Review of How I Became Santa Clause

[AvidBibliophile]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "How I Became Santa Clause" by Chris Kringle.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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How I Became Santa Clause is a holiday-themed children’s book by Chris Kringle. In this fictional story, kids learn about the legend of Santa through a creative dramatization of several real-world events and historical facts. It is narrated through the author’s unique point of view as THE self-professed, one-and-only Santa Clause.

Born on January 1, 1900, Christopher Clause Kringle had humble beginnings in New York City. As he recounts his earliest years, he mentions meeting several historical figures. Henry Ford, Babe Ruth, Milton Hershey, and President Roosevelt all left positive impressions on the young boy and shaped who he was to eventually become.

He had a best friend named Wally, who became his adopted brother, and at eight years of age, Kringle started leaving presents for his loved ones under the family Christmas tree. As the years went on, the Kringle Brothers began secretly delivering presents far and wide, and they even repaired and assembled toys in their home garage. One winter, during a trip to the North Pole, Kringle met a group of Elves in the subterranean tunnels beneath the Village of Elf, and it was there that he was given the holy name of Santa (to combine with his given middle name of Clause). Santa’s Workshop eventually came into being, and some local reindeer were recruited to help spread his messages of peace and joy far and wide.

I enjoyed coming across pictures and mentions of vintage toys and keepsakes, as marbles, jacks, and hopscotch games blended seamlessly with sewing, sledding, and cows being milked. I encountered recurring themes of acceptance, unity, and inclusion, and I loved how the author stressed the importance of education, friendships, and earning trust, even in the face of economic struggle and poverty.

The glossy pages featured a well-balanced mix of informational text, snowflake designs, colored illustrations, and antique photographs, and I genuinely found myself chuckling at several comedic pictures and runs of witty wording throughout. While I did come across a few grammatical and typographical errors throughout the span of seventy-two pages, they did not impact my overall enjoyment of the story, and there was nothing I disliked about the book or its chosen layout.

I feel this book would be appropriate for children over the age of five, especially ones who are readily fascinated by Christmastime, magical personalities, reindeer, and origin stories. This one should appeal to readers of any religious belief or denomination, and kids will encounter mentions of baseball trivia and many famous geographical landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, and Machu Picchu. I gladly award How I Became Santa Clause a rating of 4 out of 4 stars and hope that it will become a quirky holiday classic that remains perched on bookshelves for years to come!

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How I Became Santa Clause
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[Awori Anna Rose]

This book is amazing especially for the kids. All kids look Christmas time. And they love wonderful stories about Santa Claus..

[Charlie-C]

While religious dogma shouldn't be fiction, it should be painstakingly clear to especially adults, and then children that fiction is not part of beliefs, otherwise the whole stack of dominoes would crumble when one leg of the table doesn't hold up.
Santa Clause has become a religion, even more popular than the pure beliefs of the ancients.
While in it'd be a great reading for infant minds, glamorising it into worship isn't an ideal thing.
I think it's a grammatically well-written book, but it's up to the intended readers to take it or leave it.

[RetiredOBNurse]

How delightful this book sounds! In today’s world, we all could use some ole fashioned heartwarming stories about the kind of Christmas we grew up with. I will always remember the joy and excitement of going to bed early on Christmas Eve and waking up early to see what Santa had left under the tree! Thanks for this wonderful book review!

[AvidBibliophile]

How delightful this book sounds! In today’s world, we all could use some ole fashioned heartwarming stories about the kind of Christmas we grew up with. I will always remember the joy and excitement of going to bed early on Christmas Eve and waking up early to see what Santa had left under the tree! Thanks for this wonderful book review!

Well that heartwarming gift tradition started thanks to the benevolent spirit of one little boy! It really was a fascinating literary presentation of magical traditions and charming old photographs. I greatly appreciate your kind words of support!

[Betina Njeri]

How amazing this book is to mi as I'm reading it... Comfortable reading it at schools and gatherings of kids,that that really don't have that much for Christmas. Creating the children's imaginations and expectations about Santa clause, expecially in African culture children don't have such amazing experiences. So reading such a amazing book to an African child would create a heartwarming, Thanksgiving during Christmas holidays. Wonderfull book I love it.

[Madu Abigail]

From my experience, this book seems like it is going to be a great read. Nice review.

[AvidBibliophile]

From my experience, this book seems like it is going to be a great read. Nice review.

Appreciate you saying so!! I do love holiday-themed children’s stories with historical facts and photos!

[queen anirah]

According to your review, the book teaches lessons on the importance of family, friends, and trust. I think very good children book should have a good message to teach children.

[Hannah Mae Fabro]

This book is very timely. Children might be very fond of this book especially when this holiday is just like around the corner. Thank you for your wonderful review.

[Patty Allread]

Your review inspired me to find and read this book to my grandson. I love original Christmas stories and have read several about how Santa came to be. This one sounds delightful, especially all the historical figures and landmarks.

[Prisallen]

This sounds like a book that children could enjoy reading. I love how the author intertwined how Santa began by giving gifts to his family and how the tradition slowly expanded to eventually include everyone. Thank you for an excellent review!

[MsH2k]

What a clever book! With a span of 72 pages, a young reader had better get a head start on it to be well versed on Santa by Christmas. I like that the author's name is consistent with his story.

Thank you for your recommendation. It's good to see you!

[David Chijindu]

What a beautiful sounding book! We could all use some good ol' fashioned heartwarming tales about the kind of Christmas we experienced growing up in today's world. Going to bed early on Christmas Eve and waking up early to see what Santa had left beneath the tree will always bring joy and excitement to my heart. I appreciate your fantastic book review.

[Manika Sahu]

This book has a good lesson for both children and youngsters. I love it, great job