Mr Santa by Jarvis

A little boy, or is this a girl, meets Santa - this child has SO many questions and we get to hear all of them. Santa himself is a wise old fellow and so he just smiles and takes his little companion on the adventure of a lifetime but Santa himself never utters a word.

• Dogs or cats, Mr Santa? You have to choose.
• Can reindeer talk?
• Can you eat clouds?
• Do you stop at traffic lights?
• Mr Santa is your belly button inny or out?
• Can I be an elf?

Mr Santa is a new Christmas book for 2025. If you have a young reader in your life this needs to be added to their Christmas stocking. Here is a video of the story so you can see all the illustrations (but please find the actual book to share in your family). My own copy was an early Christmas gift from a friend!

With signature warmth and a gentle visual humor, Jarvis channels the excitement of every child who has dreamed of meeting the jolly, generous old soul who personifies the most magical night of the year. Penguin Random House

The young protagonist’s dogged curiosity makes for a wholly original Yuletide tale, infused with the magic and wonder of Christmas. Kirkus

Companion book:

Letters to Santa

Image source: The Tayor House

It all begins TOMORROW - my Twelve Days of Christmas Letters.

Yesterday I mentioned my planned series of posts with some Christmas picture books which feature letters to Santa or Father Christmas or letters written at Christmas time. Starting tomorrow I will have my Twelve Days of Christmas which this year will focus on twelve posts featuring special Christmas books with letters.  Here are a few extras:

Here are the details from Kids' Book Review

Toddlers will love lifting the flaps to open the presents and find out what Santa has sent. 

Will he send the perfect present in the end? With gold foil cover, flaps to lift on every page and a touch-and-feel surprise ending, this festive favourite is the ideal Christmas gift ...

Rachel Rosenstein is determined to celebrate Christmas this year—and the fact that her family is Jewish is not going to stop her. In a series of hilarious and heartwarming mishaps, Rachel writes a letter to Santa explaining her cause, pays him a visit at the mall, and covertly decorates her house on Christmas Eve (right down to latkes for Santa and his reindeer). And while Rachel may wrestle with her culture, customs, and love of sparkly Christmas ornaments, she also comes away with a brighter understanding of her own identity and of the gift of friends and family.

Jimmy Dobbins is a young hockey player who has been very good all year—or so he tells Santa in a letter with a long list of gift requests. Subsequent letters from Jimmy to Santa throughout the month of December gradually reveal a hilarious litany of the previous year’s various mischievous incidents at home and at school, along with ongoing sibling squabbles with a younger sister (“the most annoying four-year-old sister on the planet”). The text is told entirely through these letters to Santa, set in a typeface that looks like a child’s printing on various kinds of notebook and memo paper. Kirkus

Working hard to deliver presents to children all around the world, Father Christmas realises that he has never received his own Christmas gift. Feeling fed up and underappreciated, Father Christmas decides to write his own letter. But, will the letter work? And if it does work, what happens if Father Christmas gets a little bit greedy?

How Winston delivered Christmas by Alex T Smith

Day 12
"Eventually Oliver found what he was looking for - an envelope. It wasn't too badly crumpled and he'd written the address on the front in his very best handwriting. He'd left it a bit late to send but he crossed his fingers and hoped it would get where it needed to go in time."

To Father Christmas

Mince Pie House

Just Past that Snowdrift

The North Pole

URGENT!

Oliver is distracted as he puts his Christmas letter in the tall red pillar box on a busy street in London. He has to rush to catch up with his mother and he doesn't see it tumble into the snow. Luckily for Oliver, his letter is found by Winston. Luckily for Oliver, Winston recognises this letter is important. Luckily for Oliver, Winston is a very determined mouse and he now has a mission. And what a mission it is. How will Winston find Father Christmas? It is so cold. It is snowing. The city streets are filled with busy shoppers and it is Christmas eve so he really only has one night to complete this task.

