Deck the Walls: A Wacky Christmas Carol
Let’s face it; wassailing and chestnuts just don’t accurately reflect most kids’ Christmases. Enter this fractious take on “Deck the Halls.” First, there is the big dinner with the extended fam: “Uncle Harvey stands before us. / Fa la la la la / la la la la / Why do aunts and uncles bore us? / Fa la la la la / la la la la.”  Dealey’s five rascally kids do plenty of eye rolling, rule breaking, and acting out, from shuttling veggies to the dog under the table to playing “olive hockey.” That is why, in short, this would make for an excellent sing-along—can’t you hear the entire school bellowing along? Ward nicely balances Dealey’s mayhem with shiny-cheeked, round-featured art that keeps the little hooligans just this side of lovable. Sheet music is included. Grades K-2. --Daniel Kraus