SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: The Wire Zoo
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://natashawing.com/
CITY: Fort Collins
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 399
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born February 7, 1960, in Milford, CT; daughter of Alexander Paul and Paula Lazutin; married Daniel Brian Wing (a civil engineer), January 16, 1988.
EDUCATION:Attended Fairleigh Dickinson University; Arizona State University, B.S., 1982.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Marketer, entrepreneur, and writer. Arizona Republic/Phoenix Gazette, Phoenix, AZ, member of staff, 1982-88; MTC Associates (advertising agency), Arcata, CA, account representative, 1988-90; author, 1992—. Friends of the McKinleyville Library, former president. Pet sitter, 2022—.
AVOCATIONS:Collecting signed children’s books, vintage ornaments, sterling silver snowflakes, and flattened pennies; hiking.
MEMBER:International Reading Association, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Northern Colorado Writers.
AWARDS:Notable Children’s Book designation, American Library Association, and Eureka! Honor Book Award, California Reading Association, both 2009, both for An Eye for Color.
WRITINGS
Contributor to anthologies, including Writers in the Kitchen: Children’s Book Authors Share Memories of Their Favorite Recipes, edited by Tricia Gardella, Boyds Mills Press, 1998; and Sweet Dreams: 5-Minute Bedtime Stories, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. Contributor to periodicals, including Babybug, Girls’ Life, Hopscotch, and Highlights for Children. Also author of e-books and activity books.
SIDELIGHTS
Natasha Wing is the author of dozens of books for young children, many of which are part of her “Night Before …” series. She began her career working in public relations and advertising for a decade. Explaining to Kidsbook Friends the cause of her momentous career shift, Wing explained: “The book that inspired me to write children’s books is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. When I saw that book at a Christmas fair, I picked it up and had a white light experience. All the people around me disappeared and I was spotlighted in white sparkly light (I know, it sounds airy fairy). That’s when I decided I wanted to make magic for kids by writing children’s stories.” Other titles Wing has written include An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers, a biography about a man who merged an artist’s vision with science to establish a formalized study of color theory. Albers happened to be a neighbor of Wing’s during her childhood years in Connecticut.
Jalapeño Bagels, one of Wing’s earliest books, is about a Jewish boy named Pablo who shares a favorite family treat with his class at school. Stephanie Zvirin wrote in a Booklist review that “Wing’s simple, affectionate portrait of a mixed family should have wide general appeal.” In Go to Bed, Monster! a young girl hoping to avoid bedtime takes crayon to paper and draws a playful but somewhat mischievous companion that takes on a life of its own. “Knowing toddlers will eagerly reach for their own box of crayons,” a Kirkus Reviews critic predicted in discussing the response to Go to Bed, Monster!, and in School Library Journal Kristen Frey cited Wing’s engaging and breezy text and characters.”
Wing examines a pioneering figure of modern art and design in An Eye for Color, a book illustrated by Julie Breckenreid. A German-born painter and designer who immigrated to the United States in 1933, Albers is best known for his experiments with color interaction, especially his seminal “Homage to the Square” series. Wing, who as a child lived on the same street as Albers, “brings warmth and sensibility to her subject,” according to a Kirkus Reviews writer. A “spare, engaging text paired with striking gouache illustrations make this book a perfect choice,” Barbara Auerbach commented in appraising An Eye for Color in School Library Journal.
In How to Raise a Dinosaur, Wing offers a humorous take on pet ownership. A smooth-talking youngster counsels readers on the benefits of purchasing a dinosaur while noting that the giant creatures have unique needs—from diet to training to toys—that must be met. Critiquing the story in School Library Journal, Anne Beier described How to Raise a Dinosaur as a “hilarious parable meets cautionary tale that reads like a guide to puppy care.”
Wing depicts a famous figure’s involvement with a famous landmark in When Jackie Saved Grand Central: The True Story of Jacqueline Kennedy’s Fight for an American Icon. The book opens by showing readers how Jackie Kennedy, wife of President John F. Kennedy, bolstered American pride by refurbishing the once-musty White House. Her later life brought her to New York, where she became a powerful figurehead in a collective effort to prevent developers from destroying Grand Central Station to make way for a skyscraper. Booklist reviewer Ilene Cooper proclaimed, “What a great idea for a book! Activism, architecture, history, and a glamorous First Lady all come together” to promote the notion that landmarks should be not mined for profit but “saved for the people.” A Kirkus Reviews writer hailed Wing’s presentation of an “inspiring historical episode” that makes a “strong case for the general value of preserving our country’s architectural treasures.” This reviewer affirmed that When Jackie Saved Grand Central proves “grand, in several ways.”
