Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mrs. Claus gets her moment in the spotlight (although she spends most of it in the kitchen) in this lift-the-flap title. While Santa is preparing for his big flight, Mrs. Claus keeps busy cooking "magic flying biscuits" for the reindeer and other snacks, as well as stringing popcorn garlands. Throughout the book, she keeps misplacing items-honey, a cookie, a bowl of popcorn, etc.-and readers can help her find them by lifting the flaps that are incorporated into the spreads. Weidner's carefully drafted illustrations exude a homey holiday air (the Clauses are both polar bears, and several other animal helpers are on hand to assist Mrs. Claus with her work). While Mrs. Claus never really steps out from her traditional supporting role, it's clear that Santa's lucky to have her. Ages 3-7. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-As Santa (a bearded polar bear) prepares for his big night, Mrs. Claus (also white and furry) heads to the kitchen to make some treats, with the help (mostly) of an assortment of mice, raccoons, foxes, and squirrels. As she works her culinary magic, readers are asked to help her find various things by opening flaps. The finale includes the animal assistants cleaning the kitchen and baking an apple pie while Mrs. Claus takes a well-deserved nap, then going off to rest as well. The full-color illustrations are charming, and children will enjoy the interactivity. Pages are sturdy and should hold up to repeated use. Best suited for one-on-one use.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Someone's in the kitchen with Mrs. Claus, cooking up Christmas Eve goodies for the reindeer, Santa's helpers and old St. Nick himself. This lift-the-flap book has sturdy cardboard pages and a square format; it opens to double-page spreads with expansive scenes of Mrs. Claus in the kitchen. In this story, Mr. and Mrs. Claus are polar bears, and Santa's helpers are animals such as a raccoon, a fox, squirrels and mice. Mrs. Claus, who seems to be an absent-minded sort of bear, keeps forgetting where she has stored the ingredients for the special treats she is baking. Each spread asks readers to find a missing item such as a jar of honey, chocolate chips or a bowl of popcorn. Lots of mice helpers are hiding under the flaps, sometimes aiding in the holiday preparations and sometimes digging into Christmas treats such as candy canes or nuts. The final page finds Mr. and Mrs. Claus wearing red-and-greenstriped scarves that the busy animals have been knitting. Pleasant illustrations in watercolor and pencil show smiling bears and cheerful animals earnestly engaged in their Christmas Eve preparations. A sweet Christmas treat for little ones just getting used to a real story as well as their slightly older siblings. (Picture book. 2-5) ]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
