Love, Santa

by Martha Brockenbrough, Lee White (Illustrator)

Overview

The beautiful truth about Santa

In a series of letters, a young girl writes to Santa to ask about the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, and of course, Christmas goodies. Year after year, Santa writes back, and a heartwarming relationship develops, until one year, the girl writes to her mother instead: Mom, are you Santa? Her mother responds to say that no, she is not Santa. Because Santa is bigger than any one person — we bring him out through kindness to one another and the power of imagination. This transformative tale spins a universal childhood experience into a story about love, giving, and the spirit of Christmas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545700306
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	09/26/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lee White is an artist and teacher who loves watercolor, print making, and climbing trees. He spends his days splashing paint in his backyard studio, where there are absolutely no clocks allowed! He has illustrated more than fifteen books and shown in galleries across the country, from Los Angeles to New York. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and young son.
Martha Brockenbrough is the critically acclaimed author of the YA novels Into the Bloodred Woods, The Game of Love and Death, and Devine Intervention; the middle grade novel To Catch a Thief; and numerous nonfiction titles, picture books, and chapter books. She teaches at Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband, their two daughters, two dogs, and two cats. You can visit her online at marthabrockenbrough.com.

Editorial Reviews

…this earnest book…channels the sense of loss into a message about generosity and kindness…Lucy's growth into knowledge, and her mother's navigation of her role in that, are equally moving.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

★ 09/04/2017
A green foil bellyband around this book, reading “When you’re ready to share the beautiful truth about Santa,” foreshadows its important contents. When five-year-old Lucy writes her first letter to Santa, she receives a friendly reply—and a cozy red coat—on Christmas morning. Similar letters (contained in envelopes throughout the book) are exchanged each year until, at age eight, Lucy writes to her mother, instead: “Dear Mom, Are you Santa?” Her mother’s thoughtful, heartfelt response, which Brokenbrough (The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy) wrote to her own daughter and published in the New York Times in 2009, is its own bit of Christmas magic. White’s watercolor-splashed scenes are taut with emotion, capturing the joy, uncertainty, and newfound understanding of a girl who is growing up and ready to become part of Santa’s “team.” It’s an elegant, relatable, and moving depiction of a family’s negotiation of a tricky childhood rite of passage. Ages 9–12. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"A message about generosity and kindness." — New York Times Book Review"Wise, truthful and lovely." — The Wall Street Journal"I want to give this book to everyone I know who says, 'It's so sad the kids are growing older.'" — NPR* "An elegant, relatable, and moving depiction of a family's negotiation of a tricky childhood rite of passage." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"Brockenbrough manages to merge honesty and magic to help families in one of the most poignant of growing-up moments... A coming-of-age story that will have readers of all ages wiping away a sentimental tear or two." — Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

10/01/2017
Gr 2–4—A young girl named Lucy has been exchanging letters with Santa every Christmas since she was five. As she grows older, she begins to have questions. Why does his writing look like her mom's? How does he visit every house? She begins to put the pieces together, and she writes her mom a letter asking if she is Santa. Her mom writes her back that she is not Santa, that Santa teaches us to believe, and that he has help getting down all those chimneys by those whose hearts he has filled with joy. While Lucy is saddened by this coming-of-age moment, she is also inspired to carry on the spirit of Santa. The watercolor and mixed-media artwork is sweet and cheerful and sets just the right tone for the sensitive conversations. The letters that Lucy writes to Santa are contained in envelopes inside the book, which unfortunately are likely to get lost in a library setting. The story pulls at the heartstrings and provides the perfect words that many parents struggle to find. VERDICT Great for one-on-one sharing between parents and their children when it is time to discover the true meaning of Christmas.—Sara Rebman, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal