School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--Visiting every good girl and boy on Christmas Eve is no easy feat, but with the right team on his side, Santa can achieve great things. Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and Santa's workshop is filled with the sights and sounds of countless elves making final preparations for the big night. From verifying the sturdiness of Santa's suit to adding extra grip to the reindeer's hooves, every element of the journey must be tested to ensure its success. When the conveyor belt jams, and Santa's departure is delayed, he must harness the power of science to make all of his deliveries on time. Anyone who has ever wondered just how Santa gets to every house on Christmas Eve carrying the amount of presents required will find a plethora of scientific explanations in this book. By using recognizable comparisons such as LEGO sets and the distance from the Earth to the moon, readers will easily comprehend the enormous magnitude of this annual feat. Santa is depicted as a chiseled, burly character, his physique able to withstand the G-forces he experiences on his travels. Santa and Mrs. Claus are depicted with light skin and rosy complexions, and they are surrounded by a diverse cast of elves. The computer-rendered images show more of the preparations than the text explains, offering a visually engaging backdrop to the story. VERDICT This STEM-oriented Christmas extravaganza speaks to elementary school-age readers and is a unique and entertaining take on Santa's iconic voyage.--Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The tech-savvy elven team behind the famous red suit explains the mechanics of how Santa delivers presents in one night. From the sheer number of gifts ("They could stretch three times around Earth") and resulting weight ("three Empire State Buildings") to St. Nick's suit (which "needs to handle all the heat and pressure that comes with such high-speed travel"), Hale conveys the science in snappy, easily digestible dialogue. Francis, who "used software to manipulate the composite photographs for this book," depicts various odds and ends needed to pull off the night in art that amplifies the author's jokes: spreads that include elves of various skin tones depict Santa Claw machinery and Super Sled Shox. A rollicking tale that explains how Santa's trip requires "a little science and engineering and a whole lot of Christmas magic." Ages 4--8. (Sept.)
