Customer Reviews

The Great Reindeer Rebellion

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My daughters originally read this book when we rented it from the library. She loved it and was sad to have to return it. Her sister gave it to her for Christmas and she was so excited. Very cute story of Santa and his reindeer.

First and foremost, The Great Reindeer Rebellion is a story told in rhyming verse. By default, this makes it a picture book after my own heart.

The story follows Santa's trials of auditioning a new group of animals to run the Christmas Eve sleigh ride, because his reindeer have gone on strike due to inhospitable working conditions. It's a very clever backdrop to explain the basic concept of unionization, and the story tackles this feat in a way that is easy to digest, totally unassuming and not didactic in the least. The stories' poem style (Ballad, I think) is a riff on "Twas the night before Christmas". This adds a built-in familiarity to the story from the get-go, and kids and adults alike will instantly feel a sense of comfort on the very first reading. Given the poem's cadence, it's also a fun book to read out loud together.

The story itself is fun AND funny--Santa's search for a new group of sled-pulling substitutes leaves him quite exasperated after every audition. This is my first children's book by author Lisa Trumbauer, and surely it won't be my last.

The story also inspires some highly entertaining visual narrative: Illustrator Jannie Ho's artwork is her in her signature style, but here, she tackles some interesting new ground (new to me, anyway). The likes of Santa, Elves, Reindeer on strike (and in hot tubs!) are composed with lots of character and humor. To me, Jannie's work most always has a sort of deadpan-whimsy about it, and in The Great Reindeer Rebellion, there's an additional underlying bit of saltiness, too! Fun nuggets in the details of some of the spreads reward the viewer and add layers to the story. Jannie's current admirers will be ecstatic with her new offering, and I've no doubt this book will bring more fandom her way. The richly colored spreads are tactile, too - they're enhanced by the judicious use of spot gloss.

This is a physically substantial book that feels good to hold. The pages are double thick. This does not make the book heavy in actual weight, but it does make it feel like a thick, juicy steak in a picture-book buffet. Pick one up, and you'll see what I mean.

I thought this book would be a good introduction to workers organizing to better their conditions but it wasn't. Once the reindeer strike, Santa goes ahead and tries out other animals. There is no picket-line support and many types of animals try to fill the job. Eventually, Santa meets the reindeer demands- which turn out to be frivolous- big screen TV, hot tub, etc. A missed opportunity.

I can't even begin to imagine why anyone thinks young children should be subjected to pro-union propaganda, especially in the guise of a Christmas storybook. Yes, the illustrations are cute. Yes, the rhymes are catchy. Yes, my 14-month daughter finds it entertaining. But I find the story more than a little disturbing. Santa's reindeer aren't happy doing their job -- bringing toys to children, what a horrible task! -- because the load is heavy. They want a sauna, mattresses, and junk food to sweeten the deal. And Santa is portrayed as an ungrateful, griping boss. Wow. I know nothing is sacred anymore, but I didn't think it had come to this. St. Nick, one of the great icons of selfless giving, is now just a symbol of "the man" and a cautionary tale for how you shouldn't do a good job unless there's something extra in it for you. Bah humbug to anyone who wants to raise their children with that lesson.