Publisher's Hardcover ©2017 | -- |
Santa Claus. Juvenile fiction.
Elves. Juvenile fiction.
Christmas stories.
Sleighs. Juvenile fiction.
Stories in rhyme.
Stories in rhyme.
Santa Claus. Fiction.
Elves. Fiction.
Christmas. Fiction.
Sleighs. Fiction.
Two weeks before Christmas, the elves are expecting to do a quick tune-up on Santa's sleigh...but someone has totaled the thing. The gear-loving elves have a contest to see who can provide The Big Man with a souped-up replacement. Rinker's rhyming text revels in imaginative detail, and Parker's digitally colored brush-pen illustrations are up to the task.
Kirkus ReviewsThe author of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site (2011) moves on to a different kind of vehicle with this rhyming story about the invention of alternative sleighs for Santa's Christmas Eve deliveries. Just two weeks before Christmas, Santa's elves discover that his usual sleigh, stored away for a year, has been damaged. The elves decide to hold a contest to build a new sleigh, with Santa choosing the winning entry. Twelve teams are formed, with one new invention revealed over each of the next 12 days. The sleighs are wildly imaginative, with different types of power and similarities to actual modes of transportation. On Christmas Eve, one rebel elf who has worked alone reveals Santa's original sleigh restored to pristine condition. Santa opts for this traditional choice, so the elves take off on a race with their new inventions. The text uses varying rhyme schemes, starting off well but becoming more difficult to read as the story progresses. Several terminal word pairs do not rhyme correctly, slowing readers down. Busy, bright illustrations capture the intricacies of the unusual inventions and the antics of the elf crew. The elves appear androgynous, some with light skin and some with brown skin; a few have gray hair. Notably, the elf who restores Santa's beloved sleigh has brown skin; Santa is white. This will interest kids who love their vehicles, but the text simply doesn't take flight. (Picture book. 4-7)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)In this competition-minded holiday tale, Santa-s elves discover that bigger and newer isn-t always better. As the elves prepare to tune up Santa-s sleigh for its Christmas Eve trip, they discover that it-s a wreck: -The sleigh is totaled, smashed, and battered!/ The elves are rocked! They-re shocked! It-s shattered!- A dozen teams square off to create -the coolest sleigh,- as judged by Santa himself. Though all manner of gleaming vehicles roll off the assembly line-hot rods, flying semi trucks, -aquatic, atomic, gigantic inventions--it-s the smallest elf who nails it, opting to refurbish, not reinvent. Rinker-s zippy rhymes dip in and out of the elves- commentary (---How-s
PreS-Gr 2After discovering Santa's sleigh is in a terrible state, the elves propose having a build-off to create a new and better sleigh in the two weeks before Christmas. Santa will select the winner. The endpapers show the various sleigh designs on green graph paper as a hint to what is coming. Rhyming text introduces the building teams' final designs, including a dragster sleigh with gliders instead of wheels; a tricked-out semi-truck that flies; a floating ship with 50 sails; a blimphot-air balloon hybrid; a motorcycle-sleigh; and "flying saucers, trucks with wings, all sorts of clever, crazy things." On Christmas Eve, Santa is amused and proud of all the elves' inventions, but nothing seems exactly right. The smallest elf crew member knows what to do, he has secretly been working on a backup plansurprise! Santa's sleigh, restored. The 500-year-old classic ride wins the build-off. The colorful illustrations, created in brush pen and rendered digitally, are a perfect fit for sleigh creations reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's imaginative vehicles. VERDICT A splendid choice for any holiday read-aloud collection wishing to incorporate STEM concepts.Diane Olivo-Posner, Los Angeles Public Library
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)
Kirkus Reviews
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
School Library Journal (Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)
Which elf will build the coolest sleigh for the Christmas ride? SANTA will decide! When the elves discover that Santa's sleigh is in a terrible state, they let their imaginations go wild—and soon there are sleighs of every kind, inspired by big rigs, motorcycles, zeppelins, and much more!
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and the celebrated illustrator of Michael Chabon's The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man, team up for spirited vehicular silliness and classic Christmas cheer in this turbo-charged read-aloud destined to become a holiday classic.
• Engaging take on the 12 Days of Christmas
• Detail filled dynamic picture book
• Fun-to-read rhyming book
Kids and their families who like books such as Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, Bear Stays Up for Christmas, and Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site will love this book.
This book is perfect for:
• Children and fans of Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Fans of transportation/vehicle themes
• Librarians
• Parents and grandparent