santadust

I’ve always been a fan of Christmas traditions, especially year-after-year viewings of favorite movies, decorating the tree with favorite ornaments, and pulling out well-worn copies of favorite stories. When it comes to Christmas stories, enchanting books with sparkle, snow, and a cozy house come to mind—often with some middle-of-the-night magic to boot. The Magical Tale of Santa Dust fits the bill, and comes with a special red velvet pouch filled with “Santa Dust”—iridescent glitter just like the dust featured in the book.

The Magical Tale of Santa Dust, by Patricia Cardello, is the story of a brother and sister who settle into bed on Christmas Eve, saddened by the fact that Santa has never visited them and won’t again this year, because they don’t have enough firewood to make their home bright enough for Santa to see from his sleigh. In the middle of the night, their pet dog, Jack, wakens the boy with his excitement at something outside the window. The boy follows Jack outside, where he runs into the bushes and retrieves Santa’s pouch. What the boy doesn’t see, but we lucky readers do, is the giggling elf in the bushes who has dropped the pouch.

When the boy goes back inside, he and his sister discover that inside the pouch is a magic Christmas tree ornament that shines bright enough for Santa to see from the sky. In their quest to get it onto the roof, they drop it, shattering the ornament and spilling its precious dust. Disheartened, they return to bed, certain that they have lost their chance for a visit from Santa. But alas, Santa sees the dust shining bright, and the children’s greatest wish is realized: Santa stops at their house and leaves lots of gifts—even a bone for Jack.

I love the illustrations throughout the book. They’re detailed and elegant, but with a fun flair that kids love. The artist in me also appreciates illustrator Manuela Soriani’s use of interesting angles, such as a scene in the children’s bedroom drawn from the perspective of high in a corner. The book is long enough to get kids invested in the story, and the pace keeps it a page-turner.

The Magical Tale of Santa Dust, along with its special velvet pouch of shimmery dust, is a great tradition for kids to look forward to each Christmas season.

About the author

Christine Duhaime

Christine Duhaime

Christine Duhaime is an associate editor at Adventure Publishing Group. She contributes to leading trade magazines The Toy Book and The Licensing Book and manages all editorial content for thelicensingbook.com. She also contributes to seasonal publication The Halloween Insider and blogger reference site thebigtoybook.com Christine is a nostalgia junkie and a plush enthusiast. She enjoys exploring and photography, and is always up for an impromtu adventure. You can follow her on Instagram @christineduhaime.

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