Review Detail

I loved this because years ago, when my daughters were young, there was an older, portly man with a beard in our town who drove a red pick up truck and wore a red jacket and stocking cap. The girls were convinced that he must be Santa Claus! It's good to see the girl and Santa interact with so many people in their neighborhood; in addition to the garden, the neighborhood has parks, a restaurant, and a lot of folks out and about. That feeling of community is especially fun for young readers who might live in suburban neighborhoods where people are never outside!
Christians' artwork is delightful, and gives a certain European feel to the pages, with great use of light and attention to detail. The use of dark blue gives the pages set at night a very cozy ambiance.
There's a fine line between believing in Santa and not, and books that "explain" different aspects of Santa's life can help youngsters explore the reality of this gift giving jolly old elf. Pop this fun title under the tree with Sharff and Kaban's When Santa Came to Stay, Barnett and Smith's Santa's First Christmas, or Stewart and Beckett's How the North Pole Works for readers who are looking forward to Christmas.