Red & Green

by Lois Ehlert, Lois Ehlert (Illustrator)

Overview

The classic story of the night before Christmas gets a humorous twist in this engaging holiday picture book filled with die-cuts from the acclaimed and beloved picture book creator, Lois Ehlert.

It was a cold, wintery night, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except a small mouse!

Follow this mischievous mouse on his late-night holiday adventure. The snow is falling, the tree is decorated, and the cookies are ready for nibbling. Just be sure to keep an eye out for Santa!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534401730
Publisher:	Beach Lane Books
Publication date:	09/12/2023
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lois Ehlert (1934–2021) illustrated numerous inventive, celebrated, and bestselling picture books, including Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Mice, Ten Little Caterpillars, and her own Holey Moley, The Scraps Book, RRRalph, Lots of Spots, Boo to You!, Leaf Man, Snowballs, Waiting for Wings, Planting a Rainbow, Growing Vegetable Soup, and Color Zoo, which received a Caldecott Honor. 

Editorial Reviews

08/28/2023

With the bold visual force of traffic signals, die-cut spreads from the late Ehlert are splashed with super-saturated reds, magentas, and greens in this memorable update of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” A decorated wreath with zigzag edges first opens onto words in large white type: “It was a cold, wintry night,/ and all through the house,// not a creature was stirring...// except a small mouse!” Big, bold forms accompany the familiar-sounding text—a hand-cut snowflake represents “new-fallen snow,” and other lines accompany images of a snowperson, a pine festooned with ornaments, and a tray of cookies whose shapes duplicate forms seen earlier. After taking a judicious taste of the treats, the mouse settles down before an unexpected interruption by a familiar-looking set of boots. Hi-vis elements and a seek-and-find sensibility lend visual zip to this winning variation on a classic. Ages up to 8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2023

PreS-Gr 1—Accompanied by digital recreations of the late Ehlert's cut-paper collages, here is a twist on a holiday classic based on Clement C. Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas." The story follows a mischievous mouse on Christmas Eve. Throughout the night, the mouse rustles around the house, hears a clatter, and eats some Christmas cookies before Santa arrives. The mouse's rhyming tale will entertain practicing readers and surprise those who expect the classic poem. With bold, contrasting colors, basic shapes create vivid cut-paper collage scenes. The pigment of each page is rich and will appeal to young pre-readers. Although the mouse eats Santa's treat, young readers will laugh at the little creature's adventure on Christmas Eve. VERDICT A funny picture book for pre- and early readers. Pair with Ehlert's Color Zoo, and with other books for low vision, such as Hervé Tullet's Press Here.—Hilary Tufo

School Library Journal

2023-08-15
Mouse explores a house filled with Christmas spirit before helping himself to a little sweet treat that might have been intended for someone else.

In this tale that follows the format of “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Mouse notes seasonally significant changes around his house. There are new wreaths, a poinsettia, and a plate of delicious cookies, which Mouse samples before snuggling into a mitten to sleep. But Mouse realizes he may have bitten off more than he could chew when Santa bellows, “Who ate my treat?” While festive, the narrative is slight, more list than story, and the rhyme occasionally scans awkwardly. We get only a quick glimpse of Mouse’s tail early on and no actual mouse sightings until near the end, which may be confusing for younger listeners. If the story is a bit lackluster, the art is anything but. In quintessentially Ehlert style, elaborately edged collages, uniquely shaped pages, and intricate die-cuts burst with yuletide cheer. A sharply crimped Christmas tree adorned with shiny foil decorations is perfect for the holiday season, while a bold and dynamically cut snowflake is a visual and tactile delight. At times, the graphic collages bolster each other so that a gently rounded snowman looking at a smiling crescent moon creates a layered, three-dimensional feel.

Despite the ho-hum story, the merry art will keep little readers engaged. (Picture book. 2-8)

Kirkus Reviews