Book Reviews and More: Dashing through the Snow A Canadian Jingle Bells

Friday, 10 January 2020

Dashing through the Snow A Canadian Jingle Bells - Helaine Becker and Werner Zimmermann

Dashing through the Snow:
A Canadian Jingle
Helaine Becker
Werner Zimmermann (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9781443124522
ISBN 9781443124546

Six years ago as a family we first read A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Canadian 12 Days of Christmas, and loved it. It has remained a favorite of the children. This year my youngest brought home from her school library both Deck the Halls: A Canadian Christmas Carol and Dashing through the Snow: A Canadian Jingle Bells for us to read together. We dug out the original and read these three back to back twice. Because I review books my youngest has insisted that we review both the ones she brought home.

We have mixed ratings for these books:
My youngest daughter (9) 5/5 Stars
My son (11) 4/5 Stars
Me (50ish) 4/5 Stars

They are fun books, and it is nearly impossible to read them without singing them. In fact, my youngest brought them home so that we could sing them, and her brother could play it on the piano. For me the first one was wonderful, and is very popular by the 5 different editions including a box set with a stuffie of the porcupine. This one only one edition and a French edition. They are fun and the kids love them but maybe over worked.

It was fun to see an appearance of Sasquash, and Santa. The kids loved the mixed-up presents. The rhymes are whimsical and amusing, though some feel forced. The illustrations are wonderful. And having the three books side by side and comparing the illustrations is fun for the children.

Overall a good book, just not as good as the first one.