SANTA'S HOLIDAY MIX-UP

In Bryant’s picture book, when Santa mixes up his dates and arrives in Holidayville too early for Christmas, he is invited to join in a Fall Festival.

“Once upon a time, in the enchanting town of Holidayville, every day felt like a celebration.” So begins this tale of what happens to Father Christmas when an elf makes a mistake with Santa’s calendar and sends him to Holidayville in October. Santa lands his sleigh during the Fall Festival and is about to take off again when best friends Rihanna and Harlem spot him and convince him to stay. (The people of Holidayville all wear costumes for the festival, so Santa won’t stand out.) He joins the girls in all of their festival traditions—painting pumpkins, bobbing for apples, telling spooky stories—and not only does Santa have a great time, Harlem and Rihanna enjoy themselves all the more for sharing. Bryant writes straightforward prose presented in a faux handprinted font that might give pause to younger readers. The premise is wholesome and appealing: Santa, a tireless benefactor of the holiday season, is given his own taste of holiday magic. Figueras brings the tale to life by way of double-page-spread digital illustrations that glisten in autumnal shades. Holidayville is depicted as racially diverse; Harlem and Rihanna, who are Black, embody the delight of children everywhere in rejoicing and making merry. All told, this is a lovely concept well realized.

A sweet story celebrating the magic of seasonal holidays.