Young readers will delight in Marlys Gadow’s charming holiday debut, edited by Carl Gadow, that follows Santa and his reindeer as they diligently work to deliver Christmas gifts on time. It’s Christmas Eve, and while Santa doublechecks his nice list, Mrs. Claus worries—she’s concerned the list is too long for Santa to handle this year, and she wonders if the reindeer can manage the workload. “What if you have to wait until they eat and rest? If you’re not home by dawn, I’ll worry,” she tells Santa. But Donner is quick to reassure her the team is up for the challenge, and off they fly into the night.

Mrs. Claus was right—there has been an unusually high number of nice kids this year, and Santa has his work cut out for him. His cheerful attitude keeps the reindeer (and this sweet story) going, but when the last toy is delivered, they’re desperate for a break. Santa agrees to a short rest, but, of course, the reindeer are understandably exhausted and fall into a deep sleep. Santa sets about unwrapping a present hidden in the bottom of his bag—a present with no name tag—which turns out to be a winsome rocking horse, just his size. Gadow’s story invites readers to join Santa in the fun surprise of anticipating and discovering a gift, and the rocking horse turns out to have some Christmas magic in it—a lucky break, given the reindeer are too sleepy to fly him home on time.

Arif’s brightly hued illustrations paint a pretty picture of snow-covered hills and twinkling stars while Santa and his crew fly all over the world, and kids will chuckle at the story’s festive ending. A hand-quilted wall hanging served as inspiration for the story’s background, a fun touch that gives the book extra meaning. For those little ones with vivid imaginations, this holiday story will warm hearts.

Takeaway: Even Santa needs some Christmas magic in this warmhearted holiday tale.

Comparable Titles: Caroline Crowe’s Santa’s New Beard, Laura Bunting’s Another Book About Santa.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B+
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B+