Santa's new reindeer by Caroline Crowe. Illus. by Jess Pauwels

One week to go 'till Christmas Day,
The final touches underway,
A ribbon here, a flourish there,
And presents piled up everywhere.

Santa smiled. 'What could go wrong?'

It didn't take long for him to find out. Suddenly, there is a crash and a bang and Rudolph tumbles through the workroom roof after one of his flying tricks goes disastrously wrong!

And if that's not bad enough, he has injured himself so now he can't pull the sleigh! And, on top of that, no one else has any flying reindeer to spare and using just seven will mean the journey won't be completed in time! What will they use instead? The other reindeer make all sorts of suggestions, but each creature has an issue that makes them unsuitable, proving that only reindeer can pull the sleigh with its precious cargo. But then Lizzie, the elves' Head Inventor offers a solution.

For those familiar with the hijinks of Santa's New Beard and Santa's New Sleigh, this is another rollicking story that offers young readers an insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of that special place at the North Pole. It's a hive of activity all year round and they will have fun exploring all the details in the illustrations as well as suggesting solutions for Santa's dilemma.

Every year there is a whole new wave of children who begin to appreciate the fun and excitement of Christmas, and their joy is palpable so to feed it with original and entertaining stories of the time is a privilege. This series is definitely one to bring out during your Christmas Countdown.

Themes: Santa Claus, Reindeer.

Barbara Braxton