SantaKid [Hardcover]

James Patterson (Author), Michael Garland (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

When Warrie Ransom, the Big Boss of the Exmas Express Company, decides to buy Christmas and rename it Exmas, Santa Claus, Momma Claus, and their daugher Chrissie can't believe their eyes. Everything at the North Pole seems to change overnight--the elves stop making kids' favorite toys, the Christmas doves won't fly or sing, and no one seems to laugh anymore. It looks like Christmas is going to be ruined. But then Chrissie remembers something she had learned from her dad: you must believe in something bigger than yourself. With a little help from her dad's helpers, Chrissie--as santaKid--delivers presents to children on Christmas eve, sending Warrie Ransom back to where he came from! After all, when you believe in something, magic can happen.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–From the best-selling writer of books for adults comes a tale of corporate greed. Young Chrissie, daughter of Santa and Mrs. Claus, describes her enviable life at the North Pole–until Christmas is bought out by Exmas Express and Santa's workshop is run like a business, with predictably disastrous results. When her father becomes dispirited and can't make his usual rounds, Chrissie takes over and saves the day. This is a sprightly and entertaining tale that begs to be read aloud, appropriately accompanied by slick digital illustrations. This modern-looking yet ultimately charming book should appeal to many kids.–E. M.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

James Patterson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for adults, including The Jester, Four Blind Mice, Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas, and The Lake House. His book 1st to Die was made into a miniseries for NBC in February 2003.

Michael Garland is the illustrator of more than 50 books for children, including The Mouse Before Christmas, Angel Cat, and Christmas City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; First Edition edition (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316000612
• ISBN-13: 978-0316000611
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 0.4 x 12.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

From my publisher:

James Patterson...


* James Patterson holds the New York Times bestsellers list record with 63 New York Times bestselling titles.

* JP has sold more than 220 million books worldwide. And considering pass-along and libraries, it's safe to say many more people than that have read a Patterson!

* In 2010, JP was named by kids everywhere the Children's Book Councils' Children's Choice Book Awards "Author of the Year" in 2010. More than 15,000 kid and teen readers voted for JP in a category he shared with Suzanne Collins, Carl Hiaasen, Jeff Kinney, and Rick Riordan. His Witch and Wizard series saw the biggest launch of a series for young readers ever, surpassing sales of first installments of Twilight, Diary of A Wimpy Kid, and Percy Jackson & The Olympians.

* JP has grossed over 3 billion dollars in worldwide sales. This is larger than the worldwide theatrical gross of Avatar, the highest grossing film of all time.

* JP has had 43 New York Times hardcover #1 bestselling novels, also a publishing industry record.

* Last year, JP has sold more books than John Grisham, Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, and Stephen King combined (source: Nielsen BookScan).

* JP properties are gaining wide interest amongst film and TV producers. JP's award-winning series for young readers, Maximum Ride, is currently with Avi Arad (Spiderman, Iron Man) and Universal Pictures. Lloyd Levin (Green Zone, Watchmen) is attached to produce a feature film adaptation of JP's newest young readers series, Witch and Wizard, and James Patterson Entertainment is set to produce the next Alex Cross film, I, Alex Cross which will feature Idris Elba (The Wire, The Losers) as Alex Cross. And, a television adaptation of JP's 2007 love story Sundays At Tiffanys aired in December 2010 starring Alyssa Milano and Eric Winter.

* JP's books are licensed in 43 countries worldwide, and are in print and actively sold in 100 countries.

* According to a 2010 Bowker Sisters in Crime Survey, JP is the favorite mystery writer amongst readers under 50...AND over 50! Survey respondents comprised American men, women and teens who bought at least one mystery fiction title in 2009 and/or 2010.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SantaKid Saves the Day!, November 28, 2004

By 

Nancy R. Katz "NancyK18" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SantaKid (Hardcover)

You would have to be living under a rock if you're a reader not to know the name James Patterson. While his earliest books never made a big splash with the publication of Along Came A Spider, this author burst upon the bestseller screen and hasn't been off there or the lists since the early days of Alex Cross. And as if writing one suspense series wasn't enough, Mr. Patterson then began writing a second one which featured 4 women from different walks of life who band together to solve some real challenging murders. Most writers would be satisfied with their career at this point, but then Mr. Patterson wrote a very popular romance novel which was quickly followed by another one this year. And now to this ever growing list of genres, this year Mr. Paterson followed in the footsteps of other best-selling authors like John Grisham, Janet Evanovich and Fannie Flagg by writing a holiday book for children called "SantaKid." Once again I was curious as I've been before when Mr. Patterson wrote for a new genre that I couldn't miss the opportunity to read this book.

When a giant corporation takes over the North Pole and the elves and Santa's job, thinking they can do it better and faster, sound familiar -- it's up to "SantaKid," his beloved daughter to make things right. While Santa falls into a depression at the thought of losing his job, his beloved daughter fights with the leader of the corporation to make Christmas like last year and continues to hope along with the elves that somehow they will triumph. How "SantaKid" ultimately saves Christmas that year from big business is the focal point of the book.

This was a good read which I imagine children will enjoy. It also serves as a good lesson concerning the real meaning of the holidays. It should be added to other holiday books which tell a moral tale and can be read by all ages and appreciated. It is also much to Patterson's credit than he can cross over to other genres so successfully. In addition, I also must applaud the illustrator of this book who did a wonderful job of conveying the story through pictures. With bold colors and large figures I couldn't wait to see the next pages as the book became more alive.

I do recommend this book and wish all a happy holiday and ho ho ho!!!!!!

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Your kids will love this book, November 4, 2004

By 

Annie "bookwishes4" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: SantaKid (Hardcover)

Chrissy, the daughter of Santa, was always told that you have to believe in something bigger than yourself, but that statement was put to the test one day when Christmas and the North Pole was taken over by Exmas Express, a big business that would change Christmas forever and not for the better. When the big day came to deliver the presents the snow was so bad, the Exmas Express trucks got stuck and could not leave the North Pole and Santa had put on so much weight from his bout of depression that he could not fly in the sleigh so it was up to Chrissy to believe that she could deliver all the presents on her own.

Santa Kid is a book that any child would love because it reinforces the fact that "kids are small, but kids are smart and kids are the ones that know how to believe."

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story...rich with irony, November 28, 2004

By 

Jen "Mom" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SantaKid (Hardcover)

I loved this story and laughed aloud as I read it in the bookstore. I quickly piled several copies into my arms to send to each of the families with children on my list...until I checked the price! Does anyone but me find it ironic that a children's Christmas book about the true meaning of the holiday being obscured by corporate greed retails for close to what one of the best-selling author's hard cover novels might sell for? $18.99? Are you kidding me?

Luckily we have Amazon. Needless to say, I put the bookstore copies back on the shelf.