MRS. CLAUS TAKES A VACATION

In his debut, Alsenas offers a modern Mrs. Claus and an expressive Santa with a range of emotions that extends beyond jolly. As the story opens, Mrs. Claus is pale and overworked for good reason—she’s “never taken a vacation in her life,” poor woman! When she decides that it’s now her turn to enjoy some world travels, she leaves Santa at home with the cat and takes off with the sleigh and a single reindeer. Subsequent spreads alternate between her travel adventures (sunbathing at a beach resort, folk dancing in Scandinavia, eating sushi in Japan) and Santa’s lonely preparations for Christmas back home at the North Pole. (The elves are apparently too busy in the toy factory to help.) Just before the holiday, Mrs. Claus flies home to a warm welcome from her newly appreciative husband, who invites her to accompany him on his Christmas Eve journey. This quietly told story offers some insights into the value of traveling to new places, how it feels to be the one left behind and the meaning of shared experiences. (Picture book. 4-8)