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Santa Goes on Strike by Jem Vanston (view source)
Revision as of 08:38, 13 October 2018
, 08:38, 13 October 2018no edit summary
|author=Jem Vanston
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=For SharingGeneral Fiction
|summary=A lovely poem about a depressed Santa going on strike. Some subtle awareness raising about mental health in a heartwarming story, beautifully illustrated.
|rating=4
|video=
|aznuk= 1911569740
|aznus= 19115697491911569740
|cover= 1911569749
}}
Don't worry and do read on: you might be surprised and gladdened by how it all turns out!
Gosh, this is a lovely little story. The main message is about greed and it could easily have missed its mark by coming off as dour and miserable but this doesn't happen at all. Jem Vanston packs the rhymes with genuine concern for Santa's disappointment and love and goodwill, not only for Santa, but everyone else. And the presentless families, far from being miserable, rediscover the joy of family and companionship. And they do get their presents in the end, so all's well that ends well. The result is a genuinely uplifting story that parents can use to talk to their children about materialism and the big difference between what we want and what we need.Adults might want to have the same conversation with other adults, too!
The book also does a wonderful job in raising awareness about depression and mental health generally. It's subtle and gentle so won't scare any little person horses but it does open the door to some early discussion about the invisible ways we can be unwell. I liked the kind and quiet way Vanston went about this.
''Santa Goes on Strike'' will be a joy to shareon family occasions. The rhyming text scans beautifully and even a clodhopping reader aloud such as me will be able to find its rhythm. And there is a lot of delicious alliteration and fanciful imagery: ''Silence settled with the snow/As snowflakes tickled reindeer toe''. Jay Rixon's illustrations of Vanston's designs are bright and impactful with plenty of detail to pore over. I particularly enjoyed the very expressive eyes of all the reindeer, shocked to their very cores at the idea of Santa on strike.
Here at Bookbag, we're happy to recommend ''Santa Goes on Strike'' as a seasonal sharing read. It's thoughtful and kind with some clear messaging. And, most importantly, it's ''fun''.
If ''Santa Goes on Strike'' appeals, you might also enjoy [[The Naughtiest Reindeer by Nicki Greenberg]] - when Rudolf is ill on Christmas Eve there is only one other red-nosed reindeer to turn to, his little sister Ruby.
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