Bagel in Love is the whimsical tale of a dapper, tap-dancing bagel who hankers for a partner for the Cherry Jubilee Dance Contest. Striving to keep his spirits up past rejections from many a fancy pastry, Bagel at last meets Cupcake, his veritable red-velvet soul mate. Booklist reviewer Annie Greengoss found that snazzy Bagel and the baking puns make for “oodles of fun” and lauded Bagel in Love as “humorous, lighthearted fare with a heartening ending and chuckle-worthy jokes.”
[open new]An ingenious material artist is the subject of Wing’s picture book The Wire Zoo: How Elizabeth Berrien Learned to Turn Wire into Amazing Art, illustrated by Joanie Stone. Born in 1950, Elizabeth Berrien grew up in an era when conformity was the norm; despite being left-handed, she was taught by schoolteachers to draw with her right. As such she only floundered, and by high school an art teacher was ready to dismiss her efforts as “sloppy.” This was especially frustrating because she had always adored animals, perceiving lines of energy and strength in their bodies, and wanted to convey that energy through her art. Fortunately Elizabeth also learned to knit as a youth, an activity that got both hands working and fine-tuned her coordination. When a more thoughtful teacher, Mr. Curran, sought to unleash her creativity by handing her a roll of wire, Elizabeth delighted in the world of possibility the medium opened up. She honed her skill with sculpture after sculpture, culminating in a life-sized winged horse and an artist’s residency at—where else—a zoo. In artistic circles Berrien became known as “the Godmother of Wire.”
A Publishers Weekly reviewer remarked that the “in-depth presentation of Berrien’s highs and lows underscores the way that making can take a meandering path.” Affirming that Berrien’s “struggles to conform to right-handed drawing will resonate with readers who move, think, and learn” differently from others, a Kirkus Reviews writer praised The Wire Zoo as an “encouraging celebration of persistence and self-expression.”[suspend new]
Wing launched what would become her long-running “Night Before…” series when she wanted to capture the anticipation and joy she experienced at Easter time the way Yuletide experiences are celebrated in Clement C. Moore’s poem The Night Before Christmas. Her series books echo the rhythm and rhyme of that famous work while commemorating occasions ranging from holidays aplenty to school and summer events to youthful milestones.
For later “Night Before …” titles Wing has collaborated with coauthors to ensure the accurate depiction of cultural details. She told Cara Broel of Bookstr, “I enjoy collaborating because the consultants bring their experience of a holiday to the story. It’s the personal details that make a story more heart-warming and engaging.” Wing and Lingfeng Ho wrote The Night Before Lunar New Year, which foregrounds a parade, firecrackers, dragon dances, a lion mascot, red envelopes, hanging poems, lantern lighting, and more of the Asian holiday’s hallmarks. School Library Journal reviewer Melanie Leivers observed that the “simple, rhyming text will engage young readers,” and a Kirkus Reviews writer commended the book as “a cheerful and thorough look at Chinese Lunar New Year.”
[resume new]Written with Kirsti Jewel, The Night Before Kwanzaa finds a young boy excited for his grandmother to visit for Kwanzaa celebrations, with the text explaining the Swahili words surrounding the candle-holding kinara. In a School Library Journal review, Peggy Henderson Murphy observed that “the material is accurate and well-constructed.” Included in The Night Before Passover are a quick retelling of the book of Exodus, some parsley dipping, and nighttime visions of matzo balls. Rachel Kumin noted in School Library Journal that “the simple rhyming text scans well.”[close new]
“I am intrigued by children’s curiosity and openness to fantasy,” Wing once told SATA. “I am also a believer in 1 + 1 = 3. When you put two things together, such as a story and illustrations, the result is greater than what you expected. That’s what I find so exciting about picture books—and life!”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, June 1, 1996, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Jalapeño Bagels, p. 1737; November 1, 2007, Hazel Rochman, review of Go to Bed, Monster!, p. 54; July 1, 2009, Gillian Engberg, review of An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers, p. 59; November 1, 2010, Daniel Kraus, review of How to Raise a Dinosaur, p. 77; March 15, 2017, Ilene Cooper, review of When Jackie Saved Grand Central: The True Story of Jacqueline Kennedy’s Fight for an American Icon, p. 41; November 15, 2017, Annie Greengoss, review of Bagel in Love, p. 56.
