7 and Up

Ever since the accident, Carlos just isn’t the same. He no longer gazes into the night sky, dreaming about becoming a basketball star. He doesn’t even practice anymore, now that he’s in a wheelchair.
But Christmas is coming, and Carlos’ best friend, Willy, knows that if there is ever a time to cheer Carlos up, it’s now. And what better way to lift his spirits than a visit from Santa Claus himself! The trouble is, Santa has never come to the rough neighborhood where the boys live. Even if he did, how would he get up to the nineteenth floor, with no chimneys and a locked lobby door? But Willy believes Santa will make it . . . somehow.

This story answers the age old question: How does Santa deliver gifts to kids in apartment buildings?

The answer? You buzz him in.

This is a sweet and serious story that’s different from all the other Christmas books I’ve read. And not just because it takes place in a rough city neighborhood. For one thing, the book has much more text than the average picture book, reading more like a chapter book with huge pictures. I love the colorful and realistic illustrations by Chris Soentpiet, especially the full two page pictures.

This book is probably for older children as it does deal with some issues that small children may not understand.

This weeks’ Weird but True Fact about Letters to Santa

Canada has a special post office for letters to Santa. Its Postal code is HoHoHo.