Santa's Puppy

July 1, 2019
After being accidentally left behind in Poinsettia, Santa's puppy may be able to help the Kerstmans with their holiday spirit while he's there. Peppermint Bark stowed away on Santa's sleigh. At the first stop, alerted by the sound of children arguing, the curious pup disembarked. Now, if he wants to get back to the North Pole, Peppermint Bark needs to find and go through one of the portals that Santa uses to manage all his deliveries before Christmas ends. Luckily, young Chris Kerstman can understand exactly what Peppermint Bark is saying and vows to help him. Older sister Holly is not susceptible to the magic...yet. She might not assist with the search except for the fact that her friend Ivy, who is visiting over the holiday, can hear the pup, too. While the premise is a stretch, the quest brings about plenty of cheerful chaos and leads to the expected warm observations about family and friends. The Kerstmans are white, Ivy is Japanese American, and the cast of townsfolk superficially represent other cultural backgrounds. Plus elves and reindeer. As her family does not celebrate the holiday, Ivy is with the Kerstmans in order to learn about its traditions. There are passing references to Nativity scenes, but the focus is on the secular. Predictable, merry mayhem for children who love Christmas sweets. (Fiction. 7-10)

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October 7, 2019
Hapka introduces the North Pole’s top dog, Peppermint Bark, who is proud to be “Santa’s helper, his closest canine companion, and his best friend.” Determined to assist Santa with Christmas Eve duties, the hound stows away on the sleigh and, on one rooftop in the Christmas-obsessed town of Poinsettia, sneaks off in hopes of seeing “one of the creatures that Santa and I and all the others work so hard for all year long!” After falling into the chimney, the puppy is befriended by the family’s son, Chris, whose abundant Christmas spirit enables him to translate Peppermint’s bark. The urgency to find a portal that will transport the dog back home before the North Pole gates are locked for the year precipitates a whirlwind search involving Chris and his sister (who gets a much-needed injection of Christmas spirit), a friend, and two of Santa’s elves who’ve been dispatched to retrieve the missing pup. A cheery, sugar-coated holiday romp. Ages 8–10.

October 25, 2019

Gr 3-5-Santa's curious puppy, Peppermint Bark, dreams of joining Santa and his reindeer on their annual toy delivery adventures. Santa is firm when he tells the puppy to stay home with Mrs. Claus and the elves. He warns Peppermint Bark that if they should get separated during the trip, it will be nearly impossible for Santa to find him. The sleigh travels through portals hidden all over the earth and once the last time zone strikes midnight, the gates of the North Pole will close for an entire year, not to open again until next Christmas. The gates are controlled by mysterious magic and even Santa can't open them. Despite the warning, Peppermint Bark predictably stows away on the sled and gets separated from Santa. Luckily, he is discovered by a loving boy named Chris and his family. In a nod to Santa's bells in Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express, Chris is able to understand what Peppermint Bark is saying because he still has the Christmas spirit. His older sister Holly is growing up and can barely hear what the puppy is saying, but her friend Ivy clearly understands Peppermint Bark. Ivy becomes a friendly liaison between Chris and his sister in the sibling relationship sub-theme of the story. The kids and Peppermint Bark embark on a day-long romp around their town to find the hidden portals that will take the dog home to the North Pole before the magical gates close. A prolific middle grade writer, Hapka presents a simple, fun Christmas story that will delight animal lovers during the holidays. VERDICT A secondary purchase for collections where animal books and Christmas stories are in demand.-Pilar Okeson, The Allen-Stevenson School, New York

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