Santa's Twin [Paperback]

Dean Koontz (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

A contemporary Christmas classic for children
of all ages -- including those who pretend to have grown up!

Charlotte and Emily are determined to save Santa from his mischievous twin -- Bob Claus -- who has not only stolen Santa's sleigh and stuffed his toy bag full of mud pies, cat poop, and broccoli, but has also threatened to turn Donner, Blitzen, and the others into reindeer soup!

How the brave but foolhardy sisters fly to the North Pole and rescue Santa from his "deeply troubled" twin is an utterly charming and unforgettable story sure to add sparkle to your holiday season.

Read it aloud, preferably to someone you love to hear laugh!

This perennial yuletide favorite was written by bestselling novelist Dean Koontz in 1996 at the request of his fans and has been pleasing readers every holiday season since. Winner of an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition while he was just a senior in college, Koontz today is a world-famous author whose books have been published in thirty-eight different languages and have sold more than three hundred million copies.

Lavishly illustrated with spectacular paintings by Phil Parks, this thoroughly modern masterpiece breathes new life and warmth into the world's most beloved legend.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dean Koontz was born in Everett, Pennsylvania, and grew up in nearby Bedford. When he was a senior in college, he won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition and has been writing ever since. Today he is a world-famous author whose novels have sold 225 million copies in thirty-eight languages. He has numerous New York Times adult best-sellers, including his most recent From The Corner Of His Eye. Dean Koontz is also the author of the children's book Santa's Twin. He lives in southern California.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; First edition (September 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006057223X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060572235
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 10.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,086,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born and raised in Pennsylvania where I graduated from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University). When I was a senior in college, I won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition and have been writing ever since. My first job after graduation was with the Appalachian Poverty Program, where I was expected to counsel and tutor underprivileged children on a one-to-one basis. During my first day on the job, I discovered that the previous occupier of my position had been beaten up by the very kids he had been trying to help and had landed in the hospital for several weeks. The following year was filled with challenge but also tension, and I was more highly motivated than ever to build a career as a writer. I wrote nights and weekends, which I continued to do after leaving the poverty program and going to work as an English teacher in a suburban school district outside Harrisburg. After a year and a half in that position, my wife, Gerda, made me an offer I couldn't refuse: "I'll support you for five years," she said, "and if you can't make it as a writer in that time, you'll never make it." By the end of those five years, Gerda had quit her job to run the business end of my writing career. Gerda and I, along with our dog, Trixie, live in southern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Koontz goes Christmas!, October 24, 2004

By 

DanD - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Santa's Twin (Paperback)

Okay, here's the deal: Santa's got a twin brother. Only Santa's twin isn't nearly so nice--he hogties Santa and leaves him in a dingy dungeon, then steals the sleigh--threatening the reindeer--and spreads Christmas horror throughout the world. It's up to two young sisters, Emmy and Charlotte, to stop him, rescue the real Santa Claus, and restore happiness to the world...before dawn.

Fully of wit and humor people of all ages will enjoy, Dean Koontz's "Santa's Twin", featuring superb illustrations by Phil Parks, is a must-have for holiday fans. Enjoyable rhyme, hidden snowmen in every picture, and little bits of humor drawn into the pictures themselves will delight Koontz fans and casual readers. "Santa's Twin" may not ever become a holiday classic, but it's certainly a holiday tradition around my house!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Return to my youth, May 22, 2001

By 

"koontzcrazy" (St Andrews, Fife, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Santa's Twin (Hardcover)

When I was a little boy I loved nothing more than curling up in my bed at night when the latest omnibus of children's horror stories. Dean Koontz has taken his well honed craft and added his touch to this genre, with remarkable results. How I wish this book would have been around when I was a child, I probably would have read it about 10 times by now. I read it myself first to ensure it was suitable for my children and found that I couldn't put it down. When I eventually got round to reading it to the kids it became a war of wills, with them trying to stay awake as long as possible each night trying to intake as much of the story as possible before tiredness took them and they finally crossed over into dreamworld. The fact that as soon as I had finished reading this book, the children asked for me to read it to them again is testament to just how fantastic this book is. For some great family entertainment on a cold winters night then it doesn't come much better than this. I should also state that the illustrations are also remarkable and enhance the enjoyment of the experience. A must for every child's bookshelf.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the funniest Christmas books for all ages!, December 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Santa's Twin (Hardcover)

This is one of the funniest children's books I have ever read. My seven year old niece introduced it to me last Christmas. Not only was the story hillarious and rivoting, and the rhyming perfect, but the "find a snowman in every picture" theme kept us enthralled long after the story had been read. The pictures were also quite beautiful, I might add - a tribute to the heights of quality children's books have reached in the past few years. This year I bought this book for all of my other nieces and nephews - as well as a copy for myself!