CHRISTMAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

With Santa’s workshop blown away in a windy storm, will anyone get presents this year?

The elves begin to fret: What will happen to Christmas? Luckily Mrs. Claus has a plan—and some blueprints. Reindeer drive in on rumbling construction trucks and get to work. “But there’s no wood to make the walls,” exclaims one observant elf. “How will we ever deck these halls?” With large slabs of gingerbread, of course! Jaunty rhymes add a kick to the construction process. “Dasher and Dancer tuck the points. / Sugary mortar fills the joints.” But who will help when the roof is too heavy to lift? Good ol’ Phil, the abominable snowman. Once the workshop is functional again, the present-making resumes in full force. Christmas is saved! Chaotic bursts of colors from patterned elf caps, sugary candy, and bright lights add to Cleland’s overstuffed illustrations, filled with swirling snow and frenetic energy. The panic is palpable, but everyone pitches in and works together to come up with some creative solutions. This may not be the best winding-down, cozy-bedtime story, but those seeking holiday drama will find it here. Santa and his wife are light-skinned, while the elves vary in skin tone.

An enticing tale of Yuletide calamity that showcases the power of cooperation.