Santa Claustrophobia [Hardcover]

Mike Reiss (Author), David Catrow (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2002 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Meet Doc Holiday. As a therapist he's helped everyone from the Thanksgiving Turkey, with his recurring nightmares about Pilgrims, to Cupid and his personal romance problems-he's remarkably shy for a guy with no pants! But when Saint Nick himself comes in and is diagnosed with a severe case of Santa Claustrophobia, the Doc gets the challenge of his career. Sending the big guy off to Aruba for some much-needed R and R, the Doc takes it on himself to round up the rest of the holiday gang to handle Christmas in Santa's absence.

The challenges become immediately apparent as the Easter Bunny paints all of the toys in pastels, Lincoln and Washington fight over who's in charge, Columbus insists he must sail West to go East to make the deliveries, and the April Fool manages to do everything wrong! Christmas is out of control, and it becomes clear to Doc Holiday that there's only one person who can set things right.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The comedic team that last explained How Murray Saved Christmas--Simpsons writer Mike Reiss and editorial illustrator David Catrow--returns for another comical yuletide rhyme.

At first glance, their book threatens to be too wacky for its own good, but Reiss quickly saves the tale with fun rhymes and abundant cleverness. Santa Claus suffers from recurring nightmares about getting stuck in a lit chimney ("I smell something cooking. I'm not sure just what. Is it ham? Is it lamb? No, I think it's my butt!"), which clearly points to a case of Santa Claustrophobia. So Doc Holiday wisely prescribes (what else?) a holiday, arranging for St. Nick's Christmas duties to be handled by the April Fool, St. Patrick, the Tooth Fairy, et al. ("There were even a few who weren't so famous, like the Arbor Day Aardvark and Labor Day Amos.") But the well-meaning Doc soon finds that replacing the Big Guy isn't that easy: Cupid attaches long, time-consuming love notes to each present, Columbus on delivery-detail insists on sailing "east to go west, then west to go east," and the Easter Bunny has trouble gift-wrapping ("his paws were too small") so resorts to painting all the presents in pastels.

Fortunately, a tanned, toned Santa Claus returns from Aruba just in time to save the day: "If chimneys are tight, I've got nothing to fear: I lost twenty pounds--nineteen from my rear!" Both kids and adults will enjoy the same humor Reiss showed in Murray, but some of the biggest laughs in the book undoubtedly belong to Catrow's details (including a genius Father Time from 1969, sporting a plastic pick sticking out of his huge gray afro). (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly

Simpsons writer Reiss (How Murray Saved Christmas, which Catrow also illustrated) returns with another zany holiday entry. The madcap premise is promising. Santa and all the other seasonal celebrities, from the Groundhog and Cupid to such lesser lights as Labor Day Amos, live in anonymity in a town called Stinky Cigars ("The name is so awful that folks pass right by it"). When a glum Santa needs a vacation (he's having nightmares about getting stuck in a chimney above a blazing fire), his fellow citizens step in with less-than-stellar success. The rhymes may not be as clever or as tight as those in the previous book, but there's some goofy fun to be had. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Price Stern Sloan; First Edition edition (September 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084317756X
• ISBN-13: 978-0843177565
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clever fun for kids and adults, November 25, 2002

By 

"kivascout" (Fremont, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Santa Claustrophobia (Hardcover)

Poor Santa is burned out. He asks for advice from Doc Holiday. Doc suggests a sunny vacation in Aruba. What about Christmas? No problem! The residents of Stinky Cigar agree to fill in for Santa. Stinky Cigar is the town where holiday icons like the Easter Bunny and April Fool rest in between their holiday duties. With good intentions but no organization, chaos insues. The Easter Bunny is painting little fire trucks easter egg pastels. Cupid is making romantic cards for xmas gifts? Of course, Santa comes back just in time to save xmas. He has a lovely tan and is 19 lbs. lighter. All of this is told in rhyme!! I bought 2 copies today. Both the adults and kids will laugh out loud.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first Christmas gift of the year!, September 27, 2002

By 

Eclectic Reader (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Santa Claustrophobia (Hardcover)

My family and I have already enjoyed a couple of other books by Mike Reiss, and this one shares his lively wit and terrific way with language. The illustrations are gorgeous, and almost as funny as the text. If you read to your kids, and you've got "Santa Claustrophobia" on hand, you'll look forward to the story hour as much as they do.

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!, March 15, 2010

By 

Kady (Upstate NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Santa Claustrophobia (Hardcover)

The class I read this book to (3rd grade) LOVED it. It has very up to date humor, great illustrations and a creative storyline!