How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett & Illustrated by Jon Klassen - #bookreview

 

How does he do it?

How does it work?

Does he tighten his belt?

Or shrink himself down to the size of a mouse?

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The multi-award-winning duo of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen tackle a perennial question: how does Santa go down the chimney?

When Santa arrives at a child’s house on Christmas Eve, does he go down the chimney feet first or head first? What if he gets stuck? What if there’s no chimney? Maybe he slides under the door, as thin as a piece of paper? Or is it possible he pours himself through the tap? What happens once he’s inside?

Mac Barnett’s iconic talent for earnest deadpan humour and Jon Klassen’s irresistibly funny art honour this timeless question with answers both ridiculous and plausible, mounting in hilarity as the night continues. Channeling a child’s fanciful explanations, this latest collaboration by a bestselling team will find a secure spot among family Christmas traditions.

***

This is a delightful picture book which aims to answer the question that every child has asked at some point, how does Santa get into the house? He is so quiet he never wakes anyone up including the dog!

Aimed at pre-school/infant aged children, every theory is purported in this book and accompanied by stylised illustrations from Jon Klassen. These completely support the text which will aid early independent readers.

It is a charming story with humour throughout and would make a perfect gift. I think most children would be thrilled to discover this in their stocking on Christmas morning.

When my sons were young, we would share a Christmas/Winter themed book every evening at bedtime. With one hundred percent certainty, I can say that they would have adored this book, and it would have fit the bill perfectly.

My little boys are now full grown men with families of their own, and they will love sharing this book with my grandchildren.

ISBN: 978 1529512779

Publisher:  Walker Books

Formats:  e-book and hardback

No. of Pages:  32 (hardback)

About the Author:

Mac Barnett is a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 4 million copies worldwide. Mac’s books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Germany’s Jugendliteraturpreis, China’s Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award, The Netherlands’ Silver Griffel, and Italy’s Premio Orbil. He is the co-creator, with Jon Klassen, of Shape Island, a stop-motion animated series on Apple TV+, based on their best-selling Shapes series of picture books. Mac lives in Oakland, California.

About the Illustrator:

Illustrator, cartoonist, enthusiast. An appreciator and advocate of work that is honest and genuine from its conceptualization to its execution.

Specializing in children’s picture book illustration, editorial cartoons and character design.

Jon currently lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

(book courtesy of the publisher)

(author media courtesy of his own website)

(illustrator photo courtesy of Wikipedia and bio info courtesy of the illustrators website)

(all opinions are my own)