The Little Reindeer

by Nicola Killen, Nicola Killen (Illustrator)

Overview

“An original and entertaining Christmas story with its own understated charm.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A quietly magical tale of holiday miracles and nighttime adventure.” —Publishers Weekly

“Killen works magic through simplicity in this understated holiday story...A perfect bedtime read; little ones will cozy up to this sweet book and drift off on their own reindeer-fueled flights of fancy.” —Booklist

“An elegant book that has a calming effect; a perfect holiday bedtime story.” —School Library Journal

A HORN BOOK HOLIDAY HIGH NOTE

An enchanting Christmas story about a magical yet unlikely friendship between a little girl and a lost reindeer sure to be a Christmas classic lovingly told and illustrated with red foil highlights and interactive die cuts.

When a jingling sound wakes her from her sleep, a little girl’s dreams come true when she meets a lost reindeer in the forest. They set off on a magical adventure and it becomes a Christmas never to forget. Nicola Killen’s evocative illustrations are sure to enchant in this beautiful book with die cut pages, foil, and flashes of festive red.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481486866
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date:	09/19/2017
Series:	My Little Animal Friend
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	39,006
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Nicola Killen has always loved drawing and still likes nothing better than taking her sketchbook to the zoo to draw her favorite animals: rhinos and penguins. She designed cards before starting an MA in children’s book illustration at Cambridge School of Art, and since then she has been working on her own books, including The Little Kitten, The Little Bear, The Little Tiger, The Little Puppy, The Little Rabbit, and The Little Reindeer, which was called “an original and entertaining Christmas story with its own understated charm” in a starred review by Kirkus Reviews and “magical” by Publishers Weekly. Nicola Killen lives and works in Cambridge, England.

Nicola Killen has always loved drawing and still likes nothing better than taking her sketchbook to the zoo to draw her favorite animals: rhinos and penguins. She designed cards before starting an MA in children’s book illustration at Cambridge School of Art, and since then she has been working on her own books, including The Little Kitten, The Little Bear, The Little Tiger, The Little Puppy, The Little Rabbit, and The Little Reindeer, which was called “an original and entertaining Christmas story with its own understated charm” in a starred review by Kirkus Reviews and “magical” by Publishers Weekly. Nicola Killen lives and works in Cambridge, England.

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2017
Killen (Fluff and Billy) brings an understated style to a quietly magical tale of holiday miracles and nighttime adventure, originally published in the U.K. When a mysterious jingling awakens Ollie on Christmas Eve, she hops out of bed and zips down a snow-covered hill on her sled—“whooooooosh!”—until she reaches a dark wood. Ollie’s head-to-toe reindeer pajamas (antlers included) and the toy reindeer she carries make her personal fascinations clear to readers while hinting at what lies in the forest. After the girl spots a reindeer collar dangling from a branch, she returns it to its rightful owner, and is treated to a midnight ride home, captured in a wordless spread of girl and reindeer ascending, triumphantly, into the night sky. Die cuts, foil accents, and bits of red detailing bring flair to Killen’s hushed black-and-white snowscapes. Ages 4–8. Agent: Elizabeth Roy, Elizabeth Roy Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"This will be an ideal family readaloud in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas, whether or not the ground is blanketed with fresh snow." — BCCB

October 2017 - BCCB

★ 2017-08-21
On Christmas Eve, a little girl named Ollie meets one of Santa's reindeer. Ollie seems to be a big fan of reindeer, as she wears a furry reindeer costume to bed and sleeps with a stuffed reindeer toy. When she hears the sound of jingle bells late on Christmas Eve, Ollie goes outside alone with her sled to find the source. She finds a red collar with shiny, silver jingle bells and then meets a reindeer looking for the lost collar. Her new reindeer friend takes Ollie for a thrilling ride through the starry sky before delivering her home and rejoining the reindeer team for Christmas Eve deliveries. On Christmas morning Ollie finds her present from Santa, a snow globe with a tiny replica of her reindeer friend inside. Delightful illustrations in a muted palette of grays are enhanced with touches of deep red and shiny silver that stand out against the snow. Ollie's surprising ride on the reindeer's back is enchanting, shown in a wordless double-page spread with shiny jingle bells and a swath of silvery dots indicating the magical nature of reindeer flight. Subtle surprises include matching patterns on Ollie's bed quilt and the reindeer's saddle blanket as well as occasional, cleverly designed die-cut windows that offer a glimpse of the following page. Ollie and Santa are both white. One of those rare birds: an original and entertaining Christmas story with its own understated charm. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews