Greven, Alec. How to Talk to Santa. Illustrated by Kei Acedera. HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 9780061802072. $9.99. 48 p.
Reviewer: Ruth-Anne Brown
Reading Level: Preschool, Primary
Rating: Excellent
Genre: Informational books;
Subject: Santa Claus; Christmas; Books--Reviews;
The countdown of Christmas to a child means jingle bells, giant snow globes, and too many toy commercials. Kids should lay off pranks because Santa mysteriously sees everything. National Whiners’ Day comes the day after Christmas, but beware. This is the risky time when parents will often take away presents. Santa will skip your house if you are not nice. Do what your parents ask and more, but try not to make it obvious. Making a wish list can be tricky; cut down so as to not appear selfish and greedy to the man in red. Leave out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Parents are in a much better mood when you wake them up at around 7 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. Always say thank you for gifts received. “The real magic of Santa is not the presents. It is believing in the good everyone can do.” This child's guide to making it through the holidays is hilariously honest. New York Times Bestselling Author, Alec Greven, says it all with, “Christmas is not just about toys and wanting everything you see. It's about having fun and believing in magic, getting together and giving to others.” His ten-year-old view on Christmas is helpful to other children on how to best survive the season happily.
Volume 30, no. 4 (March/April 2010)
