Santa's Sugar by Jane Gerencher

Hi there!

Welcome back to your bookish holiday headquarters, well for the day at the VERY least…Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  Quick reminder…time is running out!  Don’t miss your chance to win several WONDERFUL prizes in the various giveaways currently running on the site, one of which ends TOMORROW and the rest, following suit in due time.  Just check out the “Current Contests” listing in the right hand sidebar for all the details and links.  Now, back to today’s post…

Pull out your Santa hats and don your red and white, it’s time to look at the goings on up at the North Pole…and boy is it a sight!  Christmas is in the air here, yes, but there it lives ALL YEAR LONG giving the ho-ho-holiday man himself something to focus on and the elves PLENTY to do.  But what’s an elf to do that doesn’t seem to be good at the usual elfish things?  Good question my friend, a mighty good question indeed.  Today’s book of choice is…

Santa’s Sugar

By

Jane Gerencher

Illustrated by

Michael Patch

About the book…

Nugget is a little elf in Santa's workshop who cannot find his place and purpose.  After being less than successful making toys and working in other departments, Nugget feels he is not a true elf.  Fortunately, Santa is in need of an elf to care for his beloved cat, Sugar, and, after careful thought, chooses Nugget.  Find out what happens to Nugget and learn with him that kindness and friendship along with wanting to do the right thing lead to happy endings.

Oh me oh my…what an unusual and yet appropriate coincidence.  *chuckle*  Okay, before you count me out for having one too many slices of fruitcake (which I’d never…I’ll leave that for dear sweet Mom who LOVES the stuff), let me explain what I mean.  This is a picture book that’s heavy on the story but also on the pictures…a good balance if I do say so myself.  When gathering my thoughts for this post, I was heavily reminded of one of my favorite Christmas movies, Santa Claus:  The Movie.  No, not the Tim Allen one, though those are delightful as well; the one where the older couple get lost in a snowstorm only to be rescued/found by the Vendagum (aka elves) and become Mr and Mrs Claus.  It’s also the one where a certain excitable elf was good at things, yes…but it took him a little while longer to discover his niche in the North Pole family.  His name…was Patch.  Look at the illustrator’s LAST NAME.  Coincidence?  Hmm….I wonder.  Anywho…

A longer than usual storybook that would make a GREAT addition to any holiday reading rotation with characters that will truly warm your heart, this is an adventure the whole family can enjoy…and yes, I do mean adventure.  It all starts with Nugget, the elf that seems to be square in a round world, and a task that others said he couldn’t be counted on to do….after all, he made a mess of everything else he tried.  How could they suppose this one would be any different?  It’s called giving an elf a chance people!  

Santa was the one looking for assistance and in his wisdom chose little Nugget, imagine that!  ^_^  The task…care for his much loved kitty, Sugar.  See? Even Santa knows that a furry friend is a wonderful addition to any family no matter how complete it may seem!  Though his choice was sound, mayhem does follow when one winter’s night after a missed delivery, Santa takes flight once again on an emergency mission to save a child’s Christmas…and Sugar disappears!  Nugget is beside himself and does everything he can to right the wrong…aka FIND THE CAT!  Will his efforts be fruitful?  Is little Sugar found and they all live happily ever after?  Ah, you’ll have to read it to find out but the lessons learned along the way are well worth the journey. 

Younger readers will be dazzled by the story itself as well as get a first glimpse at what true friendship really means…accepting others in spite of their faults and treasuring them even more so for the efforts they put forth.  Older readers will delight in the familiar air to the story (as it does take place the night before Christmas..hehe) while enjoying the new twists it is given that set it apart from the holiday pack.  Let us not forget all the pet lovers out there as well because really, Sugar is a little white fluffy sweetheart!  (So cute!)  It really and truly is a book that almost anyone will fall in love with…unless of course your Ebeneezer Scrooge BEFORE the ghostly visits; then I can’t do much for you…except warn you about clocks striking the hour of ONE.  *-*

Author Jane Gerencher

Review copy received courtesy of author Jane Gerencher.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as her future works, be sure to visit her official site.  Speaking of official sites be sure to pay a visit to the book’s site as well for more fun in conjunction with Nugget, Sugar and her friends.  There’s even an activity guide with games, coloring sheets and reading questions to keep the thinking caps of little ones well used in the off season.  This book was published earlier this year by Inkwell Productions so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf near you.  If you’re in need of an online option for ordering, especially in light of the fast approaching holiday, seek the out the Inkwell Productions site, Barnes and Noble or Amazon.  Last but not least, according to her site, there will be an internet radio interview airing TODAY so be sure to check it out!

Until next time…happy reading!