Excuse me, Santa! by Dave Hughes and Holly Ife

Ill. by Philip Bunting. Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781742997896
(Ages: 4-7)Themes: Christmas, Humourous Stories, Manners. This is a follow up to last year's Excuse Me! and it is basically the same story except this time it is Santa with gas instead of Martha May. It is Christmas Eve and Martha May has been polite all day when she is 'woken up by the sound of very loud, and very impolite, eating'. There in her kitchen is Santa and she has caught him eating the reindeer's carrots. 'Delivering presents makes me so hungry!' Santa admits. Martha May, being the well-mannered young girl she is, offers Santa some Christmas pudding. Santa just keeps eating and eating and Martha May is too polite to tell him to stop. 'Gurgle! Gurgle! Gurgle' goes Santa's belly. Back in the sleigh, Santa can't move: he's too heavy. 'Christmas is ruined!', the reindeers announce. Meanwhile, Martha May whispers an idea in Santa's ear and he lets out an incredible fart that 'sounded like Jingle Bells, it smelt like cinnamon and it sparkled like glitter'.
This is a completely silly story but kids will no doubt think that Santa farting is hilarious. This will be loved by fans of the first Martha May book and toilet humour aficionados.
Nicole Nelson