The Great Santa Stakeout

September 1, 2019
Can Santa's biggest fan snap the ultimate selfie? Freddy Melcher (who has light skin and brown hair and eyes and whose surname is a clever variant of the Wise Man moniker, Melchior) could be Santa's biggest fan. All year long, he celebrates the jolly old elf and collects all things St. Nick. As Christmas Eve approaches, Freddy is determined to capture a photo "with Santa, fresh out of the chimney." He devises a four-step plan involving a rooftop trap and goes to bed determined to stay awake and meet his idol--but, alas, sleep takes hold. A sudden "CRASH!" awakens Freddy, who sees "something big [roll] right off the roof." Is Santa hurt? Poor Freddy dashes outside, fearing the worst, only to find a Santa lawn ornament headfirst in the snow, with a note attached reading, "NICE TRY, FREDDY! --SANTA." Santat cleverly depicts this note viewed from Freddy's perspective, which aligns readers with the protagonist and hides his reaction--for the moment. A page-turn reveals that Freddy feels "FANTASTIC," because "while other kids nestled all snug in their beds, Freddy had played hide-and-seek with his hero!" Never mind a happy ending, this is a downright jolly one--merry, even. Santat's multimedia art elevates Bird's joyful, playful text to holiday picture-book excellence, his use of chiaroscuro especially masterful in the nighttime scenes. Sure to be caught under many a tree. (Picture book. 4-8)

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October 7, 2019
More than anything, Freddy Melcher wants to meet his idol, Santa—so he concocts a surefire plan to snag a Santa selfie “fresh out of the chimney.” Bird supplies all the elements a heist needs to succeed: obsession (“Freddy had Santa posters, Santa action figures, and Santa underwear”), elaborate plans (“Step 1... String the roof with cans, so the sleigh can’t land undetected”), and minute-by-minute reportage (“It was almost midnight”). Santat lights the story’s comic fuse with a spread of Freddy’s treasured collection of Santa toys (one action figure boasts “64 points of articulation”), provides blueprints, creates night shots with eerie blue-screen light, and supplies in-your-face close-ups of the ensuing chaos. Though it feels a tad one-note, Freddy Melcher’s feverish desire to meet his favorite celebrity makes him the kind of over-the-top comic character whose inane schemes provide laughs whether they succeed or fail—and naturally suggest further stakeout possibilities. Ages 4–8.

October 1, 2019

Gr 1-3-Santa Claus may be famous, but he is one elusive character. Freddy Melcher is his number one fan. The boy's room is decorated with Santa memorabilia, and Freddy dresses like Santa for holidays all year long. Freddy needs only one thing to complete his Santa Claus collection: a selfie with the jolly old elf himself. But how can Freddy outwit someone who knows when he is sleeping and when he is awake? Freddy prepares for an entire year to trap his hero, but on the big night, things do not go as he predicts; instead, he receives a prize he had not anticipated. The mystery of Santa Claus is one that intrigues many children and adults alike, and this is a clever take on the topic. The illustrations are brightly colored and heavily emotive, making the images more reminiscent of graphic novels than of traditional picture books. Oversize pages form the perfect backdrop for this story, as each spread is doubly engaging thanks to its size and saturation of color. Written primarily for an early elementary school audience, the text varies in length on each page, with some words exaggerated in size for additional visual appeal. Some pictures incorporate text that is not part of the story, inspiring readers to look closer. VERDICT A delightfully lighthearted holiday addition for fans of The Santa Clause and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.-Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2019
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* Freddy Melcher was such a huge Santa fan that he dressed like Santa for birthday parties. And Valentine's Day. And even Talk like a Pirate Day. He collected Santa memorabilia and was saving up for a reindeer, and more than anything in the world, Freddy wanted a photo of himself with Santa snapped on Christmas Eve. He planned Operation Santa Selfie meticulously, making elaborate blueprints and booby traps on the roof and in the living room and then stayed up to wait. But is it enough to pull a fast one on Santa?who, let's be honest, sees you when you're awake and when you're asleep?or is Saint Nick about to trick Freddy instead? Bird spins a child-friendly tale full of terrific, polysyllabic vocabulary words and intricate, flatteringly sophisticated details like leaving milk and cookies on a pressure-sensitive plate and rigging the Christmas tree with motion-sensitive cameras. Santat, in turn, infuses every spread with additional giggles, from the details found in Freddy's North Pole paraphernalia to the chuckle-worthy blueprint drawings and a particularly fantastic image of Freddy's face smushed against a window. Pairing this witty cat-and-mouse mini-mystery and its satisfying ending with Santat's expert use of backlighting and angular close-ups makes for a truly winning combination.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)