Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
On Christmas Eve, an inquisitive black-haired child pounces on the opportunity to pepper Santa with questions when the jolly man himself--who looks suspiciously similar to the figure inside a nearby snow globe--appears in the youth's bedroom. With boundless energy and curiosity, the child shows Santa around the house and accompanies him on his global sleigh ride. And along the way, the queries keep coming on everything from pets ("Would you like to meet my fishes?") to preferences ("Dogs or cats, Mr. Santa? You have to choose") and travel logistics ("Do you stop at traffic lights?"). The series of beguiling scenarios plays out in digital artwork that features black outlines and gauzy textures frequently backlit by snow-flurry-filtered moonglow and streetlights. Human characters are depicted with pink skin. Ages 3--7. (Oct.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
"Mr. Santa? Is it really you?" A child wakes up to find Santa Claus delivering gifts to their house and proceeds to show him around, pointing out pet fish and sharing gingerbread, all the while asking him questions about the big night. The two later take off in Santa's sleigh, and more questions follow as he makes his rounds. Jarvis has chosen a nice mix of straightforward and silly questions ("Can reindeer talk...Can you eat clouds?") that young children may want to ask, and his digitally rendered illustrations give the book an old-timey feel perfect for an inviting bedtime story. Marva Anne HintonNovember/December 2024 p.13 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A child wakes to find Santa delivering presents, then spends the night peppering him with questions. Caregivers will relate to Santa as he endures a seemingly endless barrage of questions. He is asked everything from "Did you read my letter?" to "Is your belly button innie or out?" St. Nick never replies--he can't get a word in edgewise--but the child is cheerfully undeterred. Still asking question after question, the youngster joins Santa as he delivers more gifts and then heads to the North Pole. The text rhymes, though the rhyme scheme is inconsistent, making for a well-paced if slightly bumpy reading experience. The illustrations have a soft, smudged effect that evokes the feeling of a hazy memory or a fantasy--an apt pairing for the text, since at the book's end, the child isn't sure whether the experience was real or just a dream. The combination of warm yellows and deep blues conveys both winter's cold and the holiday's warmth. Jarvis incorporates fun details, such as a miniature Santa in a snow globe, curious pets looking on, and an elf directing the reindeer landing when Santa returns home. Clad in traditional garb and a pair of small spectacles, Santa is light-skinned, while the child is brown-skinned. The young protagonist's dogged curiosity makes for a wholly original Yuletide tale, infused with the magic and wonder of Christmas. Holiday enchantment.(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
