Santakid [Hardcover]

You would have to be living under a rock if you're a reader not to know the name James Patterson. While his earliest books never made a big splash with the publication of Along Came A Spider, this author burst upon the bestseller screen and hasn't been off there or the lists since the early days of Alex Cross. And as if writing one suspense series wasn't enough, Mr. Patterson then began writing a second one which featured 4 women from different walks of life who band together to solve some real challenging murders. Most writers would be satisfied with their career at this point, but then Mr. Patterson wrote a very popular romance novel which was quickly followed by another one this year. And now to this ever growing list of genres, this year Mr. Paterson followed in the footsteps of other best-selling authors like John Grisham, Janet Evanovich and Fannie Flagg by writing a holiday book for children called "SantaKid." Once again I was curious as I've been before when Mr. Patterson wrote for a new genre that I couldn't miss the opportunity to read this book.

When a giant corporation takes over the North Pole and the elves and Santa's job, thinking they can do it better and faster, sound familiar -- it's up to "SantaKid," his beloved daughter to make things right. While Santa falls into a depression at the thought of losing his job, his beloved daughter fights with the leader of the corporation to make Christmas like last year and continues to hope along with the elves that somehow they will triumph. How "SantaKid" ultimately saves Christmas that year from big business is the focal point of the book.

This was a good read which I imagine children will enjoy. It also serves as a good lesson concerning the real meaning of the holidays. It should be added to other holiday books which tell a moral tale and can be read by all ages and appreciated. It is also much to Patterson's credit than he can cross over to other genres so successfully. In addition, I also must applaud the illustrator of this book who did a wonderful job of conveying the story through pictures. With bold colors and large figures I couldn't wait to see the next pages as the book became more alive.

I do recommend this book and wish all a happy holiday and ho ho ho!!!!!!

Chrissy, the daughter of Santa, was always told that you have to believe in something bigger than yourself, but that statement was put to the test one day when Christmas and the North Pole was taken over by Exmas Express, a big business that would change Christmas forever and not for the better. When the big day came to deliver the presents the snow was so bad, the Exmas Express trucks got stuck and could not leave the North Pole and Santa had put on so much weight from his bout of depression that he could not fly in the sleigh so it was up to Chrissy to believe that she could deliver all the presents on her own.

Santa Kid is a book that any child would love because it reinforces the fact that "kids are small, but kids are smart and kids are the ones that know how to believe."

I loved this story and laughed aloud as I read it in the bookstore. I quickly piled several copies into my arms to send to each of the families with children on my list...until I checked the price! Does anyone but me find it ironic that a children's Christmas book about the true meaning of the holiday being obscured by corporate greed retails for close to what one of the best-selling author's hard cover novels might sell for? $18.99? Are you kidding me?

Luckily we have Amazon. Needless to say, I put the bookstore copies back on the shelf.