Cupig saves Christmas

PreS-Gr 2--Cupig, the pig who loves love, is back for a Christmas caper. When a sniffling, sneezing Santa needs help delivering Christmas presents, Cupig is happy to fill in. Flying off to the North Pole, Cupig receives a quick briefing on present delivery, but once on her way, things don't go quite to plan. Distracted by seasonal treats and decorations, Cupig forgets the presents and leaves a trail of holiday havoc. Fortunately, a still-under-the-weather Santa catches her blunders and sends her back out to fix her mistakes. With renewed focus, Cupig manages to save Christmas and learns a lesson about the joy of giving along the way. The rhyming text is jolly, though the rhythm sometimes stumbles: "The Tooth Fairy's at the dentist getting a cleaning. Cupig, will you please be Santa just for this evening?" Sayegh's playful, bright illustrations add humor to every spread, expanding on Cupig's mix-ups, which include tidying up the snack left for Santa and launching an arrow at a giant inflatable lawn decoration. The combination of Cupig's over-confident approach to the task at hand and her well-intentioned bumbling make her a charming holiday hero. VERDICT A fun and festive choice for holiday collections.--Alia Shields

When Santa falls ill one year, Cupig must deliver the presents. Still clad in heart-dotted underpants, the plump, porcine hero introduced inCupig: The Valentine's Day Pig (2023) also sports fuzzy mittens and a woolen hat now that winter is here. She's looking forward to Christmas…but then she receives alarming news. Santa has come down with a dreadful cold, and the other holiday helpers are unavailable (the Tooth Fairy has a dentist appointment, and the Easter Bunny's on vacation). So Cupig must save the day. After a brief orientation, she sails off into the night sky on Santa's sleigh, but her Christmas knowledge is a bit lacking, and she makes some blunders along the way. She thinks that the twinkle lights that many people have put up are a fire hazard and takes them all down, and, worried that the treats left for Santa will attract pests, she cleans them all up properly. Cupig is so distracted by the disasters that she forgets to deliver many of the gifts. Santa isn't pleased when she returns with a sleigh still full of presents. But when Cupig goes back to right her wrongs, she adds a special Valentine touch--a little bit of extra love. Tattersfield's rhymes, which tumble along merrily, add momentum to Cupig's adventure, while Sayegh's artwork, rendered in collage and digital painting, oozes sweetness and charm. Another holiday enlivened by this bumbling, lovable piggy protagonist.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.