Horn Book, January-February, 2010, Lolly Robinson, review of An Eye for Color, p. 106.
Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2007, review of Go to Bed, Monster!; July 15, 2009, review of An Eye for Color; February 15, 2017, review of When Jackie Saved Grand Central; November 1, 2022, review of The Night Before Lunar New Year; August 1, 2024, review of The Wire Zoo: How Elizabeth Berrien Learned to Turn Wire into Amazing Art.
Publishers Weekly, May 2, 1994, review of Hippity Hop, Frog on Top, p. 305; September 2, 2024, review of The Wire Zoo, p. 62.
School Library Journal, October, 2002, Susan Patron, review of The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, p. 65; October, 2007, Kristen Frey, review of Go to Bed, Monster!, p. 130; September, 2009, Barbara Auerbach, review of An Eye for Color, p. 149; January, 2011, Annie Beier, review of How to Raise a Dinosaur, p. 86; December, 2022, Melanie Leivers, review of The Night Before Lunar New Year, p. 72; September, 2023, Peggy Henderson Murphy, review of The Night Before Kwanzaa, p. 86; March, 2024, Rachel Kamin, review of The Night Before Passover, p. 63.
ONLINE
Allison’s Book Bag, https://allisonsbookbag.wordpress.com/ (April 4, 2017), “Interview with Natasha Wing.”
Bookstr, https://bookstr.com/ (December 6, 2024), Cara Broel, “Celebration & Assurance: Natasha Wing on Her Popular Children’s Series.”
Children’s Book Review, https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/ (November 18, 2014), “My Writing and Reading Life: Natasha Wing, Author of The Night Before Hanukkah.”
Kidsbook Friends, https://kidsbookfriends.com/ (February 12, 2015), author interview.
Natasha Wing website, http://natashawing.com (April 12, 2025).
Sandra Bornstein website, https://sandrabornstein.com/ (December 1, 2014), “Q&A with Natasha Wing.”
School Library Journal, http://www.slj.com/ (February 14, 2025), Lindsey Morrison, review of The Night Before the Virtual Dentist.
Shoutout Colorado, https://shoutoutcolorado.com/ (January 19, 2021), “Meet Natasha Wing: Bestselling Children’s Author.”
Simon & Schuster website, http://www.simonandschuster.com/ (December 1, 2012), “Author Revealed: Natasha Wing.”
Hello and Welcome!
I’m Natasha Wing, The Night Before Queen™ and author of The Night Before series as well as other fiction and non-fiction books for children. Funny thing is I also write joke books. I've been publishing for more than 34 years so come see what I've produced during my career.
About the Author
Why am I a writer?
When I was a young girl, I wanted to be a teacher. I’d line up my stuffed animals in front of a board with magnetic letters and numbers and teach them the alphabet and how to count. In high school I wanted to be a tennis player. I was on the tennis team and played at our neighborhood tennis club in the summers – and even competed in tournaments. Then in college I thought digging dinosaur bones would be a cool job. Or working at a big time advertising agency. It wasn’t until after college, when I was working in public relations, that I had my "magical moment."
The Magical Moment At a Christmas bazaar, I spied Chris Van Allsburg's book, The Polar Express. When I picked it up and started flipping through the pages, all of a sudden the people around me disappeared and it was just me and the book in a beam of sparkly white light. I remember being in awe of the magic of his story and illustrations. After closing the book, the light disappeared and the people returned. It is at that moment I decided I wanted to write children’s books. I wanted to see if my active imagination could create magical moments for kids all over the world. So I started writing. Luckily, I sold my first manuscript, Hippity Hop, Frog on Top, in 1992. I’ve been writing ever since.
