Ever wonder what Santa was like as a child? Award-winning author/illustrator Jon Agee brings us the funny, playful answer in this Christmas picture book destined to become a classic.
Little Santa loves the North Pole. The rest of his family? Not so much. So, when they decide to move to Florida, Santa is miserable. Lucky for him, a blizzard foils their plans. The only way out of the house is up the chimney. Up goes Santa, to look for help, and along the way, he meets a reindeer and a large group of elves, who are more than eager to join in the rescue!
With the sly humor of Jon Klassen and the read-aloud pleasure of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this tale of Santa’s beginnings is perfect for every kid’s holiday library.
From Booklist: *Starred Review* Mr. and Mrs. Claus live at the North Pole with their children—Larry, Mary, Willy, Millie, Joey, Zoe, and Santa. Life’s not easy, what with the constant chores. Only little Santa (decked out in a red-hooded onesie) savors both the work and the fun of living in a snowy land. Also, he likes sliding down the sooty chimney. Finally, the Claus family has had enough. They are moving to Florida—until a blizzard snows them in. It’s up to Santa to climb up the chimney and get help, first in the form of a flying reindeer and then from a houseful of elves. The story itself is amusing, albeit a bit thin, but the pictures are flat-out wonderful. A clever oversize design gives the pages importance, and the art has the same scope and vision. Using a mostly snow-white background (natch), Agee sets up his thickly outlined characters to fill the pages. The scope of the artwork allows readers to see all sorts of clever details. In one inventively packed picture of the elves at work, viewers are able to pick out Santa only by his red hood. In fact, most of the funny moments come in the art, as when Santa initially spies the reindeer, and he is buried so deep in the snow that he thinks the animal’s horns are a tree branch. Thanks to the short text and big pictures, this will be especially fine for holiday story hours. Make it a tradition! Preschool-Kindergarten. –Ilene Cooper
“Santa’s origins are explained in [this] quirky exploration of how Santa, the elves and the flying reindeer found their callings . . . A cheerful, original Christmas tale.”—Kirkus (starred review)
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Dial (October 17, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0803739060
ISBN-13: 978-0803739062
When I came to work at First Book, I heard a lot about Book Expo America (BEA) - a weekend-long event for publishers, booksellers, educators and anyone who loves books and reading.
But it wasn’t until the following year when I experienced the show for myself that I truly understood what my colleagues were talking about. So many authors and books all under one roof! And did I mention that the galley copies of the books are free? Oh yes, my suitcase was twice as heavy when I came back from BEA that year.
This year, First Book is celebrating the books that made us readers for life with our “A Book Today, A Friend Forever” campaign, thanks to the support of our partners Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Book Expo America.
If you’re going to be at BEA in New York this weekend (May 29-31), look for us at booth #734 in the Javits Center. We’ll donate a new book in your honor just for stopping by!
We’ll also have great authors signing copies of their latest books at our booth - including James Patterson, Mo Willems, Kate DiCamillo and many more - you won’t want to miss it! Check out the full schedule of authors signing at the First Book booth after the jump and find out more about Book Expo America by visiting www.firstbook.org/bea and www.bookexpoamerica.com.
Friday, May 29
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Lucy Hawking, George’s Cosmic Treasure Hunt (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Mo Willems, Elephants Cannot Dance! (Hyperion Books for Children)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Michael Winerip, Adam Canfield: The Last Reporter (Candlewick Press)
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Linda Sue Park, Keeping Score (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
4:00PM – 4:30 PM
John Rocco, Moonpowder (Disney-Hyperion)
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Jon Agee, Orangutan Tongs (Disney-Hyperion)
Saturday, May 30
9:00 AM – 9:45 PM
Kate DiCamillo, Tale of Despereaux (Candlewick Press)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
James Patterson, Maximum Ride #4: The Final Warning (Little, Brown & Co.)
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Brandon Mull, Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
1:00PM – 2:00 PM
John Carter Cash, Momma Loves Her Little Son (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
Sunday, May 31
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Erica Perl, Chicken Bedtime is Really Early (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Matthew Reinhart, Pop Up Book of Nursery Rhymes (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
