Matt Tavares

Dasher, the young doe who, together with her family of flying reindeer, revolutionized Santa's yearly Christmas Eve gift-giving journey in author/illustrator Matt Tavares' eponymous first picture book chronicling her adventures, returns in this second seasonal tale. Eager for Christmas, Dasher takes to the sky on the night before Christmas Eve, drawn by the sound of carols from the closest town. When a snowstorm obscures the North Star, the wayward deer cannot find her way home, and becomes confused and exhausted. Landing near an isolated house, Dasher is aided by a kindhearted young boy, eventually returning to the North Pole thanks to his help...

I loved Dasher when it came out in 2019, so when I heard that a follow-up had come out, I lost no time in requesting it from my local library. I am certainly glad that I did, as I found Dasher Can't Wait for Christmas a winsome Christmas picture book, one that pairs an engaging holiday adventure with some sweet illustrations. That being said, I can't say that I enjoyed this one as much as the first. Somehow, it just wasn't as emotionally engaging, and the artwork didn't seem quite on the same level. I can't actually recall the medium used in some of Tavares' other work, but here the illustrations were created digitally. Perhaps that was the difference? Or perhaps both books (as well as Tavares' gorgeous Red and Lulu) had digital artwork, and this one just didn't strike as much of a chord with me? Whatever the case might be, I don't want to overstate it. I still found this one charming, and think young fans of Santa, his reindeer, and the entire Santa Claus story will as well. It is to them, and to those who fell in love with Dasher in the first book, that I would recommend this book.… (more)

In Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas, Matt Tavares continues the endearing story line he began with Dasher, telling kids about Santa’s Christmas deliveries from the perspectives of Santa’s reindeer.

Dasher is the youngest of the reindeer helping Santa, and shares the same impatience and excitement for the holidays that many young children feel. As Tavares explained rel="nofollow" target="_top">in an interview: “Dasher is a little kid, in a lot of ways. She’s adventurous, curious, kind, and brave. And like a lot of little kids, Dasher has a very hard time waiting for Christmas!”

On the night before Christmas Eve, Dasher thought she heard Christmas carols, and got so excited, she ran off and flew towards the music. Then she saw colorful lights - Christmas lights! - and flew faster. She found them, and was enjoying the spectacle so much she barely noticed it had started to snow and that the sky had turned into a blanket of white. She couldn’t find the North Star, so she couldn’t find her way home to the North Pole.

Exhausted and hungry, she stopped at a house with a beautiful lit-up Christmas tree in the front yard. A little girl came out, and gave Dasher what she needed to find her way home. With Santa’s help, Dasher found a way to repay the child.

Evaluation: This heartwarming story and gorgeous illustrations also by Tavares will appeal to the intended audience of 3-8 in multiple ways. What kids can’t relate to the impatience they feel before a holiday, or getting carried away by excitement, or the fear of getting lost, the relief of getting saved, and the magic of the kindness of strangers? This book shows that Christmas is about more than getting gifts, while its lack of any religious content makes it relatable to kids of all faiths.

Note: You can see a book trailer on YouTube, here: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peiMrQ_6qts?si=Hm1YDWxAMtmd8oC6&w=560&h=...… (more)