christmas books – Aussie Reviews

Matilda Saves Santa Claus, by Alex Field & Sophie Norsa

‘We’re stuck,’ said Rudolph. ‘Santa’s sleigh is caught in the forest vines.’

Matilda Mouse lives alone deep in the forest. She doesn’t have much, but one thing she desperately wants is a Christmas tree. On Christmas Eve she goes out searching for a perfect tree – but instead she finds Santa’s sleigh, caught in some vines. She may be small, but Matilda proves that she is both clever and strong, as she chews her way through the vines and frees the sleigh. Then, on Christmas morning, she wakes to find an exciting surprise – Santa has left her a tree and plenty of presents.

Matilda Saves Santa Claus is a gently exciting Christmas tale which will appeal to youngsters around the world. Matilda is brave and resourceful, and her willingness to help is duly rewarded. The story is brought to life in delightful water colour and ink illustrations, with the double page spread showing Rudolph nose to nose with little Matilda especially sweet.

Suitable for pre school aged readers, this would make a lovely Christmas gift.

Matilda Saves Santa Claus, by Alex Field, illustrated by Sophie Norsa
New Frontier, 2013
ISBN 9781921928604

Available from good bookstores or online.

Where's Santa? Around the World, by Louis Shea

With another busy Christmas over, Santa is taking Mrs Claus off on a holiday. As they travel around teh world, however, they are pursued by Naughty Nat, the naughtiest child in the world, who wants to steal Santa’s naughty-and-nice list so that she can get the pony she missed out on last Christmas.

Where’s Santa? Around the World is a look and find book perfect for the festive season. As Santa travels around the world to locations including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, China’s Great Wall and more, youngsters can find him hidden on every spread, as well as Mrs Claus, Naughty Nat, Fluffy (Santa’s pet yeti) and more.

Every spread is filled with detail to explore, and back of book lists challenge readers to find extra objects. great as a gift or stocking filler.

Where’s Santa? Around the World, by Louis Shea
Scholastic, 2013
ISBN 9781742836850

Available from good bookstores or online. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

We Wish You a Ripper Christmas, by Colin Buchanan & Greg Champion, illustrated by Roland Harvey

We wish you a ripper Christmas
A full-bore ripper Christmas
A dead-set ripper Christmas
And a snappy New Year.

Colin Buchanan & Greg Champion have been creating Australian Christmas songs for many years, delighting Aussie youngsters and their teachers and parents with their humour and the catchiness of their tunes. We Wish You a Ripper Christmas continues that tradition, taking the chorus of an earlier offering (included in Fair Dinkum Aussie Christmas) and telling the story of Santa WOmbat losing his naughty and nice list and needing some help from the other Aussie animals to find it in time to deliver the presents.

Set to the tune of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, the song is easy to sing, and children will join in on the chorus even on a first read. The story is humours, and is brought to life in detailed water colour illustrations by the amazing Roland Harvey. And, of course, the book is accompanied by a CD recording of the song, complete with karaoke track so that kids can sing it for themselves, either for performance or for fun.

A great Christmas gift.

We Wish You a Ripper Christmas, by Colin Buchanan & Greg Champion, illustrated by Roland Harvey
Scholastic, 2013
ISBN 9781742837239

Available from good bookstores and online.

Tin Toys, by Bruce Whatley & Ben Smith Whatley

The older toys had not forgotten the Space Ride. Buster could remember the first time he saw it in action. It whirred and whizzed, ready for take-off. It was magnificent.

As Christmas nears, the toy shop is filled with shiny new toys, which are quickly sold. But on the top shelf sits a wind-up toy, The Space Ride. The newer toys aren’t impressed with the Space Ride, but some of the older toys remember it and long to see it working again. They set out o find the missing key which will start the Space Ride, and to prove to the newer toys just how exciting an old toy can be. Finding the key to wind Space Ride up is difficult, but finally they do it – in spite of disturbing the poor Shopkeeper. When they do wind the ride up there is surprise in store. Although the Space Ride isn’t quite as exciting as the old toys had remembered, everyone has the best Christmas Eve ever.

Tin Toys is fabulous picture book for Christmas or any time of the year, about friendship, adventure and fun. A collaboration between author/illustrator Bruce Whatley and his adult son, the digital illustrations have a three dimensional feel similar to animation in films such as Toy Story. Particularly pleasing is the use of different perspectives so that scenes which could have been visually repetitive given the small setting of a toy shop, are viewed from different angles.

A delight.

Tin Toys, by Bruce Whatley & Ben Smith Whatley
Random House, 2011
ISBN 9781864719918

This book is available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.