Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2002)

Starred Review To say that this is the most impressive of Sabuda's pop-up books is saying a lot. He always provides intricate paperwork that makes readers Ooh and Aah as they turn the pages. But using the backdrop of the traditional Christmas poem, Sabuda here attains new heights--and delights. There are so many things to look at: the pinwheels of sugar plums dancing around the heads of the mice children who populate this family; the fat, round Santa who joyously pops out, a gift in his hand. Perhaps most impressive is the pop-up of the reindeer prancing out of the center spread, face first. The final village scene, with houses here and there and a tiny cutout of Santa and the reindeer traversing the night sky, also vies for designation of the most memorable. The mostly white paperwork shows up beautifully against the pure colors of the pages, another fine element of the design. Because of the intricacies, libraries may want to reserve this as a storytelling choice; it's festive and fabulous.

Starred Review for Publishers Weekly

Those wishing to give the holiday some gleeful pop need look no further than Sabuda's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">The 12 Days of Christmas; <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">The Christmas Alphabet)latest marvel of intricate paper engineering. In a slight twist, a tiny mouse family, tucked in and dreaming of shimmering sweets, wakens to sleigh-and-reindeer clatter. In Sabuda's signature style, a rainbow of solid-colored panels comprises the backgrounds, giving contrast to the white (save for St. Nick's suit) three-dimensional constructions. The pop-up of Santa's reindeer dramatically leaping toward readers is a stunner. All ages. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Oct.)

School Library Journal Starred Review

K Up-Ingenious paper engineering sets off the well-known poem to fresh advantage in this arresting presentation. With his signature use of white paper and flaps revealing movable parts and pop-ups, Sabuda offers surprises on every page. A mouse watches the big hand of a clock strike midnight, the team of reindeer plunges dramatically toward readers, Santa's feet are seen springing up from the fireplace an instant before his head emerges from the chimney. In the final scene, an entire village, all in white, stands up on the page and, with the pull of a tab, Santa's sleigh streaks across a starlit sky. As with The Christmas Alphabet (Orchard, 1994), clever techniques, original design, and a unique graphic style set this work apart from most movable books. Due to its fragile nature, libraries may wish to keep it for displays, storytimes, and as an example of the pop-up at its most striking, rather than for circulation.-S. P. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2003)

Paper-engineering whiz Robert Sabuda (The Christmas Alphabet) offers readers an eye-bugging holiday treat in this pop-up version of Moore's classic poem. Background colors accentuate the mainly white pop-ups; side panels unfold to reveal more movable parts. In the most dramatic spread, eight reindeer spring toward the reader. Sabuda's work is as clever, meticulous, and original as ever.