PICTURE BOOK FICTION REVIEWS : The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell & Comet: The Unstoppable Reindeer by Jim Benton

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ABOUT THE BOOK
 
Young dancer Sofia wakes up to a quiet, white world—it’s a snow day! She makes her way outside to the neighborhood park, where a field awaits her, white and shining and open. It isn’t long before the rest of the neighborhood wakes its sleepy head—and the other kids make their way to the park, scattering all of Sofia’s beautiful silence. But with the help of a new young friend, Sofia is ready to show everyone what a snow dancer can do on a perfect day like this. With lyrical language and gorgeous art, this book sparkles with all the joy and beauty of a snow day.
 
REVIEW
 
This lovely ode to the joys of untouched snow shows a young girl's excitement as she dresses up and heads outside.  She dances through the snow making all kinds of delightful sounds.  When she arrives at the local park she's thrilled to notice the field has no footprints or other marks.  For a few minutes she has the field to herself and she dances, making lines and patterns, using shuffles, ballet and twirls to create a picture.  She's disappointed when a group of children runs out onto her formerly silent dance field.  Her disappointment fades when she gets the chance to show a little girl the magic a snow dancer can create.  The fun ends with a snowball fight.  The illustrations and text blend beautifully to create a magical tale of imagination and physical exertion.   The sounds of sliding and shuffling and crunching make the book a fun one to read.  This would be a thoroughly engaging book to read with children, followed by an adventure in the snow.
 
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ABOUT THE BOOK
 
It’s the night before Christmas, and Comet is ready…until he’s injured in an unexpected elf incident and replaced by a rookie named Freddy.

Comet can’t believe his bad luck. Then he realizes something even worse—in all the confusion, Santa has left the toys behind and isn’t answering his phone. Injury and all, Comet sets out to deliver the presents, crisscrossing the globe from Japan and Egypt to France and Cleveland. After a run-in with a goose, a near miss with a minivan, and too many chimney crash landings to count, can Comet hobble his way into pulling off a Christmas miracle?

 
REVIEW
 
Poor Comet. After getting injured breaking up an elf fight, Comet must remain at the North Pole with a broken leg.  He's sitting around feeling sorry for himself when he discovers to his horror that the presents have been left behind.  He tries to call Santa on his cell phone, but Santa doesn't pick up.  Comet attempts to carry the bag himself, but fails miserably.  It isn't until he reads a thoughtful letter from a boy asking for a gift for his sister that he finds the determination to lift the bag and deliver the presents.  He gets more banged up as he flies from country to country looking for the boy and girl.  He doesn't find them until the very end.  Benton's rhymes work well for the most part, though there were a few that felt awkward to me.  The book is clearly intended to be funny and many children will probably find it so, but I felt really bad for poor bruised and battered Comet.  While Comet's misadventures will undoubtedly lead to both giggles and winces, Comet's determination and compassion are well worth admiring.

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