What if Santa couldn't make his appointed Christmas Eve rounds? Anderson (the Little Quack series) imagines this unthinkable scenario by providing the jolly man in red with a seemingly suitable understudy: the Easter Bunny, also known for his travel-the-world-in-one-night act. The well-meaning though misguided cotton-tail fellow soon finds that Santa's are big boots to fill. Luckily the accompanying reindeer act as loyal helpers, ensuring the holiday goes off with hardly a hitch. Not a completely new premise, but a lighthearted one likely to tickle younger readers' funnybones. All ages. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Oct.)

When Santa is injured by a falling toy train on Christmas Eve, Mrs. Claus phones the Easter Bunny to save the day. This Easter Bunny is a slightly wacky fellow with more than a passing resemblance to another white rabbit who is always late. A new team of reindeer are anxious about their first Christmas Eve, and they don't take kindly to the sudden change in drivers or to the Easter Bunny's lack of knowledge of proper toy-delivery etiquette. (He follows Santa's written directions too literally in Amelia-Bedelia fashion and places the gifts in the wrong place, such as under a tree outside, instead of under the Christmas tree.) After the Easter Bunny is slightly injured in the line of duty, the reindeer realize that they too must pitch in save the holiday by individually flying bags of gifts to each house. A fast pace, broad humor and silly puns add to the effort, as do the super-sized illustrations in neon-bright, jewel tones, but the overall effect is rather frenetic. (Picture book. 3-6)

Gr 1-3-A last-minute accident keeps Santa from doing his job, so Mrs. Claus calls the only other figure capable of making the round-the-world trip in a night: the Easter Bunny. But the substitute has a hard time. He feeds the fussy reindeer jellybeans instead of candy canes and wants carrot cake instead of milk and cookies. He gets cold, and doesn't understand Santa's instructions on where to put the presents. The reindeer finally understand he's trying to help, not to replace, Santa, and with their assistance, the job is completed. Some children will enjoy the idea of the Easter Bunny helping at the wrong holiday, as well as the visual jokes in the bright watercolor illustrations, but this is an additional purchase because of the predictable story and lackluster writing.-Lisa Falk, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.