I have two daughters, ages 5 and 10. While my 5 year-old is very much into Santa and the whole experience, my 10 year-old very much wants to believe, but has her doubts. This book was just perfect for both of them. It was the last copy available at Target on Dec. 23rd, and the cover illustration jumped off of the page and caught my eye. I grabbed it immediately. Inside, I was thrilled to see the incredible imagination and detail that the author put into the creation of this book. I first shared the book with my 5 year-old, who was really taken in by the bright colors, pictures of the elves, the toy room, and learning about the Christmas feast. For my oldest daughter, all of the "real-world" scientific questions needed to be answered as to how Santa can even exist. This book mixed enough plausible science into the magic of the holiday to make it believable for her. Especially intriguing to her were the pull-out items from the book which included a map of the world which illustrates the zig-zag route Santa follows, the newspaper clipping from New York City (I believe) where people told of seeing Santa in the sky and confirming it was NOT an airplane, and the explanation of how Santa stops time to make his deliveries. My 10 year-old LOVED this book!
There are so many holiday traditions from when I was a child that have faded from my life. I look at having this book around as being the start of a new tradition which helps keep the magic of Christmas alive for my children. For my oldest daughter, the ability to believe in Santa is somethinhg that I feel helps to maintain that innocence that we see in children for just a little bit longer. This book is really something that can be shared by the entire family. Worth buying.
