Written by Steven Smallman and Illustrations by Robert Dunn & Jim Mitchell
SUMMARY:
Published in 2013 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, this hardcover book tracks Santa’s calamity-filled journey to Idaho. Santa Claus and his reindeer are trekking off to Idaho on Christmas Eve only to get lost in a blizzard after crossing the Canadian border. They further stumble through a minor crash landing. Santa’s Santa-nav (his version of GPS) is not proving very helpful. Fortunately, Santa’s unnamed, inexperienced, and youngest reindeer out on his first Christmas Eve run demonstrates a keen sense of intuition. Ultimately, Santa and his reindeer team must use their ingenuity in delivering toys to everyone all over Idaho.
REVIEW:
At just under thirty pages, it could be construed that Santa’s visit to the Gem State is really just the author name-dropping various Idaho towns and landmarks. Even if Santa follows a zig-zag path, at least the author keeps his geography correct. Instead of relying on clichés, Steven Smallman nicely demonstrates Santa’s traditional habits with some sprinklings of well-timed humor. The author’s text is also well-matched by the magic of Robert Dunn & Jim Mitchell’s affectionate illustrations. Delightfully, this book is a real gem for children.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars