THE SANTA CLAUSES
By
When Mr. Smith told Mr. Jones there was no Santa Claus, Mr. Jones, a reporter, spread the word to all the newspapers, and a gullible public took it as gospel. Except for Charlie, who was only partly right: there wasn't just one Santa, there were lots, and when their Christmas mail dropped to zero, they all went to vacation in Miami. Charlie found out their whereabouts and got them to call off the strike; but that year, since no one had requested presents, everyone got souvenirs from Miami. Cheerfully tongue-in-cheek and less hackneyed than most Santa tales, this is distinguished by its lively pen, pencil and watercolor illustrations. The Santas, a cross between Middle-European gnomes and the sort of elderly gentlemen who sport top hats, are charming, as arc the details in the various settings--ship, post office, beach--which retain the Germanic flavor of their origin while delighting with a humor that's international.