Mrs. Claus Takes A Vacation (Scholastic Bookshelf) [Paperback]

Linas Alsenas (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Scholastic Bookshelf

In this charming picture book debut, Mrs. Claus leaves the snow (and her husband) behind in order to see the world . . . and get back in time for Christmas. Now available in paperback!

Mrs. Claus needs to get out of the house. The endless snow at the North Pole is getting her down. And she doesn't see why her husband should get all the travel time in the family. So she hitches up the reindeer and takes a world tour--leaving Santa to take care of himself (and the remaining reindeer) for the first time in a long time. Mrs. Claus loves traveling the globe . . . but she also misses Santa as much as Santa misses her. Will she be home in time for Christmas?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5–Santa tours the world every year, but Mrs. Claus never goes anywhere. Fed up, she hitches a reindeer to the sleigh, promises to be back by Christmas Eve, and heads off on her own world tour. Santa is filled with anxiety (Mrs. Claus isn't used to warm weather. She'll get sunburned!). Meanwhile, Mrs. Claus and a reindeer are having a splendid time. But she begins to miss her husband, and when she starts seeing signs of Christmas everywhere, decides to head home. After a lovely reunion, it's time for Santa to start out on his yearly rounds, and this time he invites her to come along for the ride. From the postcard-inspired cover to the sweetly romantic finale, Alsenas's acrylic illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the tender tale. Mrs. Claus is plump and jolly, and her adventures exuberantly fill entire spreads. Santa, whose pictures are framed with holiday symbols, is a little smaller and sadder. All of the characters have wonderfully expressive faces, and there are plenty of fun details. A great addition to any seasonal storytime.–Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

LINAS ALSENAS was born in 1979 outside Cleveland, Ohio, and is the youngest of three children. He has just completed Peanut, his second book for Scholastic. He lives in Sweden. Visit Linas at www.linasalsenas.com.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439779790
• ISBN-13: 978-0439779791
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,383,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, October 2, 2006

By 

Ryan W. Higginson (Boston, MA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mrs. Claus Takes A Vacation (Hardcover)

All readers, young and old, will appreciate this one!
The author brings a spark of life and personality to the etherial Mrs. Claus, and heightens the reader's appreciation for the story through brilliant illustration. The story is great, the artistic detail is wonderful, and the book is sure to become a standard for Christmas reading in the years to come.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Behind every great man..., October 19, 2006

By 

Ebenezer Kezar (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mrs. Claus Takes A Vacation (Hardcover)

With sweetness and sympathy, the author-illustrator gives Mrs. Claus a chance to shine in this lovely holiday book. Hard-working homemakers in particular will enjoy sharing this story about what happens when Mrs. Claus decides she needs a break from taking care of the homefront--that she wants to see the world, too. What she sees and what Santa does while she's away makes for wonderful comedy, with just the right touch of longing. A sweet, tender Christmas treat.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Christmas Tradition, May 20, 2007

By 

Kate (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mrs. Claus Takes A Vacation (Hardcover)

I gave this book to my young cousins and neighbors for Christmas this past year, and it has been a big hit with all of them! Mrs. Claus Takes a Vacation is a beautiful book that tells a lovely and original story. The illustrations are very detailed and clever (it's fun to spot the reindeer) and introduce children to new places as well (Mrs. Claus eating sushi in Japan is particularly cute, and the Lithuanian folk dance spread is charming!). I highly recommend this book as a wonderful Christmas gift that is sure to be read year after year!