Book Review #35: MRS. CLAUS EXPLAINS IT ALL by Elsbeth Claus; illustrated by David Wenzel

MRS. CLAUS EXPLAINS IT ALL

by Elsbeth Claus

illustrated by David Wenzel

Pub. Date: November 2008

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Format: Hardcover, 32pp

Sales Rank: 175,583

Lexile: 1010L What’s This?

ISBN-13: 9781402211058

ISBN: 1402211058

 
Description (from the publisher):
Every year millions of letters to Santa reach the North Pole. Many are requests for presents. And many letters have questions about Santa, the elves and workshops, the reindeer, and, of course, the North Pole.

Now Mrs. Claus has her own gift for you - for the first time ever, she's taking a break from her very busy schedule to answer real questions from children of all ages. Join her on a tour of the North Pole and learn some of the best kept secrets of Christmas from the person who knows it all - Mrs. Claus!

* How does Santa get into my house if we don't have a chimney?

* What is Santa's favorite kind of cookie?

* Where do elves come from?

* Can all reindeer fly?

Beautifully illustrated by David Wenzel, bestselling illustrator of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, this picture book reveals the answers to the questions children always ask - and they're all answered by the woman who knows the most: Mrs. Claus!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars - Fun for the whole family!

My Thoughts:
"The North Pole: the warmest place on ice." That's a quote from the endpapers of Mrs. Claus Explains It All written by (who else?) Elsbeth Claus and illustrated by David Wenzel. It's a great description of this book as well. 

Everyone knows that eventually, the kids are going to ask questions about the mechanics of how all things Santa really work. How does Santa get into my house, keep all the kids straight, get all those packages delivered in just one night. The list is endless, and not everyone knows how to answer all those questions. That's why its a great idea to have a copy of Mrs. Clause Explains It All within easy reach! You could keep the book hidden and sneakily look up the answers as the questions pop up one by one. Or head 'em off at the pass by reading ahead of time and having the answers ready to impress the kids with just how much you know about Mr. Claus.

I suppose if you're so inclined, you could even share the book with a child, thereby letting them view the wonderfully detailed illustrations that include the heretofor unknown and very top secret multi-level underground workrooms and warehouses and miles and miles of greenhouses hiding under all that snow up at that the North Pole. What, you thought Santa made a worldful of toys in some little dinky back room? Yeah, right. And just where do you think all his food comes from? Personally, I most enjoyed reading about how the elves came to be Santa's helpers and how the reindeer got their names.

As you can guess, I think Mrs. Claus Explains It All is clever, imaginative, and fun and the perfect book to add to your holiday library. No home should be without one. So, be prepared! There's not telling what those kids will ask next!

About the author (from the publisher):
Christi Love created her list of questions for Santa by posing as Mrs. Claus at various events across the country. She firmly believes in the magic of Christmas and especially of the stories that involve Santa Claus. She frequently tours as Mrs. Claus, collecting more questions from children to answer.

Click here to visit the illustrator's website.
 
About the illustrator (from the publisher):
David Wenzel is an extraordinary illustrator and children's book artist, best known for illustrating the bestselling Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and his visualization of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, illustrated in graphic novel format.

Thank you to Liz at Sourcebooks, Inc.

for supplying my review copy.