A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig - 234 pages

Nikolas is determined to find his father.  His father left to discover proof that elves exist by traveling to Elfhelm.  But he's been gone too long.  Nikolas must journey north to find his father. 

I've been wanting to read this book the past several years around the holidays, but it's always been checked out.  So this year, I made sure to grab it early.  I listened to it on audio.  It was narrated perfectly by Stephen Fry.  I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to kids and families looking for a good Christmas book to get them in the mood for the holidays.

MSCHMITT--- What could be keeping Santa? By Marilyn Janovitz 28

MSCHMITT---

What could be keeping Santa? By Marilyn Janovitz 28

The reindeer are panicked when Santa is not ready for their Christmas Eve adventure. All the Christmas trimmings are prepared so the reindeer can not figure out where Santa is. As they wait outside his door, Santa finally awakens to remind the reindeer that it is not him who is late, it is they who are a day too early.

MSCHMITT--- Little Santa by Jon Agee 36

MSCHMITT--- Little Santa by Jon Agee 36

The Clause family lives in the North Pole but the only member of the family that likes it is the youngest one, Santa. He loves the cold and sliding down chimneys but when the family packs up to move to Florida they get snowed in. The only person that can make it out is Santa...through  the roof. Santa wanders and runs into a very special reindeer who can fly. As they fly they see another chimney and as the reindeer waits Santa goes down the chimney to find a home full of elves, and sure enough all the elves help rescue Santa's family. In the end the Clauses still move to Florida, but Santa stays behind.

Sweet Rein, v. 1 by Sakura Tsukuba

Sweet Rein, v. 1 by Sakura Tsukuba - 191 pages

Imagine Kurumi Sagara's surprise when she is suddenly tied at the wrist to a strange boy that bumped into her while she was walking down the street.  Even more surprising is his story that she is a Santa and he is her reindeer.  He calls her master and asks for her bidding.  Shockingly, it turns out to be true.  Now Kurumi is attached to Kaito - trying to deliver presents to the kids in her district for Christmas.

The first story in the book gives the setup written above.  The second story is about sick kid Mamoru who Kurumi tries to arrange a miracle for.  The third story sets up the beginnings of a romance between Kurumi and Kaito.

The book also includes a short manga by Tsukuba called Sweet Bite Mark about a vampire who discovers he has a young daughter.

I picked up this manga as it was Christmas themed.  I haven't found too many holiday themed graphic novels other than Manga Klaus about a samurai Santa fighting evil ninja teddy bears.  This is obviously a much sweeter Christmas story.  It was also different in that it portrays "Santa" in the summer in two of the stories.  While it was a cute story, I'm not sure that I care enough to continue through the series.