Bethlehem, at the innkeeper's door, the angels singing the good news, the wise men following the star, and all surrounding the manger to worship the new Lord. Both pop-ups are good introductions to the format for young children with their warm friendly illustrations by Reg Sandland.
If you need a Nativity scene that little ones can play with, don't overlook "Once Upon a Christmas." The oversize carrying-case format opens to reveal eight tiny storybooks, one for each of the main participants in the Nativity story, plus one for the star. Each little book has four boards telling the story from that character's point of view. The books can also stand alone in individual play or be hung on the tree as ornaments. Ages three and up will go for this.
What's Christmas without music? Kids will be inspired to make their own with "Make a Joyful Noise" by Francesca Crespi. This beautiful, gold-flecked pop-up presents five interesting scenes with flaps to lift, wheels to turn, and a tiny bell-rope to pull. Any child will have to go through the scenes several times to do all the manipulations before singing the carols, which are printed with musical staffs. This is a treasure to keep from year to year.
You'll hear lots of music as soon as you open the lid of "The Real Mother Goose Merry Christmas Music Box." Inside you'll find small board books with the words to the three carols being played -- "Joy to the World," "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." You'll also find a wee collection of Mother Goose rhymes and two collections of tree ornaments (six in each), ready to punch out and string for hanging.
The "Puzzle Gallery: Children" makes a unique gift because it introduces young readers, ages 4-8, to masterpieces with children as subjects. Not only does the handsome board book have five die-cut puzzles (12 pieces each) of portraits of children, it also encourages careful observation with questions and brief information on the facing pages. At the back is a mini-gallery where all portraits are shown with the artists' names, date of the painting, and the gallery where they are now housed.
And you can play puzzle games with even younger kiddos with two "First Puzzle Books" by Emily Bolam, published by Red Wagon Books. Both "Jungle" and "Farm" have only four pieces each and are recommended for ages one to four. Selecting the right animal piece from the first spread and fitting it in the matching slot answers the questions asked on each succeeding page.
"Hands" by award-winning author/artist Lois Ehlert will win awards from both parents and children for its clever encouragement to do things together. The hand-shaped, 20-page book is a child's description of working with Dad in the workshop, with Mom at sewing and with both in the garden. It's no wonder the youngster loves "to make things with my hands" and be an artist like Mom and Dad.
©1997, ProMotion, inc.