FICTION

The Santa Thief

illus. by Lauren Gallegos. 32p. BookSparks/SparkPress. Nov. 2017. Tr $15. ISBN 9781940716862.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—On the day before Christmas in 1929, Georgie and his papa go out to the woods to chop down a tree to decorate, but Georgie isn't looking forward to the holiday the way he usually does. Papa has told him that times are tough and Santa might not be able to get him new ice skates to replace his old, too-small pair. Back at home, his mom gently reminds him that Christmas is about doing special things for other people—and he spends the whole night sewing a Santa suit and making a small gift for each of his parents. To top off the good feelings, he even receives a new pair of skates after all. The appealing illustrations glow with lamplight and provide many small details that ground this story in a Pennsylvania farmhouse in the 1920s, and Georgie's dark eyebrows and freckles give him personality.
VERDICT A pleasant, if slight, slice-of-life tale.

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