Tim Warnes

Oh, no! It’s Christmas Eve and Santa is sound asleep! The little mouse tugs at his beard to wake him; Santa hurries to get dressed. But when he gets outside, there are no reindeer to harness. He searches the woods for the reindeer, but only finds four of them? Will four reindeer be enough to pull Santa’s sleigh? Will there be toys under the Christmas tree for the Little Ones on Christmas morning?

And what is Santa’s surprise?

Three-year-olds and up are the target audience for this show more story. Santa bumbles and bustles his way through a variety of silly antics on his way to getting the presents delivered to all the children; young readers who feel rushed and hurried will appreciate Santa’s misadventures as he tries to deliver the toys. In its own comical way, the story shows young readers that everyone has difficult moments. And the reindeer giving Santa a gift at the end of the story is just plain sweet [and a lesson for young readers in giving to others].

The artwork is colorful and clever: the cat’s antlers have tiny fish dangling on them; the reindeer are having a snowball fight. There’s more than enough frenzy, energy, and chuckles to make this a holiday treat for young children expectantly waiting for Santa to appear.

Recommended. show less

This is giggly, tug-at-your-heart, tickle-your-funny-bone charming. There is just so much fun and, yes, sweetness blooming on each and every page.

Just how many different kinds of hugs are there? Bear hug? Well, it would be crushing, big, furry, warm. But what about all those other hugs?

I just love Cooney's lyrical text as she hugs her way through the cornucopia of hugs ....
I'm going to give you a cat hug. A simple purr, stroke my fur, don't do more than that hug.
....a sheep hug. A lamb's show more wool, blanketful, don't make a peep hug.

The illustrations by Tim Warnes are sweetness and charm rollicking with fun and gentlenesss. Softly colored but bright enough to engage the attention of the young child. A child can picture him or herself amidst all this fun.

And as it began.... "way beyond compare hug," it ends with a bear hug that is "A just right turn off the light, sleep tight, say your prayers and kiss good night, way beyond compare hug."

I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review of my own freely given opinion. show less

Santa has a cold, so a talking cat and a talking mouse say "Bless you" to him a lot as his sneezes cause things to fly wildly around his home and workshop.

My daughter liked this when she was four, but we're both bored by it here twenty years later.

FOR REFERENCE:

Rated "Indifferent" in our old book database by Rod; rated "Good" by Adelia.

"charlie Goes Camping" follows a lovable bear who causes problems but is the only one within that situation who can solve it. This book is entertaining as it allows kids to relate to camping and shows them what camping is like without scaring them. In the section where the class attempts to set up the tent there is trouble and setting up tents in reality is very difficult.