Christmas in New York City!

The 18th book in Manzione and Lucco’s Bella & Harry series finds the two itinerant Chihuahuas in the Big Apple. The story works best taken as a travelogue, rather than a Christmas tale. Amid holiday activities like ice-skating and seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Bella shares scattered overviews of city highlights, including the five boroughs, details about New York’s location in the mid-Atlantic region, and backstory regarding the statue at Rockefeller Center: “Prometheus. He was a god in mythology and it is said he brought fire to mankind. Greek mythology can be a lot of fun, but right now... it’s all about Christmas in New York City!” Rambling writing and artwork that’s more successful at capturing city landmarks than the book’s human and canine characters can’t quite match the enthusiasm these two animals bring to their travels. Ages 5–10. (Oct.)