CHRISTMAS BOOKS: Through the North Pole Snow by Polly Faber & Richard Jones & Jingle Bells illustrated by You-hsuan Huang
ABOUT THE BOOK
When a hunting fox pounces through the snow and finds itself inside a warm home, it's welcomed and given dinner by a kind bearded man with a big round belly. Soon yawning, the man leaves the fox to explore through piles of strewn wrapping paper and rows of empty shelves. As the man sleeps, the fox curls up, too, until sun and flowers return, luring them both outside. But soon the man gets back to work—drawing and measuring, painting and hammering, sewing and stuffing, until all the empty shelves are filled from top to bottom. Paired with Richard Jones’s charmingly detailed illustrations, Polly Faber’s gentle story offers a fresh look at how Santa prepares for the most magical night of the year.
REVIEW
A little white fox discovers a house while out hunting. After getting stuck in the roof, the fox is rescued by a man with a 'great round belly and a fox-white beard'. After eating, the fox curls up to sleep on the man's bed. Eventually, the man wakes and gets to work building toys of all kinds while the fox enjoys flowers, insects, and good weather. When letters start showing up, the fox helps gather the papers that the man uses to organize and make plans. Eventually, the fox travels with the man to deliver all the gifts. This sweet story of friendship makes for a gentle read aloud about generosity and finding a home. Young readers will quickly guess who the man is, but of course the fox doesn't know until the end. Jones mixed media illustrations nicely compliment the tender story about the growing relationship between the man and the fox. The fox is adorable and a great addition to what seems to be a rather lonely life for the man. And I especially enjoyed the illustration of the fox helping gather the arriving letters. An enjoyably sweet tale of friendship and service, although I might have wished for some elves to help Santa with all the work.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Each board book in this adorable series comes with a free instrumental and vocal version of the song - simply scan the QR code for little ones to listen and sing along!
With its bright illustrations, this board book makes the perfect Christmas gift for a baby or toddler!
REVIEW
The funnest part of this cute board book is the sliders. Somehow, these are quite fun, especially for young fingers. The text consists only of the chorus of the song, Jingle Bells. The illustrations add to the minimal text by showing a bear Santa getting ready and going for a sleigh ride to visit and deliver presents. The digital illustrations are cute with animal characters. A QR code provides a link to hear the music which adds to the fun. A fun introduction to an enjoyable Christmas song.
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