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Member Reviews
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4.5⭐
Genre ~ children's fiction (4-7)
Publication date ~ October 3, 2023
Page Count ~ 40
A sad situation is turned into a heartwarming and uplifting magical tale.
What I liked:
~ Nicky's brilliant idea to give every child in the city a toy
~ how the Uncle's didn't question Nicky's idea and just got to work
~ how the reindeer need carrots to help them see in the dark ~ perhaps a cute ploy to get children to eat carrots.
"Nicky realized that sometimes, when all hope seems lost...a friend can help you find light in the darkness..."
My thoughts on the illustrations by the author (none of which affect my review):
~ the very first page was hard to read because there is a floral wallpaper background that makes the font hard to see (I was reading on my phone, so I don't know if that makes a difference in the print form)
~ most every page seems like what you'd expect to see during Christmastime ~ snow, trees and houses decorated
Overall, a lovely book that would be a great addition to the Christmas Eve reading routine along with Twas the Night Before Christmas. It might be on the longer side for the super young ones, but it's a magical story so I hope not.
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I read this to my children last night . After we read it one child said , “I love it , can we read it again”.
Kid Christmas is another take on how Santa came to be. I love that in the secret workshop three brothers make toys and put magic in them that it will be the right toy for each child and will make them happy. Which is what I think all parents hope when they buy a present for their child.
I loved the addition of the magical carrots that let the reindeer see in the dark.
My kids truly enjoyed this story.
Great illustrations and great book!!
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The illustration on this one is gorgeous, my favorite part for sure. The story was cute, but as an adult I kind of got hung up on the fireflies in the dead of winter. We don't have fireflies where we live currently, so I'm not sure my son would notice, but definitely took mom out of the story. That said its still cute, I love Christmas stories, especially Santa Origin stories, so I definitely enjoyed this one.,
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This colorful book combines regular text with comics to tell a new version of a Santa Claus story. Kids will have fun reading this and may want to add it to their Christmas book collection.
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I have always loved David Litchfield’s illustrations. I tried to find this book last year but it was only being published in the UK. I’m excited for this US edition. This is a unique retelling of how St. Nick got started with delivering toys. Magical! I will definitely be purchasing this beautiful book!
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This picture book re-imagines the story of Santa Claus with cute, festive details that kids and adults will enjoy. The illustrations are radiant, with lots of light and sparkle, and the fantastical elements build on existing concepts about Santa while also introducing some original ideas.
The story has a nice message about generosity, along with a subtle theme that shows how people in difficult material circumstances can give back and aren't just passive recipients of charity. I would have liked this better if there had been an author's note to explain the historical roots of Saint Nicholas and how the legend developed over time, but this is a cute new take on the concept that will appeal to many families.
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What a beautiful, heartwarming book!
Nicky has three uncles, called the Claus Brothers who make the finest toys in the land. Each day, Nicky goes to work in the toy store and delights in selling his uncles' hand crafted toys. Little do the customers know that his uncles are working hard in their workshop behind a mysterious door in the toy shop.
Nicky starts to notice that there are children who peer through the toy shop window who never come in and when he does invite them in, they run away. One Christmas Eve evening, after closing up the shop, Nicky decides to follow them. They disappear into a hole in the wall. When he enters, he finds there are lots of children there who have never had toys because any money they make, they need for food.
Nicky vows to make sure that every child in the city receives a gift on Christmas day. However, can his uncles make so many presents and get them safely delivered in one night?
This is a beautifully illustrated, heartwarming book from David Litchfield which accentuates the importance of kindness and friendship whilst introducing us to a young St Nicholas.
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Oh my word, the illustrations of David Litchfield are amazing!!! I was drawn to them. I had to look through the illustrations before reading the book and then again after reading the book. INCREDIBLE. Kid Christmas: Of the Claus Brothers Toy Shop is an absolute delight and I can't wait to add it to my school collection and personal collection. I adore the characters. This beautiful picture book reminds us that the true joy of this holiday season is best when we give and show compassion, and kindness.
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Thank you so much to Quarto/ Frances Lincoln and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
A new take on the story of Santa Claus and how he became who he is today. The story of him as a young kid wanting to help the children who never came into his uncles toy store and who had nothing. He wanted them to have a special gift, and how he learnt to deliver them.
This was a very different take to any I’d read before and it was a really fun read. I loved that he had three special uncles who all made the toys and added the magic into them, that they’d secretly been working on a magical sled. To the outside they were just toy makers but they held so much magic and kindness.
I really enjoyed Nicky’s interactions with Lottie and their relationship, he wanted to help her and the other children feel special for once. Then she managed to help him when he hit a bump in the plan, I really adored that so much. I also loved the illustration of the two together at the end of the story, so sweet.
The illustrations were really pretty and and I always love seeing how the illustrations capture the story so wonderfully, they really did in this book. This was such a refreshing story full of magic, kindness and love. I completely recommend this if you enjoy a sweet Christmas story or like reading magical Christmas books about Santa to your children each holiday season, they will love this one and so will you.
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Thank you for advanced copy
This book was fun and entertaining. Personally, this book made me missing christmas
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Kid Christmas tells about the beginnings of Christmas, of a young boy named Nicky who worked with his uncles at their toy store. One day, a homeless girl comes by, and Nicky decides he wants to give toys to all the kids in the city on Christmas Eve night.
This is an adorable story of how Christmas, and the tradition of gift-giving, St Nick riding a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and climbing down chimneys, all began! Very cute illustrations and fun explanations for each different aspect of our typical consumer Christmas gift giving traditions! ❤️
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review on the book!
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This picture book gave me all the Christmas feels! I loved the illustrations and the story line! Such a good Christmas picture book!
