Santa Bruce

Bruce the bear is once again the victim of mistaken identity in this hilarious holiday title! Wanting nothing more than to sleep, our ursine hero instead finds that his family of goslings and mice insist on a Christmas celebration together. Grouchily shoveling snow, he is taken for Santa, and despite his vehement denials, is soon besieged by all of the forest's young inhabitants, determined to give their holiday gift wishes to him. Will Bruce say "Bah Humbug!" to it all, or will his anserine and murine charges convince him to become Santa in reality...?

Like its predecessors, Santa Bruce is a chuckle-inducing hoot! The story itself is amusing, and the artwork droll. The juxtaposition of Bruce's grouchy face, and far-from-cheery demeanor, show more with the over-the-top enthusiasm of the mice is, as it is in all of author/artist Ryan T. Higgins' books about these characters, immensely amusing. There are a number of little details - the reference to the state of Maine (Higgins' home state), the fact that Bruce (inevitably) ends up pulling the sleigh - that were particularly funny. Recommended to fans of the Mother Bruce books, and to anyone looking for Christmas stories about being out of sorts, and just not in the Christmas Spirit... show less

Omg this is a whole series now! A franchise?

Poor Bruce. Though this is still hilarious, with all the little details like the porcupine who wants balloons and the bunny on the computer (read for the rest of the details!) there is no hope that Bruce is actually, in his heart, having a good time, even at the end (which does resemble the Grinch's end).

If the bear wants to sleep through Christmas, he should be allowed to. Raising the dang geese was enough. Unless he's just being stubborn to save face, and is really having a good time? What do *you* think??

That grouchy and unlovable bear is back; this time, Bruce is desperate to hibernate but his annoying family won't let him!

In Higgins' previous books, we were introduced to a gaggle of goslings, who view Bruce as their parent; an inquisitive and noisy group of mice, and the extremely grouchy Bruce who just wants to be left alone! But alas, it is not to be. In his first holiday story, Bruce is looking forward to staying in bed in the winter so he can "skip right through the whole business." But, of course, the mice, goslings, and other forest animals have other ideas. Especially when he puts on long underwear and a hat to combat the cold... an outfit which just happens to be red...

Much against his will, Bruce finds himself bringing show more Christmas cheer to all the creatures of the forest. Next year, he's really going to sleep through it all! At least, that's what he thinks...

Hilarious asides, like the mice's discussion of bear's hibernation habits "Actually...[bears] spend the winter in a state of lethargy." "I thought were were spending winter in the state of Maine..." pepper the pages and Higgins' colorful art shows a ragged group of enthusiastic animals, reluctantly watched over by the disgruntled bear.

Verdict: An amusing addition to your holiday sections and a sure hit for fans of Bruce and Higgins' other titles.

ISBN: 9781484782903; Published September 2018 by Disney-Hyperion; Review copy provided by publisher; Purchased for the library show less

You can't go wrong with a BRUCE book, I'm just saying. This time around Bruce and his curmudgeonly yet big hearted self is awake during his normal hibernation season and what's this He's mistaken for Santa Claus? Uh, yeah...I'm not really seeing the resemblance either, even with the outfit he has going on, but perhaps with the right twinkle in your eye, or desire to see magic around us, I suppose it could happen. Anywho, Bruce tries to set the wee woodland creature right, but there's no turning them away from the idea that they've just met the big S.C., which of course leads to all other sorts of playing Santa-like behavior thanks to those well-meaning mice housemates of his and the goose, neither of which will let him let the animals show more of the forest down, even if it comes to him pulling his own sleigh...which we won't get into because that would be telling too much.

Suffice it to say, Bruce is back, he'll give Scrooge a run for his money, just in a much less-spoken word fashion, and in the end he'll delight readers young and old just by being his big bear self. With colorful images to add to the holiday reading splendor, this is one to pick up for both those delighting in the joys of the season and not!

**copy received for review show less

I love Bruce. Just because he wears red long johns the animals think he is Santa Claus. All he wants to do is hibernate but the mice and geese won't let him. He has to be Santa for the forest children.

I love this series. It just becomes more and more fun as it goes on. Twitch is a riot. One of these days Bruce is going to sit on him. Twitch makes the books for me as well as Bruce's reactions. So much fun!!!

This actually came out last year and I just never got around to reading it. Too bad because I love it like all his other books. Bruce has a perpetual rumpy attitude and gets talked into all sorts of crazy things by his mice friends. But is Bruce really cranky, or does he secretly love it. I think he loves it, grump and all.
+21 #Holidayread
#MountTBR

Bruce is a grumpy bear who likes his space and quiet time. However, he gets mistaken as Santa when he is shoveling snow in his red long underwear and hat. Word spreads and soon his house is full of animals wanting to see Santa. Bruce isn't happy about it but he plays along and with the help of his persistent friends, he is able to deliver Christmas gifts to all the animals. A fun Christmas book with equally funny illustrations.