Why I write now.
I love the freedom of being my own boss, of coming up with ideas, and writing that first draft to see if my idea has any spark. I’m not so crazy about the revising process although there are thrilling moments when I figure out a better way to say something, nail dialog, or work through a complicated plot line. The most exciting moment is when an editor says they want to publish my story. Then I know all my hard work has paid off, and that soon, children will enter my imaginative world through a book.
Celebration & Assurance: Natasha Wing on Her Popular Children’s Series
We chat with the author of The Night Before series on what inspired her thirty-year career of crafting stories about children’s biggest days.
Cara Broel – December 6th, 2024
Author InterviewsAuthor's CornerFemale VoicesRecommendationsYoung Readers
A smiling white woman with gray hair in a black blouse is next to the cover of three picture books: The Night Before Kwanzaa, The Night Before Kindergarten, and The Night Before Hanukkah, over a background of an illustrated city at night. Text reads "Interview with Natasha Wing"
Follow Us
For over thirty years, celebrated children’s author Natasha Wing has been writing books that help children face the anticipation of — and get excited for — some of the most notable days of their lives: the first day of kindergarten, a visit to the dentist, dance recitals, summer camp, and more. The Night Before series boasts over forty titles and several Spanish-language translations, with millions of copies sold. She’s also published a variety of biographical titles, aimed at teaching kids about figures such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Josef Albers, and Elizabeth Berrien. We had the chance to speak with Natasha on what drives her passion for creating books for children. Read on to find out what she had to say!
About Natasha Wing
Natasha Wing has published 55 children’s books, with more in the works. Her latest release is The Wire Zoo (2024). Some of her titles include The Night Before Kindergarten, which has sold more than 2.5 million copies and has regularly been on bestseller lists since its publication in 2001. The Night Before Halloween has sold more than 800,000 copies. Wing’s multicultural book, Jalapeño Bagels, is a favorite among elementary school teachers and students. The story is based on a real bakery in Arcata, California, and includes recipes from the bakery. The book is about a mixed family that is Jewish and Mexican.
An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers, is about a neighbor of hers when she was growing up in Connecticut, who, as the artist of the “Homage to the Square” paintings, studied color for 27 years, changing how teachers taught color. When Jackie Saved Grand Central is a narrative nonfiction about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s fight to save the famous train terminal in New York City. The book received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus, is a Colorado Authors’ League winner, and is also published in Chinese.
Several of her poems appear in anthologies, and she has also written joke books as well as articles for children’s magazines such as Highlights and Babybug. Natasha lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband, Dan, and cat, Purrsia. She collects squished pennies and loves hiking and champagne.
Author Natasha Wing, a smiling white woman with white hair wearing a black blouse in front of a gray background.
IMAGE VIA NATASHA WING
Thank you for talking with us, Natasha! Let’s get started!
For any readers unfamiliar with your books, can you give an elevator pitch for your work? What kinds of stories do you create?
The Night Before series celebrates holidays, school, and big events in kids’ lives. I also like to write little-known biographies of little-known people.
Book cover of "Natasha Wing's The Night Before Kindergarten," illustrated by Julie Durrell, featuring an illustration of a white child sitting on a bed, packing school supplies into an open backpack while a brown dog watches.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP
What or who was the inspiration behind The Night Before series?
The inspiration is The Night Before Christmas. It was one of my favorite childhood Christmas stories since I liked the lead-up to and anticipation of Christmas more than Christmas Day.
Book cover of "The Night Before Christmas: The Classic Edition" by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Charles Santore, featuring an illustration of a pale-skinned, winking Santa with long white beard and hair, surrounded by wisps of smoke.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP
You’ve been crafting tales for young minds for over three decades. What enduring qualities of children’s literature have remained constant, even as the world around us has changed? How have you incorporated these timeless elements into your work?
I think the enduring qualities are seeing oneself in a character and reassurance. In The Night Before series, I typically have an anxious moment that gets resolved in a creative way, which gives the message that everything’s going to be okay in the end.
You’ve taken on the task of representing cultures and identities that are often underrepresented in children’s literature. What obstacles have you faced in ensuring your stories are both accurate and engaging?
