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Author-illustrator team Stephen Krensky and S.D. Schindler are once again intent on demystifying the big guy in red-. They seem to be having a good time doing it, and it's pretty hard not to get caught up in the fun.

Just as they did in How Santa Got His Job, a tongue-in-cheek account of Santa's circuitous entr�e into the Christmas biz, Krensky and Schindler go behind the scenes to t... More

Author-illustrator team Stephen Krensky and S.D. Schindler are once again intent on demystifying the big guy in red-. They seem to be having a good time doing it, and it's pretty hard not to get caught up in the fun.

Just as they did in How Santa Got His Job, a tongue-in-cheek account of Santa's circuitous entr�e into the Christmas biz, Krensky and Schindler go behind the scenes to tell another true story from the life of Mr. Claus. This time, the trouble starts in the North Pole employee break room, as some of the elves are grumbling over coffee and donuts about Santa's annual procrastination and last-minute rush: "Why can't Santa plan better?" "How come he's so slow?" One bespectacled elf named Muckle goes further: "Santa is too set in his ways.... He wastes time and energy." Sure, but what can you do? Santa's "only human." And that gives Muckle his big idea.

In a few months, the Deliverator is unveiled, an automated, UFO-style, present-delivery solution that might just put Santa out of a job. Well, there's actually no "might" about it--remember the book's title--but Santa doesn't go down without a head-to-head, John Henry-style competition. You can imagine how this goes: both manage to whiz down the chimney in a second flat, but only Santa stops for milk and cookies--"Chocolate chip... my favorite."

So the only question remaining is whether and when Santa gets his groove back. And between Krensky's carefully staged story and Schindler's playful, often subtle illustrations (schematics of the Deliverator, a frazzled Muckle on his laptop), you can bet you'll have a good time finding out. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

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