Christmas Cricket

September 23, 2002
A cricket who feels "small and worthless in the bigness of night" finds his way into a cheery house and onto a Christmas tree, where his song is mistaken by a child for the voice of an angel. Bunting (see also The Bones of Fred McFee, under "Halloween," and One Candle, under "Hanukkah"), relates this affectionate tale in taut prose, and Bush's cricket's-eye-view watercolors seem almost to glow. In the end, as Cricket gazes at his reflection in the face of a shiny angel ornament, he ponders an adult's comment that angels sing "in the voices of crickets," then realizes that "he was small, then. But not worthless." The cricket's progression from the darkness of night to the luminosity of the revelatory scene underscores his growing sense of wonder. Ages 3-7.

October 1, 2002
K-Gr 2-Feeling "small and worthless in the bigness of night," Cricket sneaks into a home and onto a Christmas tree, where he begins a song. A child thinks he hears the tree's angel and his dad explains that "angels sing in the songs of birds, and frogs and people and crickets." Hearing this, Cricket realizes he's small, "but not worthless," and he rubs his wings together for joy. Masterfully imbuing a brief moment in a tiny insect's life with significance that resonates for readers of any age, Bunting presents a simple yet touching story for holiday sharing. Vivid watercolor illustrations capture the insect's perspective with drama and humor.-S. P.

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2002
PreS-Gr. 2. It's a cold, wet winter night in the garden and, worse, cricket feels small and worthless. Seeking shelter in the nearby house, he finds a tall tree with stars clinging to it. He hides himself on a low branch of the Christmas tree and then does what crickets do: he begins to sing. And that is when, overhearing a conversation between a father and his young daughter, he learns something magical that will change the way he feels about himself. Bunting's gentle, smoothly paced story is just right for sharing with small children who need a little help in the self-confidence department, whether at Christmas or year-round. Bush's watercolor pictures celebrate the story's cheerful warmth while their varying sizes and shapes create a cinematic effect that cleverly captures both the rhythm of the text and a cricket's kinetic spirit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2003
One night, a cricket, feeling insignificant and alone, enters a house and hides in the family's Christmas tree, where his song gives voice to the Christmas angel. The small-is-beautiful message may elude young children, but the gentle tone and almost cartoonlike cricket will capture their attention, as will the enormous glowing lights and bristly tree branches encircling the soft, poetic text.

(Copyright 2003 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)