Santa's Kwanzaa

Rating:
Summary: Santa's Kwanzaa
Review: SANTA'S KWANZAA opens as an African-American Santa returns to the North Pole tired from the hard work of delivering Christmas presents. When he arrives, he is greeted by his wife, the elves, and the beginning of their Kwanzaa celebration. Each of the elves, named for the various principles of Kwanzaa, present Santa with their special gifts and share special meals as the family celebrates their rich heritage. At the end of the story, Santa, his wife and all the elves pile into the sleigh to share a special message with the world.

Some books are meant to teach while others are meant to simply be fun to read. SANTA'S KWANZAA will introduce readers to the principles of Kwanzaa, through the names of the elves, but beyond that it is simply a fun read. The story rhymes, with a meter similar to that of the classic Christmas story, "`Twas the Night Before Christmas," as a result. Unfortunately, there were times when the word choice seemed to be dictated by the need to rhyme versus the relevance to the story itself and this interrupted the overall flow of the story.

What I enjoyed most about the book was its illustrations, which were bright, vibrant and imaginative. Santa had dreads, once he removed his trademark cap, and the elves appeared so full of life I almost expected them to jump off the page. Pick this book up for a fun holiday read.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers


Rating:
Summary: this is a great book, other reviews not too bright
Review: This is a wonderful book that brings people from different traditions together. It is high time that such a concept was written and illustrated in an entertaining way. Christmas after all is a amalgamation of different holidays that predated the Christians who co-opted the more ancient indigenous religions and customs of Europe. No one knows the real birthday of Jesus, it has been traditionally observed on December 25th. The date could have been chosen to incorporate the traditional solstice celebrations of the people who were conquered. It may have been chosen so they would not have to give up their christmas trees and belief in a crazy laplander tale of flying raindeer and Santa, a story that has a historical basis in the people who used to entertain and give out gifts from house to house in return for food and warm living rooms in the Scandanavian winters. This new twist in the winter holiday story incorporates a whole group of people who may have felt left out in years past. Culture is continuously changing.

The two editorial reviews that are already posted have missed that point. Instead they focus on minor points that are not valid or accurate. One says that he should have returned home on December 25, not the 26th. It doesn't take that much understanding or imagination to point out that he gets home at 11:59 pm, and then soon after they celebrate Kwanzaa. Another point is that the book assumes that the reader have some knowledge of Kwanzaa. Well, what is wrong with that? Is there only one book on Kwanzaa? Many people do have prior knowledge of Kwanzaa, and people who write for library journals should too. After all there are many books and movies that assume some knowledge of Christmas. It is important that this book is a part of every library, because the writing is original and funny (my friend and I laughed out loud even though we are 34 years old), and the illustration is beautiful. Critics at their best bring people to deserving material, at their worst, they lead people away from material that can make the world a better place.