Customer Reviews

The Christmas Magic

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson510ri1tclal_sl500_aa240_
Jon J Muth (Illustrator)
Ages 4-8
Scholastic Press (September 1, 2009)
Cautions: None

Kiwi Magazine Review:
I have to reveal a little bit of bias here. No, I am not receiving payment from any publisher. Here's my big naughty secret: I will buy any book that Jon J. Muth illustrates. Buying a book that Muth has illustrated is like buying your own little art museum. His watercolors and pastels make the lovely, inspirational words of Lauren Thompson simply dance and frolic across the pages. This simple take on Santa's preparation for the big reveal will have even skeptics wiping a little tear from the corner of their eyes, glazing skyward and hearing the tinkle of little bells. This one is a keeper and is my new BFF (book friend forever).

PS - if you look carefully, you can see Muth's panda from Zen Shorts on one of the pages.

An unusual Christmas story is about the only way to describe this book. There are no elves, no Mrs. Claus, just Santa by himself, getting ready for Christmas Eve. Santa is drawn in a more European style in blue, and with more of a wizard hat. The young reindeer that follows Santa around is a little odd, and facially looks more like the Grinch's puppy than a reindeer. The story also seems a little sad - Santa alone preparing and waiting for the magic to come so he can deliver his presents. Definitely not my favorite Christmas picture book, but unique enough to have some merit.

A lovely watercolor and pastel illustration shows a slim Santa wearing bunny slippers standing at a window gazing out at the snow with a baby reindeer standing behind him - and the text reads, "Then he knows that the Christmas magic will soon be here" Indeed this quiet story describes a Santa who prepares for Christmas by brushing and feeding his reindeer, polishing his red sleigh, and carefully selecting a special gift for every girl and boy. When the magic evening arrives: Santa and his reindeer rise up into the starlit night. This is not the jolly "ho, ho, ho" Santa who greets children at the mall but instead a contemplative Santa who readies himself to deliver toys when "the night begins to thrum with magic, the kind of magic that makes reindeer fly".
A sublime cover makes Santa look like the wizard he truly is. This is a treat to behold.

This book is absolutely lovely. The watercolors are beautifully done: enchanting to little ones (including my two and one-half year old daughter), but also interesting to grownups. The details are always delightful (for example, Santa's bunny slippers). The story is told in simple but powerful language, and the illustrations are graphically very strong. And the quality of the illustrations and prose lend a surprising gravitas to the story of Christmas. When I finish reading this book to my lovely little girl, I'm ready to swear out an affidavit that, yes, there really is a Santa Claus. After all, if there were no Santa Claus, how could we ever expect to have a book as lovely as this?

If you have a child up to age eight, I'd recommend this book. I think that it will eventually be recognized as a classic.

We have been borrowing this book from the public library at least three times within the last 2 month.
Our 4 year old son can't get enough it. Since Christmas is approching I decided to buy this book. It is about a very comforting and lovingly spirited old Santa Claus. The nice thing about his character is that he fits into any kind of ethnic background. The book describes him getting ready for an enchanted (children's) night and how much he cares about every child in the world. Even if you do not believe in Santa, after reading the book you will close the book with a warm tingle in your heart.

As a school librarian I read this to my 2nd grade classes this week before Christmas. I always read one "old" Christmas story and one new one. Yes the illustrations are exquisite, but it is the poetry of the text that captured me from the first page. There is a rhythm to each carefully crafted sentence that carries you along to Santa's little house in the far north where Christmas magic thrums in the air. The 7 and 8 year olds listened with rapt attention and delighted in recounting all the ways Santa is different from the Santa of The Night Before Christmas. Yes, different but no less wonderful. Share this book with a child and you will both love it.

A new favorite Christmas book - I especially love Jon Muth's illustrations (I was hooked from the moment when Santa feels a tingling in his whiskers!). I am a fan of Muth's illustrations in general, and have some of his other books, but this one is perfect for Christmas. I love the dog-like deer by Santa's side and his bunny slippers...so much to love here, really! The beautiful simplicity of the story combined with the art makes this a book that will really get you into the spirit of Christmas.

Santa Clause patiently awaits for the Christmas Magic to arrive. From the moment he feels a little tingle in his whiskers, he prepares. Santa Clause cleans his red sleigh until it shines, brushes and feeds his reindeer, checks on the toys and finds joy in reading all the names of the boys and girls, knowing what each one wants the most for Christmas. And of course, Santa Clause fills his bag with all the toys, until he can barely close it.

Jon Muth's watercolor images are absolutely gorgeous, and one could spend hours just staring at them. Muth's watercolors convey the love and excitement that Santa Clause has for Christmas and every little detail it takes to make it a joyful day for all the little kids. You can even feel the love his loyal reindeer have for him, following him dutifully. With a country twist (a red barn, country stars), Santa Clause may seem to be alone in his preparations, but Muth's images and Thompson's writing makes him anything but a lone character, touching every hear that reads this book, spreading the Christmas spirit.

so sweet, so simple...a pleasure to read to my little one throughout the holiday season

This is an excellent example of the kind of picture book that can end up becoming a classic. The art is unique, attractive and fits the Christmas theme very well, the story is traditional enough to be accepted by most and different enough to stimulate curiosity, and combined the effort is greater than the sum of these parts. Very glad to have found it.