Santa Clauses

Starred review from September 15, 2014
Writing in the voice of Santa himself, Raczka (Lemonade) offers a haiku for each day in December leading up to Christmas. This is not a frantic Santa laboring day and night in his workshop; in fact, he’s seen there only on December 9, calmly whistling while listening to “Elves pounding, sawing/ and sanding, a holiday/ concert performance.” Ostensibly typed up on Santa’s typewriter, the poems capture the sounds and sights of the season, indoors and out, while conveying the personality of the gentle, perceptive poet and his loving bond with Mrs. Claus. Suggesting elements of folk art, silkscreen, and stencil, Groenink’s (Dear Daisy Dunnington) graceful pictures are similarly soothing, whether he’s portraying the moonlit, frozen outdoors or the peaceful, warm interior of the Claus home. This is Christmas from the heart—with scarcely a toy in sight. Ages 5–9. Illustrator’s agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House.

October 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 4-Quiet haikus written by Santa Claus are gift-wrapped in lovely folk-inspired, jewel-toned spreads. From December 1 to December 25, he shares seasonal selections that capture the spirit of the holidays and the activities at the North Pole. Younger children will enjoy the charming and humorous illustrations, while older readers might be inspired to create their own haiku celebrating the holiday or any other subject. Raczka uses the traditional elements of the commercial aspects of the holiday to create quiet moments to savor. For example: "December 16th" "Dripping snow freezes/into icicles; cookies/bake in the oven." A lovely and enticing addition.-Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2014
Santa himself is the purported author of this calm but bright collection of 25 haiku, one for each day of the December countdown to Christmas. An introductory page scrolling out of Santa's typewriter describes the poetic form and how Santa came to write haiku of his own. Some poems show Santa and Mrs. Claus in their old-fashioned home, enjoying the snow and preparing for Christmas with the elves, while others capture outdoor images of snowy trees and moonlight. Within the collection, all the traditional elements of haiku can be found: colorful imagery, unusual juxtapositions, associations with nature and a sense of sudden enlightenment, as in "Reading the reindeer's / favorite bedtime story, / my cold nose grows red." Another memorable glimpse into Santa's life shows him reading to Mrs. Claus and their cat in a dark room next to the fireplace as the elves peek through a door. "Sitting by the fire / reading 'A Christmas Carol, ' / listening for ghosts." An oversize format gives plenty of room for intriguing illustrations with a muted palette and an Old World flavor. The volume's thoughtful design uses a typewriter font to emphasize the personal nature of Santa's haiku, with the chronological date for each day's poem set in red. Anyone interested in haiku or poetry for children will find this collection a rare treat. Quiet winter scenes / Santa ponders in writing, / sharing the season. (Picture books/poetry. 4-12)

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