Post by richardvasseur on Dec 23, 2021 21:36:59 GMT
Book title: Santa Claustrophobia
Author: Mike Reiss
Illustrated by: David Catrow
Text and Illustrations copyright @ 2002
Published by Price Sloan, a division of penguin Putnam Books for young readers
Fiction
Reviewed by Allen Klingelhoets
Here is summery of book. Holiday characters ranging from the Easter Bunny to April Fool try to take over Christmas responsibilities so the stressed Saint Nick can take a vacation.
Allen thoughts. The story is told in rhyming fashion.
Story setting from book:
North of the North Pole and south of the stars, lies a beautiful village called Stinky Cigars. The name is so awful that folks pass right by it. It’s a trick that they use to keep town quiet.
They have celebrities in Stinky Cigars. The Groundhog, Columbus, and Baby New Year. Saint Pat and Saint Nick fill saint quota. And the Election Day, Donkey and Elephant to. I even noticed image of Uncle Sam in one picture.
According to story: There’s no place on Earth and there’s no place on Mars where life is as lovely as Stinky Cigars.
The birds sing the Beatles, and the dogs never bite, the sun shines all day-even sometimes at night.
And when someone is having a less-than-jolly day, they come to see Doc Holiday. The story is told through Doc Holiday. He talked about all sorts of problems characters had in Stinky Cigars. A couple examples, the Thanksgiving turkey was frightened he was going to be gobbled up by a Pilgrim. The Groundhog was perplexed why shadow was so important for him to see or not see on his holiday.
The big situation though was one day when Santa Claus came in to see Doc Holiday. His jolly face was replaced by a sad look. His red suit was wrinkly. Santa sighed,” I am quitting the business. I don’t have what it in me to face one more Christmas.”
“There’s a nightmare,” he said,
“That I have every night:
I climb down a chimney.
It’s long and it’s tight.
I’m stuck like a cork,
Then I start to perspire,
Because down below me,
They’ve started a fire!
I smell something cooking.
Well, you get idea. Santa has developed a phobia.
Doc. Holiday says Santa needs a vacation even though near Christmas time. Santa goes on vacation leaving others in Stinky Cigars to try to do Christmas without Santa.
The situation had loads of problems. The Easter Bunny tried to wrap a toy truck but his paws were to small- and had no luck. Cupid also tried to help. She made response letters way for gifts. She only wrote one response. The problem was twelve pages to long.
Santa seemed to be enjoying vacation. He even sent back post card from some of fun places that he had went to. He even sent photos of some fun activities done like surf boarding. Skin diving in ocean and seeing happy star fish and even learned the lambada and drank eggnog colada. Rudolph tried sushi and got sick from fish.
The reindeer also must have gone on vacation with Saint Nick. Would Santa make it back for yearly trek around world delivering presents to Children?
I guess that is why read stories. I just got book from library young adult section.
The book said cost $10.99.
Here is some information from front cover:
From Simpsons writer Mike Reiss and New York Times Best Illustrated Books honoree David Catrow comes a hysterical follow-up to their best-selling How Murray Saved Christmas
Allen Klingelhoets