Elf in the House

September 4, 2017
The duo behind Ghost in the House reunites for a jaunty blend of cumulative holiday tale, counting book, and onomatopoeic celebration. It’s the night before Christmas, and in one girl’s house, a mouse is both stirring and helping himself to cookies left out for Santa. Discovered by the girl, the mouse takes his spot in the second position in a kind of Christmas Eve conga line that grows to include an elf, reindeer, and Santa himself. Sound effects help introduce the characters, and Paquette’s verse builds gentle suspense as they are found (“Then a quick streak of red/ Flashes by up ahead,/ And suddenly they hear... a giggle!”). Record’s digital artwork features bold blocks of color and simple geometric shapes, creating scenes that are simultaneously energetic and hushed—presumably the girl’s parents are sleeping upstairs somewhere. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates.

October 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-The sound of jingle bells on Christmas Eve wakes a little girl who finds a mysterious cookie thief has left a trail of crumbs from the snack intended for Santa. Readers fall in line as she follows the trail, joining a mouse, an elf, and a reindeer along the way before discovering the cookie-munching Santa. Despite his presence on the cover, the titular elf plays a minor role in this breezy chain tale, where page turns invite readers to guess who and what waits just around the corner. The rhyming text doesn't always scan, and the digitally created illustrations are friendly but unremarkable. VERDICT "Elf on the Shelf" fans will be disappointed, but this title might work for larger collections looking for fast read-alouds. Strictly additional.-Brooke Sheets, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2017
A little girl hears strange sounds on Christmas Eve, leading to encounters with a mouse, an elf, a reindeer, and Santa himself. The unnamed girl seems isolated and lonely on Christmas Eve, creeping downstairs by herself. She hears a squeak and finds a smiling mouse, and they then hear a giggle and find an elf. The trio hears a "CLIP-CLOP!" and meets a red-nosed reindeer. They all move on to the Christmas tree, hearing a "Ho, Ho, HO!" and finding Santa. After sharing cookies with Santa, the girl and her new mouse friend settle down to wait for Christmas morning. The girl and the elf are white; Santa has light brown skin. The simple story tells of a "jolly Christmas Eve" with "joy gleaming bright," but both the text and the illustrations fail to create a sense of anticipation or excitement. Computer-generated illustrations use a muted palette of green, lavender, and purple that conveys a subdued atmosphere rather than one of joyful celebration, and the cartoon-style characters lack a sense of motion. A few of the text blocks are set in black type on dark walls and are nearly unreadable. The title and cover are also misleading, as they imply the story is about a seemingly male elf, when it really is about a lonely little girl meeting new companions on Christmas Eve who cheer her up. A forgettable effort without the spark of excitement required to light up a Christmas Eve story. (Picture book. 3-5)

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July 1, 2018
A winsome little girl hears a noise on Christmas Eve and investigates, only to find a crumb trail leading away from the plate of cookies for Santa. So begins a parade through her house as she discovers several visitors, including a mouse, an elf, and a reindeer. The lyrical cumulative story is accompanied by cheerful digital illustrations, making this an amusing, lighthearted holiday read.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)