Santa Claus runs into a heap of trouble in this unconventional holiday adventure by Plecas (author of Keith Lives!). Despite inflation and stiff competition from Amazon, Santa is far from “outdated and irrelevant”—a fact he is quick to tell his financial advisor, Mr. Pickle, when their pre-Christmas meeting detours into how to cut costs and increase efficiency. But that’s just the beginning of Santa’s problems. His first Christmas stop feels all wrong—and quickly devolves into quite the mess when the homeowner, an elderly man with a chip on his shoulder, catches Santa in the act and promptly concludes that this “large black man in a bright red suit” is a home invader.

From there, it’s a medley of mayhem for the jolly old elf, as Santa endures attempted murder, dangerous street fights, and the possibility that Christmas could be canceled this year. Luckily, Plecas depicts Santa as calmly steadfast through each predicament and gifts him with a cadre of entertaining characters to help turn his night around: there’s young Joy, whose only Christmas wish is that her deployed father could return home for the day; Lulu and her cane-bearing, don’t-mess-with-me Meema, who comes to Santa’s rescue in more ways than one; and the dashing Denzel, a former Army Ranger now serving as an attorney. Even as Santa faces overwhelming craziness, his entourage proves up to the challenge, helping him find his way back to his sleigh, circling over the last house he dropped into, per their Christmas rescue plan in the event something goes awry.

Readers will find all the important holiday messages here, from the need to “see the world through the eyes of a child” to the belief in something greater than yourself. Plecas ends with a sweet reminder that it’s never really about the presents under the tree—it’s about the love in our hearts.

Takeaway: Santa endures sleigh loads of danger to save Christmas.

Comparable Titles: Eoin Colfer’s Juniper’s Christmas, Ben Miller’s Diary of a Christmas Elf.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A