I have saved this new book (published in 2018) for my Christmas Day post because it is an Advent story in twenty-four-and-a-half chapters.  I have been reading one chapter each day this month so I only finished it today! Christmas Day is the day you read the last 1/2 chapter.  The chapters are all very short and each ends with a cliff hanger. I found myself wanting to read on several times. It actually took a lot of restraint not to 'cheat' because I was so anxious to make sure Winston was safe and that he still had a firm hold on that important letter. This would be a great book to own in a family so if you see it after Christmas (perhaps on sale) pick up a copy ready for December 2019!

You can see inside the book here.  The other bonus with this book are all the activities Alex T Smith has included. There are ideas for card making, cooking, puppets, decorations, a list of ideas for random acts of kindness and simple gifts to make. The whole book has a retro feel which seems perfect for a book that is sure to become a family favourite over many generations. The other delightful detail to notice are the stamps at the beginning of each chapter.

Take look here to see behind the scenes by Alex T Smith.

"It could be fun to read the story with a grown-up or even your whole family - get cosy and read your chapter together. Maybe have a biscuit at the same time. Books and biscuits go so nicely together, I think." Alex T Smith.


Alex has captured all the sights and smells of Christmas with the most delicious descriptions and sumptuous illustrations, the story is a feast for all senses.  Story Snug

Max's Christmas by Rosemary Wells

Day 7
It is Christmas eve. Max has so many questions about Santa and his impending visit. Why? Who? When? How? Ruby, his older sister, eventually runs out of answers and simply says:

because

Ruby ensures Max follows his bathroom routine of washing and teeth cleaning then she tucks him to bed.  But Max is a curious boy and so after she is gone he sneaks downstairs determined to meet Santa Claus. The wait is long and Max falls asleep. The whoosh down the chimney wakes him and he meets the man in red. Santa pops his hat over Max's eyes so the visit can remain a secret and then as Santa works to deliver the presents for the children, he answers more of Max's questions until finally he also says:

because

On Christmas morning Ruby comes downstairs and finds Max asleep on the lounge. He is wearing a strange hat. Ruby asks "What happened, Max? Who were you talking to? Where did you get that hat? Max! Why is your blanket so humpy and bulgy?  It is time for Max to answer:

because

Every Christmas I share Max's Christmas with our youngest children. I know this is an odd thing to say but I love the video by Weston Woods (watch part of it here) even more than the print book. Somehow the extra musical touches and facial expressions, especially of Ruby, extend the words on the page in a perfect way.

I do have some good news. Max's Christmas is an old book (1986) but it is still in print and in paperback. You can also buy an iTunes version. I don't think Max's Christmas needs a lot of discussion questions but I did find this set of teaching notes.

Rosemary Wells has two splendid Christmas titles - Max's Christmas and Morris's Disappearing bag.

I even own this cute Max toy. He is one of my story chest treasures.

There are so many books about Max and his sister Ruby. Picture books, simple chapter books and board books.  Here are three:

Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas present by John Burningham

What did you get for Christmas?  At the end of a hard night of deliveries Santa discovers there is one present still left in his sack so he must set off again.

 "Harvey Slumfenburger's parents were too poor to buy him presents.  He knew that Harvey Slumfenburger only ever got one present, and that was the present which Father Christmas brought him.  He knew that Harvey Slumfenburger lived in a hut at the top of the Roly Poly Mountain, which was far far away."

Reading this book feels like a marathon mirroring the marathon journey that Santa undertakes on Christmas eve - there will be times when you think you can't make it to the top of the mountain.

Santa has to keep explaining his purpose as he struggles to find the right transport. The reindeer have been far too tired to set off again so Santa walks until he meets a man with an aeroplane. The plane is forced to land when the snowstorm becomes too heavy. Santa sets off on foot again until he meets a man with a jeep. The jeep skids into a fence and a tree and while no one is hurt Santa must once again set off on foot until he meets a boy on a motorbike. The bike also slides on the ice so Santa sets off again and meets a girl on skis.  The skis break so next he asks for help from a climber with a rope. Santa finally gets to the top of the cliff and walks the last few meters to the hut.  He climbs down the chimney and delivers the present for Harvey and then poor Santa makes the long journey home.