I write a series that includes many holidays and celebrations across cultures and religions. The challenge is that I am not all of the diverse people and religions that I write about. Writers have the superpower of empathy and putting themselves in other people’s shoes. I have empathy, plus I do research, conduct interviews, and work with cultural consultants to make sure details are accurate.
Book cover of "Natasha Wing's The Night Before Hanukkah," illustrated by Amy Wummer, featuring an illustration of two white children embracing while looking up at a menorah with the center candle and first candle lit.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP
How has collaborating with cultural consultants enriched your writing process? What have you learned about incorporating diverse perspectives into your stories?
I enjoy collaborating because the consultants bring their experience of a holiday to the story. It’s the personal details that make a story more heart-warming and engaging. I learn even more about the holiday than I would by Googling. In the brainstorming process, we always come up with a fresh take that gets me even more excited to write the story.
Book cover for "Natasha Wing's The Night Before Kwanzaa," illustrated by Amy Wummer, featuring an illustration of a brown-skinned child and adult wearing colorful dashikis, unpacking fresh fruits and corn from a bag to display around a kinara with unlit candles.
IMAGE VIA AMAZON
As a writer, what have you learned from interacting with the children in your life? How have these experiences helped you connect with young readers on a deeper level?
I don’t have any children, but I have friends that do. A few stories have been inspired by things kids have told their parents that the parents have shared with me. It helps me see things through a child’s eye rather than filtered through my adult brain.
Are there any children’s authors whose work you particularly admire? Can you share a favorite book and why it resonates with you?
The Polar Express was the book that sparked my interest in writing for children. I loved the illustrations and the feeling that you were entering a timeless classic.
Book cover of "The Polar Express" featuring an illustration of a a black steam engine on a suburban street at night while snow flurries fall heavily.
IMAGE VIA BOOKSHOP
We give our immense thanks to Natasha for taking the time to talk about her work with us! Be sure to check out her website at NatashaWing.com and follow her on Instagram at @natashawing for updates on The Night Before series and all of her other wonderfully inspiring children’s books.
WING, Natasha. The Night Before the Virtual Dentist. illus. by Nathalie Beauvois. 32p. (The Night Before). Grosset & Dunlap. Apr. 2025. pap. $5.99. ISBN 9780593891018.
PreS-Gr 2—Be introduced to a new version of dental care with a thoughtful story to explain every step of the process. A young boy is told that a dental team will be visiting his school to check on their teeth to make sure they are healthy. His teacher goes over a few healthy habits in anticipation of the visit the next day. The boy is called for his dental visit the next day, and the dental hygienist set up in a classroom goes through every step of the process with him. With a clean, happy smile, the boy knows he can trust his dental team to keep him healthy. Told through a familiar rhyming pattern, this is a nice tool for preparing children for a dental visit. The illustrations offer a colorful and cheerful setting with a broad representation of cultures and abilities.
VERDICT: A fine addition for collections in rural areas that practice this style of dental services.—Lindsey Morrison
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
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Morrison, Lindsey. "The Night Before the Virtual Dentist." WebOnlyReviewsSLJ, vol. 71, no. 2, 14 Feb. 2025, p. 1. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A829620124/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=51371007. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
The Wire Zoo: How Elizabeth Berrien Learned to Turn Wire into Amazing Art
Natasha Wing, illus. by Joanie Stone. S&S/Wiseman, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-66594-076-4
Wing highlights the importance of perseverance for sculptor Elizabeth Berrien (b. 1950), "the Godmother of Wire," in this extended biography. An early connection with animals leads Berrien to art as an expressive medium ("Her mind imagined lines flowing across the surface of their bodies"), but methods such as drawing soon prove frustrating for the left-handed artist, who is forced to work right-handed. After an open-minded teacher introduces her to wire, "she'd found the thing that expressed the beauty she'd seen all her life." Using the new material for sculptures becomes her passion, culminating in the creation of magnificent life-size horses for a store window and a zoo appointment as artist-in-residence. Stone's smooth, realistic digital renderings showcase the protagonist's inquisitive nature, while flowing fine lines visualize her preferred material. The in-depth presentation of Berrien's highs and lows underscores the way that making can take a meandering path. Secondary characters are depicted with various skin tones. Back matter offers more about the figure. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
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"The Wire Zoo: How Elizabeth Berrien Learned to Turn Wire into Amazing Art." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 33, 2 Sept. 2024, p. 62. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A812513336/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=38eb4e6b. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
Wing, Natasha THE WIRE ZOO Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $18.99 10, 29 ISBN: 9781665940764
How sculptor Elizabeth Berrien became "Godmother of Wire."
