School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-When commercialism threatens to overtake the season, this song reminds readers that a gift from the heart brings great joy to both the giver and the receiver. Rodanas's colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations depict a young boy in a tattered robe carrying a doumbek, representative of drums in the Middle East. The single line of text per page coupled with the richly hued double-page illustrations make this story ideal for sharing. The musical score and lyrics to all three verses appear on the last page. Even libraries that have Ezra Jack Keats's version (Viking, 2000) may want this one for its fresh interpretation of Bethlehem, the humble stable, and the range of emotion expressed in the boy's face and demeanor.-G. C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Carolers can also sing along with The Little Drummer Boy, illus. by Kristina Rodanas. The artist's majestic desert landscapes offer dramatic contrast to the intimacy of the modest stable. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
