BY DAWN WOODS

 

Father Christmas knows that greens are good for him so eats all his sprouts, plus more. But sprouts have other properties and the huge helpings are soon threatening to burst out of Santa's tummy, but not in the way they went in.

He can't make a noise and risk wakening sleeping children, but holding it in makes the problem worse. Meanwhile, the poor reindeer become more and more tired, until at the last house they fall asleep in the sleigh.

How will they all return home without reindeer power? The answer is obvious and Father Christmas comes up trumps in more ways than one.

Nicholas Allen has come up with another story to delight young minds, with illustrations of simple blocks of colour and expressions, which I love, on Santa's face that tell their own story.

The rhymes are fun so children can join in - especially with the repetition, and certainly with the last loud shout.

This is a book for both bedtime at home and also the classroom - "up in the sky and over the moon, under the clouds and down to the roofs" allows the teacher to demonstrate positional language in an enjoyable way.

The story could be acted out by a class to entertain a whole primary school for 15 minutes. This will become a lasting favourite and is already on my shelf of read-alouds.

 

This book was published by Red Fox and is available to buy for £5.99. It can also be borrowed from The Hive as well as other Worcestershire libraries. Click here to check availability and check it out.