Status
Available
Call number
Call number
JHOL CHR TAV
Collection
Description
Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart. She spends her days with her family under the hot sun in a traveling circus, but she longs for a different life - one where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head. One day, when the opportunity arises, Dasher seizes her destiny and takes off in pursuit of the life she wants to live. It's not long before she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh - a man named Santa. And soon, with the help of a powerful Christmas wish, nothing will be the same.
Series
Genres
Publication
Candlewick (2019), Edition: Illustrated, 40 pages
Original language
English
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Dasher was a young doe who dreamed of freedom, and of following the North Star far away from J.P. Finnegan's Traveling Circus and Menagerie, where she and her reindeer family were kept captive. Late one winter night, when the pen was left open, she seized her chance, following the star with hope in
The second Christmas picture-book I have read from author/illustrator Matt Tavares, following upon his lovely New York-based Red and Lulu, Dasher is a beautiful origin story for Santa's reindeer team, long before the 'events' chronicled in that classic song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I enjoyed following along as Dasher made her bid for freedom, and found a calling more meaningful and joyous that anything she could have imagined. Not unexpectedly, given that this is Tavares, the artwork is simply gorgeous, full of color and an adept use of light and shadow. Highly recommended to all young Santa lovers, or to any child who has wondered about Santa's reindeer.
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her heart. Eventually she met a kind man in a red suit - a holiday gift-giver whose horse was getting too old and tired to pull his sleigh. It was then that Dasher stepped in to help out, setting in motion events that would free her family and lead them to their destiny as Santa's reindeer...The second Christmas picture-book I have read from author/illustrator Matt Tavares, following upon his lovely New York-based Red and Lulu, Dasher is a beautiful origin story for Santa's reindeer team, long before the 'events' chronicled in that classic song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I enjoyed following along as Dasher made her bid for freedom, and found a calling more meaningful and joyous that anything she could have imagined. Not unexpectedly, given that this is Tavares, the artwork is simply gorgeous, full of color and an adept use of light and shadow. Highly recommended to all young Santa lovers, or to any child who has wondered about Santa's reindeer.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Where did Santa get his reindeer? Author and illustrator Matt Tavares has created a wonderful “origin story” to explain.
There was a time, Tavares writes in a preface, when Santa’s sleigh was pulled by a single horse, named Silverbell. But as more and more children came to believe in the magic
In subsequent pages, we learn the story of Dasher, the youngest reindeer in a family that worked at J.P. Finnegan’s Traveling Circus and Menagerie:
“They spent long days crammed together under the hot sun as an endless stream of curious people jostled to catch a glimpse of them.”
At night, Dasher’s mama would tell them tales of a magical cold place under the North Star, where she and her husband used to roam free. They all wished they could be there instead of in the hot sun.
Dasher loved being with her family, but she also wished for “crisp, cold air and cool blankets of white snow.”
One windy night, the gate to the reindeer pen swung open and Dasher took her chance; she glanced up at the North Star and began to run away as fast as she could. After a while, she felt lost, and the North Star seemed no closer. Then she heard a soft jingling and saw a man in a red suit consoling his tired horse:
“‘I’m sorry, Santa,’ said the horse. ‘The sleigh is just so heavy this year.’”
Dasher, hearing that they needed to deliver gifts to children, whom Dasher loved, stepped forward and said she could help. Santa thanked her and attached her harness to his sled. Before she knew it, they were flying!
Dasher loved her new job, but missed her family, telling Santa, “I wish we could be together.” Santa smiled and said, “Let’s go find them.”
Santa had Dasher guide the sleigh all the way to J.P. Finnegan’s Traveling Circus and Menagerie. Dasher led her family to Santa’s sleigh, and Santa attached their harnesses. Off they went, and Tavaras writes:
“Late that night, as Santa and his new team of reindeer soared around the world, he called them by name for the very first time: ‘Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!”
He ends:
“On Christmas morning, after all the toys had been delivered, they flew back to the North Pole where they still live happily today.”
I admit I shed a tear of happiness at the end….
