  | City full of Santas Author: Ho, Joanna | |
| Price: $24.48 | ||
Summary:
For one little girl, staying awake long enough to meet Santa has been her mission for many years. But with the help of her mama, she is sure this is the year she will finally meet the man she knows smells like peppermint and laughs like the sun clapping its hands. However, when the duo arrives at the store where Santa is expected to show up, there are Santas ho-ho-hoing about everywhere. Will she find him in time for Christmas?
| Illustrator: | Thai, Phoung |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/01/24)
School Library Journal (09/27/24)
Booklist (09/15/24)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 09/27/2024 PreS-Gr 2—Seeing the "real" Santa is often priority number one for Christmas-celebrating children, and this title is a fun, fresh take on a familiar holiday dilemma. A young Asian girl is overcome with excitement at the prospect of seeing Santa Claus this year at the fancy department store in the big city. After a train ride into the bustling city center, the young girl spies Santas of all shapes and sizes on street corners, park benches, and strolling down sidewalks. Confused, but eternally hopeful, the girl queues up in the department store line with her mom, only to be met with a Santa who is less-than-brimming with Christmas magic. Her disappointment is a nod to the iconic scene from the movie Elf of Buddy accusing a department store Santa of smelling like "beef and cheese," which is sure to elicit a giggle from those familiar with the holiday classic. The girl is sad all the way home, until she gets to her house and realizes that she still has one more chance to meet Santa. Ho's lyricism shines in this buoyant holiday picture book, and Phuong captures the emotional ebbs and flows of the young protagonist while peppering the illustrations with sparkling holiday magic. VERDICT A fine addition to Christmas collections.—Sarah Simpson - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