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Amazon puts this book at an audience of 4-7 years old. And I understand why. But let me just tell you that this 30-year-old thoroughly enjoyed it.
I believe David is the illustrator as well as the author, and the illustrations are just gorgeous. So full of detail, so rich in colour, so warming and inviting, you just want to step into the pages.
I am a big fan of stories - books, TV, film - that look how Santa Claus game into being. It's a theme I can get on board with time after time after time.
It's 40 pages, so it's not a big commitment. It is mostly images with a few lines on each page, but it's enough. It doesn't' overwhelm the reader. Smaller children can get the story from the pictures whilst older children can read the story. It is very simple, easy enough for youngsters to understand. It won't cause too much issue for older children and adults, but then again it's to written for them. And yet we still get the magic on offer.
As you get older, the magic of Christmas starts to fade, and only really comes back when you're around children. And it's through them that you see what the true meaning of the festivities are about. It's easy to be cynical and worried and anxious in this day and age, but its during those few days that we try to put that on hold and enjoy the magic. Which is hard, especially for those with not a lot of money or with no family. And so it's important that we look after our neighbour. And that's what this book shows. We help those less fortunate and they'll help up in kind. That Christmas is not all about money and food and hundreds of presents, the latest gadgets and toys. It's about friends and family and love, and I think that really comes across in this book.
A very cute story that I think could become a classic sat on the festive shelf alongside Alex T Smith's The Grumpus, and Dr Seuss's The Grinch.
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Brilliant. Another beautiful children's Christmas book. A slightly different take, but just as good if not better. The illustrations are amazing. Such detail. Anyone would enjoy taking a few extra minutes enjoying each page the artist created. I loved they incorporated children with less and then given to them and all. I highly recommend this gorgeous book for everyone to enjoy this Christmas.
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KID CHRISTMAS by David Litchfield is a cozy addition to the Christmas book cannon, with a creative reimagining of the origins of Santa Claus. Kid Christmas is a boy named Nicky who helps his uncles run their toy shop. One holiday season he discovers a group of children who have never had toys of any kind. Determined to deliver one present to every child in the city he enlists his uncles help on Christmas Eve to carry out his wonderful plan. Litchfield's illustrations are pure magic as is the explanations of other aspects of Christmas lore, such as the sleigh, the reindeer and Santa's little helpers.
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This was quick read for children. It has wonderful illustrations but I would recommend on darker pages in the future to use white text instead of black it will be easier to read . The illustrations are so lovely you want to take time on each page to study them like art at a museum. The story itself was cute idea of how Santa came to be and how the elves came into being. It is also aiming to show children to be kind to one another and give of themselves selflessly. Beautiful concept and ideas - very creative. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this story in advance.
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Kid Christmas tells the story of how Santa came to be. This was an entertaining read and geared toward older kids. I read this with my three year old and while he enjoyed the book, I think he will like it better in the future when he’s a little older and understands some things better. The illustrations in this book are amazing and very detailed! They add so much to the story and do a great job of setting the scene. My only complaint is that it is hard to read the text on some pages because of the color choice on top of the illustrations. Overall this is a very enjoyable Santa origin story great for olde kids.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review!
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What a fabulous magical Christmas retelling of Santa Claus' delivering presents. The warm colors bring forward yellows, oranges, and lights in the night. Amazing art reflecting perfectly the holidays, decorations, classical toy stores, and the season. Sweet, excellent, with a lot of characters and emotion. A favorite for this year. The page design is impressive and the artist added speech ballons too to the illustrations.
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Review to come October 2nd to blog/other places.
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
OMG, FINALLY! I have had my eyes set on this book for a while, but I guess after a while I just removed it from my Goodreads list because it kept being unfindable. I am so happy that I can read this one now, thanks publisher/Netgalley! OK, it felt a bit odd to read this during a summer month (August), but I will take it!
In this wonderful book we meet a boy named Nicky Claus (yes!) who works at the toystore of his uncles making sure that every kid has a toy. And the fun things about it? Every toy is magical and so it will find the right owner to be with. Which just had me squee, plus wonder what kind of toy I would have gotten if I had such a magical store near me! Oh the possibilities! But back to the story, the store is one full of magic, and not just real magic, but also with how it looks. It is a warm inviting, glittery and sparkly place. You just are attracted to it. Like a moth to the flame, but without any of the burning, haha. I just loved how David Litchfield captured the store and the magic.
But what happens when Nicky finds out that there are kids who don't get presents? Who don't have the money? Who don't have the means? Well, kids, that is how the Claus legacy begins! Because Nicky isn't going to let his new friends and other kids be without toys! I loved that he immediately made a big plan and convinced his uncles to help out! I had a laugh at the reindeer and how much they relied on carrots. And I was cheering for Nicky, because that first night wasn't always the easiest. How to bring the presents? How to do it without anyone knowing? I loved that he found a way and I love that it involved friendship!
The ending was just a big warm fuzzy bath of feelings and happiness. I just loved it! So so much!
And of course the art by David Litchfield is just the most amazing. I have been a fan of his for a while and this one is no exception. It was stunning. You could just feel the warmth and the magic radiate from the pages.
I would highly recommend this book to all! A Christmas book not to be missed! Read it!
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Nicky Claus works with his uncles in their toy emporium and loves every second until he discovers some children don't have any toys or even a home of their own. Determined to change that, even if it is only for one night, Nicky and the uncles comes up with an idea which seems brilliant until a few unforeseen problems arise. Can he still carry out his plan or will this Christmas Eve be the same as every other?
This is a beautiful book which I can see becoming a regular festive tradition. The author's artwork is lovely and I'm looking forward to reading this with my grandchildren as Christmas gets ever closer.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a lovely read, just long enough for overexcited sleepyheads and frazzled adults to enjoy together.