In an interview, Tavares describes how difficult the illustrations in this book turned out to be for him, and how he found the inspiration to deliver his magical product in the end. He concluded:
"I guess the point of sharing this is to remind people that this stuff isn’t always easy. Even for those of us who get to make books for a living, there are days when the words don’t come. And there are days when the paint doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. Even after two decades of writing and illustrating books, I am reminded of this with each new project.
But then there are days like today, when I get to take a story that has been a part of my life for so long and finally share it with readers. It may not be perfect, but I poured my heart into it, and I’m proud of how it turned out. After all the good and bad days of writing and drawing and painting, here it is.”
Evaluation: The heartwarming story and gorgeous illustrations will win over any skeptical audience in the 3-8 crowd, and probably some of the adult readers as well. I can see this becoming a permanent addition to a family’s library, with each new generation gazing in wide-eyed wonder at this beautiful story of love, hope, and fulfillment of dreams.
There was a time, Tavares writes in a preface, when Santa’s sleigh was pulled by a single horse, named Silverbell. But as more and more children came to believe in the magic
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of Christmas, Santa’s sleigh grew heavier, and Silverbell needed some help.In subsequent pages, we learn the story of Dasher, the youngest reindeer in a family that worked at J.P. Finnegan’s Traveling Circus and Menagerie:
“They spent long days crammed together under the hot sun as an endless stream of curious people jostled to catch a glimpse of them.”
At night, Dasher’s mama would tell them tales of a magical cold place under the North Star, where she and her husband used to roam free. They all wished they could be there instead of in the hot sun.
Dasher loved being with her family, but she also wished for “crisp, cold air and cool blankets of white snow.”
One windy night, the gate to the reindeer pen swung open and Dasher took her chance; she glanced up at the North Star and began to run away as fast as she could. After a while, she felt lost, and the North Star seemed no closer. Then she heard a soft jingling and saw a man in a red suit consoling his tired horse:
“‘I’m sorry, Santa,’ said the horse. ‘The sleigh is just so heavy this year.’”
Dasher, hearing that they needed to deliver gifts to children, whom Dasher loved, stepped forward and said she could help. Santa thanked her and attached her harness to his sled. Before she knew it, they were flying!
Dasher loved her new job, but missed her family, telling Santa, “I wish we could be together.” Santa smiled and said, “Let’s go find them.”
Santa had Dasher guide the sleigh all the way to J.P. Finnegan’s Traveling Circus and Menagerie. Dasher led her family to Santa’s sleigh, and Santa attached their harnesses. Off they went, and Tavaras writes:
“Late that night, as Santa and his new team of reindeer soared around the world, he called them by name for the very first time: ‘Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!”
He ends:
“On Christmas morning, after all the toys had been delivered, they flew back to the North Pole where they still live happily today.”
I admit I shed a tear of happiness at the end….
In an interview, Tavares describes how difficult the illustrations in this book turned out to be for him, and how he found the inspiration to deliver his magical product in the end. He concluded:
"I guess the point of sharing this is to remind people that this stuff isn’t always easy. Even for those of us who get to make books for a living, there are days when the words don’t come. And there are days when the paint doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. Even after two decades of writing and illustrating books, I am reminded of this with each new project.
But then there are days like today, when I get to take a story that has been a part of my life for so long and finally share it with readers. It may not be perfect, but I poured my heart into it, and I’m proud of how it turned out. After all the good and bad days of writing and drawing and painting, here it is.”
Evaluation: The heartwarming story and gorgeous illustrations will win over any skeptical audience in the 3-8 crowd, and probably some of the adult readers as well. I can see this becoming a permanent addition to a family’s library, with each new generation gazing in wide-eyed wonder at this beautiful story of love, hope, and fulfillment of dreams.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibrarianRyan
How did Santa get his flying reindeer? Why from a traveling circus of course. With a little help from a brave reindeer named Dasher, who was brave enough to take the first step.
LibraryThing member NadineC.Keels
Besides the winter-magic atmosphere set by the wonderful book cover and the intriguing one-word (that is, one-name) title, what most drew me to this children's book is the fact that Dasher is a girl in this take on Santa's reindeer.
Once I read it, delighting in the full and lovely illustrations, I
Once I read it, delighting in the full and lovely illustrations, I
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quite appreciated the family theme. What a warm and uplifting tale! Show Less
ISBN
1536201375 / 9781536201376