A city full of Santas by Joanna Ho. Illus. by Thai My Phoung

For five years the little girl has tried to stay awake to meet Santa face-to-face, and every year she has fallen asleep before he has arrived. But today is the day - her mother is taking her into the city to meet him IRL.  

But when she gets there she discovers the streets are full of Santas - so who is the real Santa?  She knows he "smells like peppermint and chocolate, laughs like the sun clapping its hands and feels like a heart full of glitter" so she figures she will be able to detect him easily despite all the choices.  But can she? Or will she go home disappointed?

Once again, the author of such iconic stories as Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, Eyes that Speak to the Stars and Eyes that Weave the World's Wonders has crafted a special story for young readers echoing the excitement that is starting to build as they patiently wait in the queue to tell Santa their secret wishes, which in turn, are echoed by illustrations that will look so familiar. Ho has a way with words that just make the story roll off the tongue, and little ones will understand the confusion the little girl feels when she is confronted by so many versions of the most popular man in their lives at this time.  

Given the tight parameters of traditions which seem to enclose Christmas, it amazes me how many quality stories about the time continue to be written, each different and each almost inhaled by our young people as they are shared, but this is another and it is a stand-out.

Themes: Santa Claus, Christmas.

Barbara Braxton