How Santa Really Works [Hardcover]

Alan Snow (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Top-secret information on Santa (Shhhhhhhh...)

Intrepid Santa-tracker Alan Snow has traveled up through Lapland to the far reaches of the Arctic Circle in search of the ever-elusive Mr. Claus. There, beneath the polar cap, deep underground, he found a bustling community with one mission and one mission only -- to make Christmas happen.

Have you ever wondered how Santa knows exactly when you fall asleep? Does he really have time to check if every single child's been naughty or nice?

And maybe more important, what do the naughty kids actually end up with?

These are but a few of the questions you've never had answers for...until now. How Santa Really Works is the real scoop on how Santa does what he does so well.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up–Snow's clever and ever-so-slightly subversive exposé will answer all the FAQs, and some new ones. Intricately detailed pen-and-ink, computer-colorized illustrations will keep viewers endlessly amused. The text is aimed toward sophisticated readers, and actually offers a nice overview of the steps that companies take to produce a product–brainstorming, research and development of prototypes, etc. There's a subtle British feel to the language and illustrations. Large quantities of homely little elves swarm over the last two-thirds of the book; they are young and old, with diverse skin tones; some use wheelchairs, and a few seem to be aliens from another galaxy. They talk to one another via speech bubbles, which, along with the crowded (sometimes chaotic) layouts, make this a book much more suited to personal perusal than sharing with a group. Even youngsters who don't believe in Santa or Father Christmas will find much to admire in Snow's creative take on a beloved holiday icon.–M. A.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. The author of the wacky pseudo-engineering books How Dogs Really Work (1993) and The Truth about Cats (1996) now turns his attention northward to Santa's home. In this imaginative picture book, Santa oversees a vast operation with elves as toy designers, testers, makers, wrappers, and packers, not to mention spies (naughty or nice? asleep or awake?). The text is long and the design is too complicated for the true Santa set, but Snow's amusing take on the subject and the many comments and text balloons in small type will entertain older kids, as will the lively, detailed ink drawings with colorful washes. The large-scale, eye-catching jacket illustration features a Santa diagram, with his cap labeled "thermal noggin protection," his beard called a "soup filtering system," and his buttons styled "suit control knobs." Even nonbelievers will enjoy the fun. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689858175
• ISBN-13: 978-0689858178
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 10.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,471,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The inside scoop on Santa. . ., November 10, 2004

By 

Linda J. Cover (Gig Harbor, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How Santa Really Works (Hardcover)

This is a fun-filled read. Parents, grandparents, older siblings, etc. will get quite a kick from reading and sharing this colorful and "informative" look into Santa's life!!
The illustrations are fabulous. I had been searching for this years Holiday Book for each of my grandchildren and this one more than fills the bill. It is a delight. . .if a bit off the wall!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new Christmas tradition at our house., January 1, 2008

By 

NSB "NSB" (Bluegrass, KY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How Santa Really Works (Paperback)

I bought this book last year 2006 for my then-6-year-old son. There is so much to read (and so much humor!) on every page - it's so entertaining. I love it because it presents the mystery of Santa in a fanciful, rather wacky way - we both get lots of laughs and it's crazy ideas always provoke a few questions along the way. This book has become a new Christmas tradition in our house and has been a party-gift for a few friends as well. Spread the cheer!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our Christmas book choice for 2007, December 12, 2007

By 

C. Davis "mississippi girl" (Los angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Santa Really Works (Paperback)

I bought this book for my 6-year-old son who has many questions about Santa. If he ever get a hold of the book I am sure he will enjoy it. The last two evenings my 10-year-old daughter and I have read this book together and we enjoyed everything about it. While it is a typical quick read for a picture book, we spent a long time study the illustrations which we thought were very funny. I found myself enjoying this book so much I forgot for a few minutes that it was fiction. Definitely worth buying and quite a cute book for a gift.