Elizabeth loved animals but could never draw them as she saw them: composed of graceful lines. With her right hand, she could draw only scribbles. When she knitted using both hands, however, "her brain began rewiring her eyes and hands to work together." But Elizabeth, who'd been taught to use her right hand despite being left-handed, couldn't master drawing, and her high school art teacher's dismissal of her "sloppy work" nearly convinced her to give up art altogether. Fortunately, another teacher, Mr. Curran, encouraged creative problem-solving, renewing her enthusiasm. When he gave her a roll of wire, Elizabeth's hands could finally express "the beauty she'd seen all her life." With practice, she figured out how to shape wire into animals, which earned her acclaim as a "true wire sculptor" and led to her biggest challenge: creating a life-size winged horse exhibit. Working through pain and fear of failure, Elizabeth triumphed. Invited to be an animal park's resident artist, Elizabeth realized that, with her sculptures, she was at last sharing the animals' "energy lines, their life forces," with the world. Though somewhat static, Stone's soft-edged illustrations clearly convey Elizabeth's emotions, and the artist's struggles to conform to right-handed drawing will resonate with readers who move, think, and learn in ways that differ from expectations. Backmatter includes further biographical details and color photos of Berrien's work. Elizabeth presents white; background characters are racially diverse.
An encouraging celebration of persistence and self-expression.(Picture-book biography. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Wing, Natasha: THE WIRE ZOO." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A802865225/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c3e6d76a. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
WING, Natasha. The Night Before Passover. illus. by Nathalie Beauvois. 32p. (The Night Before). Grosset & Dunlap. Feb. 2024. pap. $5.99. ISBN 9780593519837.
PreS-Gr 1--"'Twas the night before Passover--our kitchen's super clean. No more bread, no more doughnuts, not a crumb to be seen." Mom, Dad, and two children clean the house, set the table, and briefly retell the story of the Exodus. Then, after they nestle all snug in their beds "while visions of matzo balls dance in our heads," they welcome their guests to celebrate the holiday. They dip parsley in salt water, recite the Four Questions, eat dinner, and search for the hidden piece of matzo. None of the other Passover rituals or foods are described, and terms like Haggadah, seder, and haroseth are never explained, limiting the audience to children already familiar with the holiday. Bright, cheery watercolor and digital cartoon illustrations depict a contemporary white family, and the simple rhyming text scans well. Wing's long-running "The Night Before" series includes over a dozen different holidays. VERDICT While this might make for a fun read-aloud, it's an additional purchase for most libraries.--Rachel Kamin
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Kamin, Rachel. "WING, Natasha. The Night Before Passover." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 3, Mar. 2024, p. 63. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786340614/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=47fa646a. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
WING, Natasha & Kirsti Jewel. The Night Before Kwanzaa. illus. by Amy Wummer. 32p. (The Night Before). Grosset & Dunlap. Oct. 2023. pap. $5.99. ISBN 9780593519752.
K-Gr 3--The latest installment in the "The Night Before" series, which deals with holidays and common experiences in children's lives, this time focuses on Kwanzaa. A young boy is excited because his grandmother is visiting for Kwanzaa. With her and the rest of the family, the boy takes readers through the holiday. Each page tells the meaning of a different object, food, or tradition used during the celebration. The text provides the Swahili word and pronunciation of each candle in the kinara, and then describes the meaning. The material is accurate and well-constructed, but there is nothing special or unique that creates any excitement. All the books in the series use the same style of illustrations, which is unfortunate when considering the diversity of the topics. VERDICT This book will not inspire curiosity about Kwanzaa, nor does it have characters or a story that children will connect with.--Peggy Henderson Murphy
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Murphy, Peggy Henderson. "WING, Natasha & Kirsti Jewel. The Night Before Kwanzaa." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 9, Sept. 2023, p. 86. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A762831834/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=44df9336. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.