Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town FROM THE PUBLISHER
Experience the magic of a Steven Kellogg Christmas!
Santa has never come to town with such pizzazz -- and with "elephants, boats, and kiddie cars, too!" Here is artwork so completely festive and comically inventive, you'll feel the inspired genius of Steven Kellogg singing through the pages. His bountiful vision of one of the all-time favorite Christmas songs celebrates the season with a merry jubilee!
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
With the jaunty lyrics as a springboard ("You better watch out"), Kellogg (The Island of Skrog) jumps right into the spirit, creating a dizzyingly busy holiday scene on the end pages here. Dolls, elves and even elephants, prance, march and play through several pages of flashy red-and-green Toyland activity, framed by decorative borders. The effect is akin to looking through a Christmas kaleidoscope. Other spreads feature children and Santa (and some of the artist's familiar-looking figures) more literally interpreting the song. All in all, a lively romp with sure festive appeal for Kellogg fans. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Sue Stefurak
Marching in a fire engine red suit, Santa leads the way to the cup cake covered North Pole as Steven Kellogg brings to life this favorite carol. Seventy years ago songwriter, Coots, and lyricist, Gillespie, wrote this song on a subway in New York. The song made its debut on the Eddie Cantor Thanksgiving Show and has been popular ever since. Today grandparents and parents can teach their children this American classic using Kellogg's visual smorgasbord. A red limousine with reindeer, a wagon-load of penguins, a "rooty-toot-toot" band, and a heart covered green elephant dance and move as you turn the pages. Mr. and Mrs. Claus check the Santa Surveys from each city in the world with the results of who has been naughty or nice. A four-page fold-out reveals a sleigh so big, that a conveyor belt has to load all the presents. A million stars sparkle to guide the delivery, reminiscent of the illustrations in Kellogg's How Much is a Million? You will want to join the children singing until the end paper shows Christmas morning with a unicorn, a fire engine and a tree full of ornaments including Kellogg's favorite dog, Pinkerton, and a red and green spotted lizard curled up on a branch smiling and reading a book. 2004, HarperCollins, Ages 4 up.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2-A little bear has just returned from visiting Santa at the North Pole. Armed with insider information, he uses the familiar words of this upbeat Christmas standard to warn the children that they had best behave themselves. Readers will find it difficult to keep from bursting into song rather than simply following the text, and Kellogg's fans will relish the colorful, high-energy illustrations. Each page is packed with interesting details as the entire North Pole staff prepares for the big day and the youngsters cease their malicious snowball fights in favor of more constructive behavior-like singing and writing letters to Santa. This pays off in the end, when the gifts they've dreamed of appear beneath the tree. Sure to fuel the fires of anticipation, this visual feast will be most effective as a lap-sit.-L. I. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A large teddy bear is the narrating character in this big, bright, and busy rendition of the bouncy Christmas song. The endpapers illustrate what happens before and after the song text, showing Santa's crowded workshop at the front and the culminating Christmas morning scene in the home of a family with a son and daughter at the end. The story unfolds through the song's words with the setting moving between several locations, alternating between magical scenes at the North Pole and scenes with the two children and their friends, with the connecting device of the teddy bear. Some spreads include several panels with different settings; others show one panoramic view filled with details; and one spread opens to a double fold-out showing Santa with his sleigh and reindeer. Kellogg's Santa is indeed a jolly fellow, and the detailed spreads offer much for children to examine when not singing along with the catchy song. The end effect is buoyantly boisterous, though the frenetic energy of the crowded illustrations may leave adults feeling as though they've eaten too much Christmas candy. (Picture book. 3-7)
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