Jingle Bells
By Regan McMahon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Pretty art, wordless ride are fun backdrop to famous carol.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
The lyrics to JINGLE BELLS float over a snowy landscape and a wordless adventure in which a young boy and girl and their little white dog start off on a sleigh ride and hit a bump, and the dog takes off on an adventure with a variety of of winter woodland creatures. Eventually the kids and pooch reunite at Grandma's house -- with Santa himself! They open gifts while he's still there, and then they all head to a frozen pond for ice skating and hockey, surrounded by local animals.
Is It Any Good?
The snowy art and realistically rendered animals make this mostly wordless tale fun and engaging. The carol's lyrics provide a nice thread but are almost beside the point. The action and humor are in the pictures that tell the kids' and dog's story. A charming addition to the holiday bookshelf.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the animals and bird shown in Jingle Bells. Which ones could you name? Which ones were new to you?
How do you think the words of the Christmas carol "Jingle Bells" mix with the story of the kids and their dog getting separated in the snow? Will you think of their story the next time you hear the song?
How did you like the twist at the end with Santa?
Book Details
- Author: Susan Jeffers
- Illustrator: Susan Jeffers
- Genre: Holiday
- Topics: Holidays, Horses and Farm Animals, Wild Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date: September 26, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Hardback
- Last updated: October 20, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate