SILLY SAM THE ELF

A simple, illustrated Christmas story about an elf who gets into some mild mischief at Santa Claus’ workshop.

Silly Sam is one of Santa’s elves, and he loves to make people happy. This picture book follows him on his adventures in the North Pole, from building toys in the workshop to making special treats for his friends. On Christmas Eve, he sees Santa’s suit hanging on a hook in Santa’s workshop,but Santa is nowhere to be found. Sam decides that his next silly plan will be to stuff the suit with stuffed animals and other items to bulk it up, and then wear it to surprise the other elves. After Santa finds him, Sam believes that he’s about to get in trouble for his shenanigans, but Santa realizes that the magic of the suit has worn off on the elf, and so he invites Sam to help him deliver presents. Lindsey’s writing style is entertaining and colorful, but simple and straightforward enough for very young children to easily understand. Peres’ colorful illustrations are visually appealing and enhance the storytelling, and the characters are likable and earnest. The narrative lacks a clear theme or message, and therefore may be less interesting to older children, but the story’s simplicity is likely to captivate younger readers.

A vibrant, fun, and appealingly straightforward holiday tale.