Review Detail

This year, Santa Claus has encountered a problem: there are too many kids on the nice list, and he may not be able to deliver all of those presents. His solution is to recruit an apprentice who is going to be chosen through a competition. So many come to the North Pole excited to show their Christmas spirit and help Santa Claus. This includes elves looking for a promotion, children from the village, a gnome whose only word is “Groomph”, and even a stuffed monkey.

What I Liked: If you have yet to give an advent book a try, this is the perfect book to start with. Each day of the advent calendar corresponds to one chapter of the book, and the final page of the chapter leaves you wanting to know more. While many come to try and partake in the competition, this story follows four of the participants in their journey to be Santa’s apprentice. The main characters include an elf who wants a promotion, Ivy, a village child, Nathan, a gnome who only says “groomph,” and a stuffed monkey, Koko.

The illustrations throughout this book add to the story and make scenes come alive. Each part of the competition is interesting and made more intriguing by the images, which highlight different portions of this competition, such as the snowman that Ivy makes or the wooden sculpture that the child makes. Each chapter is crafted perfectly to be enough of the story for one day and keep a younger audience’s attention throughout. This is also one that a younger reader would be able to enjoy on their own or as a read-aloud.

Final Verdict: The Christmas Contest: An Advent Novel is a delightful, cute, and sweet story highlighting the importance of Christmas to all. This book is perfect for young readers ages 6 and up who enjoy short chapter books and want something to read leading up to the holidays. The best thing about this book is that it can be put away only to re-read it the next year, even if each chapter has already been opened.