Review Detail

DASHER CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS is a sweet holiday picture book that extends Dasher's story with a new tale of adventure and curiosity. Dasher loves living at the North Pole with her family, but as Christmas gets closer, she finds her impatience growing, ready to see Christmas lights and hear carols. As Christmas nears, Dasher feels like she cannot wait another night and sets out on her own to find some Christmas celebrations. She does, and it is just as wonderful as she imagined - but when she tries to head home, a storm prevents her from seeing the North Star, and she gets lost. With the help of a child and their compass, Dasher is able to find her way home in the nick of time.

What I loved: For fans of the original story, this sequel is sure to be a hit, expanding the story and world with more Christmas joy. The illustrations are elegant and lush, capturing the detailed scenes and characters beautifully. They have a classic and timeless feel that brings the story to life on each page. The plot itself repeats some of the phrasing and concepts of the first book, tying them together through their similarities, such as when Dasher leaves her sleeping family and when she flies. This story is complex and has some depth, which will appeal to older readers. Even with a dash of danger when Dasher gets lost temporarily, it manages to keep the holiday spirit and quickly resolves this with a new friend and help offered. The ending features a lovely thank you from Dasher and a special gift.

The child in the story is not gendered, which adds a nice touch for children to see themselves in the telling. The joy of the holidays and all the beauty in the celebration of Christmas is captured throughout the story, making this another classic to enjoy during the season.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, some of the pages were tough to read in low light, with font that was too close in color to the background. This makes it tough to read as a bedtime story. That being said, most pages featured the text printed in white boxes, which were high contrast and easy to read. Additionally, as another small thing, without the element of danger forcing Dasher to leave her family, this book features Dasher leaving her family and getting lost, which may be tough for sensitive readers and may be a concept worth discussing in terms of not sneaking away at nighttime.

Final verdict: DASHER CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS is a lovely picture book that embodies the Christmas spirit with a charming reindeer children know and love. Highly recommend for fans of the first story to expand their holiday reading with this joyful new tale featuring Dasher.