One Wild Christmas

September 1, 2019
A bear, a moose, and a beaver walk into the woods. This holiday title features an anthropomorphic trio of quintessentially Canadian animals, humorously rendered in digital art with a flat, cartoon aesthetic. But although the bear, moose, and beaver are associated with the same place, and although they all celebrate Christmas in this story, conflict arises because one friend is decidedly not like the others: The bear is a literal and figurative tree-hugger, and when the moose and beaver attempt to chop down the perfect Christmas tree, he stops them. (Why he didn't realize this was their plan when they went into the forest is an unresolved question). "The moose and the beaver were no match for the bear's strength," reads the straightforward text, which is accompanied by a picture of the bear hurling both animals over the tree handily. He then ties them to the trunk in an act that could be read as humorous but that also might make readers wonder why he values the tree over his friends. Ultimately, the bear does try to salvage their planned Christmas celebration by bringing decorations, food, and gifts from their house into the woods. He unties his friends, and they celebrate Christmas around the perfect tree, still standing in the woods. A beary green Christmas book. (Picture book. 3-6)

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July 1, 2019
In their sixth entertaining adventure, the bear, the moose, and the beaver start decorating for Christmas--but no one brought a tree. The trio heads back out in search of one, but the tree-hugger bear protests (he didn't realize their plan was to chop it down), leading, eventually, to a creative solution. Spare digital illustrations focus mainly on the friends and the silliness.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2019
Their sixth entertaining adventure (most recently Walk on the Wild Side) focuses on the bear, the moose, and the beaver at Christmastime. After sculpting self-portrait snow creatures, they head indoors to start decorating-but who brought the tree? No one, it turns out, so the trio heads back out into the forest in search of one. They find a great option, but the tree-hugger bear protests (he didn't realize their plan was to chop it down), leading, eventually, to a creative solution. Spare digital illustrations, with few background details, focus mainly on the friends and allow the silliness to come through; the buck-tooth beaver's facial expressions are especially humorous, and the bear's earnestness is endearing. And don't miss the puns in the illustrations: "I ? X-MOOSE," says guess whose apron. Elissa Gershowitz

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)