ALA Booklist (Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 2003)

From 10 tiny lights twirled around the tree, this cheerful holiday book counts down to one big, magical Christmas day for families to share. The double-page spreads, with lots of gouache-and-colored-pencil images, may be too packed with detail for the intended audience, and the text begins with rhyme and then unaccountably drops it. But with adult help, the lap-sit crowd will have fun pointing at all the holiday stuff, whether they spot the two jingling silver bells on Santa's sleigh or the nine wrapped, shiny presents.

Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Delaney once again combines chills with character development as Tom and others face difficult questions. Should common enemies always create allies? Can Tom kill his friend Alice's murderous mother? Meanwhile, the soul-sucking demon buggane poses a constant threat. Arrasmith's black-and-white illustrations reinforce the idea that the supernatural creatures, even Tom's temporary cohorts, are worth a shudder.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Katz (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Counting Kisses) has got kids' number in this sweet counting book that taps into the air of anticipation on Christmas Eve. Three children and their parents prepare for a celebration with all the fixin's—10 lights, nine presents, eight cookies for Santa, etc., which help add up to "one magical day for families and children to share." A mix of collage, gouache and colored pencil creates a kaleidoscope of hues and patterns. With their large heads and minimalist features, Katz's rosy-cheeked, smiling figures have the appealing semblance of sweet-faced baby dolls. Ages 3-6. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Oct.)

<EMPHASIS TYPE=""BOLD"">FYI:<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Katz brings the same cheerful illustrative style to My First Kwanzaa<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">, a picture-book introduction to the seven principles celebrated during the weeklong festival of African heritage (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Holt, $14.95 ages 2-5 ISBN 0-8050-7077-X; Nov.).

School Library Journal (Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2003)

PreS-Gr 2 Three young children make the transition from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day by counting backward from 10 to 1. (Perhaps a more apt title would be "Countdown Christmas.") The concept is accentuated by the representation of each number as a numerical expression, as a written word, and as an appropriate quantity of decorative snowflakes. The collage, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations are cheery and have a nice textural feel, with a plethora of seasonal motifs packed into every bit of space. (Some of the layouts have a full page of blank background to the text, allowing for some visual serenity.) The text is brief and lyrical, but is marred by an inconsistent rhyme scheme. Nevertheless, children will enjoy this depiction of a loving family as they carry out their pre-yule preparations and wake up on that magical day. Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library