In the morning Harvey Slumfenburger wakes up and sees a present at the end of his bed.

This book is an absolute classic.  It should be on every Christmas picture book list.  There is real tension, the illustrations are wonderful and there is a surprise on the last page.  Here is a review. I adore the work of John Burningham and after you read this book you should look for Avocado Baby, Where's Julius and my all time favourite Cannonball Simp.  One final thing - do you agree the name Harvey Slumfenburger is absolutely perfect?

Truffle's Christmas by Anna Currey

Recently someone asked me which is my favourite Christmas book. This is one of those impossible questions because I have so many Christmas books that I love but this one, Truffle's Christmas by Anna Currey, would definitely be on my short list.

All the young mice write letters to Santa but little Truffle simply cannot decide what to ask for.  He would like a hula hoop but he knows they all need a new blanket to keep out the cold.  Finally, Truffle settles on the hula hoop and he throws the blanket letter away.

Here is the envelop from Truffle's letter

SANTER KLORS, NORF POL

On Christmas Eve it is especially cold and Truffle is pushed right to the edge of the bed with no blanket - he simply cannot sleep so he decides to sit up and explain to Santa himself that he has changed his mind - they really do need a new blanket.  He waits in the mousehole, then he decides to venture out into the snow.  He takes an apple core, a bread crust and half a peanut as a nighttime picnic. He eats each of these treats very very slowly but still Santa does not arrive.  

Truffle feels tired and alone and eventually he falls asleep as it starts to snow. He does not notice a fox, owl and tabby cat have been watching him and are all set to pounce.  The tension on this page is wonderful because just as they all jump the sleigh arrives. Truffle wakes up tries to explain to Santa about the blanket and hula hoop dilemma.  When they arrive back at the mousehole Santa finds a tiny but important piece of crumpled paper.

There are two reasons why I think this book tugs at my heart.  I have a strong sense of needs versus wants.  This mouse family need a blanket.  Secondly many many years ago I saw a movie about a poor child who is living in an orphanage and magically on Christmas eve someone picks her up still sleeping and takes her to a new home, family, food and the most beautiful bedroom.  I think it might have been a Shirley Temple movie. This book reminded me of that experience.

Here is a video of the book.  Make sure you look for Truffle's Christmas - it is a magical Christmas story for the whole family.

The good little Christmas tree by Ursula Moray Williams illustrated by Gillian Tyler

It is Christmas eve and this morning I went to my school library and borrowed fifteen Christmas books. I set myself a target of 400 reviews on this blog by the end of the year - actually my original target was 500 but I know now that this was way too optimistic.

The Good Little Christmas Tree is a book that has been in our school library for over ten years but until tonight I had not read it. I now discover it was first published in 1943 and contained special paper cut illustrations made by Ursula Moray Williams herself.

This is quite a wordy Christmas story but it contains a lovely sentiment.  A poor farmer buys a simple, small Christmas tree for his children, the first one they have ever had.  He knows his wife will do her best to make it look quite splendid but he can't help wishing the tree might have a star on top, and tiny toys in the branches and sparkly tinsel.  The man's wife ties cookies to the tree branches with scarlet threads.  That night while everyone is asleep the tree jumps out of his pot and goes in search of special decorations so the children can enjoy some true Christmas magic the next morning.  Sadly everything he needs for his branches involves a sacrifice of  pine needles and even his strong branches.  By the end of the night the little tree does have some splendid decorations but "when he bent over the pool and saw his reflection in the moonlight he was so overcome by his miserable appearance that he shrank back into the snow as if he wished to hide himself completely... It was as if the stars, the slippers, the horse, the candles, the icicles, the toadstools and the diamonds hung on the arms of some ragged scarecrow!"

As he lies in the snow Father Christmas himself passes by.  He listens to the tree and learns about all his good intentions.  I know you are expecting a magical ending - you will not be disappointed.