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Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North Pole?
Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North pole? Is a delightfully creative and entertaining reading experience guaranteed to make your heart smile. Stephen shares how Santa and Mrs. Claus discovered the mischievous but devoted Elfians, why Santa uses a sleigh and how in the world reindeer learned to fly. How DID Santa and Mrs. Claus get to the North Pole, and what was Elf Norman's big idea? Where did the sweet invention of Candy Canes come from? You will learn how Santa fixed a case of the Grumpies and how the actual North Pole itself was discovered. Throughout the story line are lessons on the value of sharing, teamwork, and treating others well. Parents and Grandparents will find this book will bring families together with fun and laughter, with many nights of happy reading. The book is an 8.5 x 11 format to make 40 plus illustrations more enjoyable for children's viewings.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
December 20, 2015
A cute and funny biography of Santa, my daughter and I read this book 15 pages at a time in the weeks leading up to Christmas. She really enjoyed it, and we will surely be reading it again next year. The artwork in the book is lovely as well.
I received this book from a Goodreads FirstReads giveaway
I received this book from a Goodreads FirstReads giveaway
December 29, 2015
Children's book received courtesy of Goodreads.com giveaway
What a wonderful imagining of the story of how Santa came to be! Santa originally lived in the Great North Forest and began to take toys to neighboring children because toy-making was his hobby. I loved the way the book is divided up into two or three-page "chapters" each telling a different part of Santa's story. The book gives a reasonable guess as to how Santa ended up at the North Pole with elves as toy-makers using flying reindeer to make deliveries to children all in one night! I can imagine reading it in sittings of one or two chapters for smaller children or as a classroom activity for the month of December. Of course, the English teacher in me would be remiss if I didn't mention some issues with subject/verb agreement in places and with the use of past tense/present tense usage. I was very glad the author sent a note with the book warning me that there is one page missing from this printing and I thank him for that. When you see the next printing of the book, I would encourage you to get it to share with kids, grandkids or students.
What a wonderful imagining of the story of how Santa came to be! Santa originally lived in the Great North Forest and began to take toys to neighboring children because toy-making was his hobby. I loved the way the book is divided up into two or three-page "chapters" each telling a different part of Santa's story. The book gives a reasonable guess as to how Santa ended up at the North Pole with elves as toy-makers using flying reindeer to make deliveries to children all in one night! I can imagine reading it in sittings of one or two chapters for smaller children or as a classroom activity for the month of December. Of course, the English teacher in me would be remiss if I didn't mention some issues with subject/verb agreement in places and with the use of past tense/present tense usage. I was very glad the author sent a note with the book warning me that there is one page missing from this printing and I thank him for that. When you see the next printing of the book, I would encourage you to get it to share with kids, grandkids or students.
January 6, 2016
I think I would have liked this story a bit more if there wasn't a page missing in the middle of the book I got. I know this was supposed to be an advanced copy that I received but like an entire story is missing. I know why the page is missing since there was a minor note attached to the copy I received, there should've been an illustration on one side while the other had a full, FULL page of text.
The story was alright, I was just a bit peeved that I couldn't read what happened since it abruptly stopped in the middle of a sentence and the next page is an entirely new story section that has nothing to do with the previous pages. It's infuriating. I'm sorry to rant about it, but usually ARC books have like minor spelling errors or grammatical errors or it's just missing the illustrations, not whole freaking pages. I can't give this book a great review since it's not a finished product. I feel like this giveaway was for reject copies of the book that weren't worth it to sell to the general public because of defects to the product.
I give this book 2/5 because the story parts that I got to read were ok.
The story was alright, I was just a bit peeved that I couldn't read what happened since it abruptly stopped in the middle of a sentence and the next page is an entirely new story section that has nothing to do with the previous pages. It's infuriating. I'm sorry to rant about it, but usually ARC books have like minor spelling errors or grammatical errors or it's just missing the illustrations, not whole freaking pages. I can't give this book a great review since it's not a finished product. I feel like this giveaway was for reject copies of the book that weren't worth it to sell to the general public because of defects to the product.
I give this book 2/5 because the story parts that I got to read were ok.
December 14, 2018
This is a great retelling of the Santa Clause story. It has beautiful colorful illustrations and perfect for children and adults. I feel like it answers all your questions about Santa Clause and much more.
December 31, 2015
Who is Santa and how did he get to the North Pole?... If you want to find out how Christmas came to be, who Santa is, why he moved to the North Pole, where elves came from, and all of those other questions about Santa you've been dying to know then you should check out Who is Santa by Stephen W. Bigalow. It answers all of those questions and more. It's pretty long though and the author says it written for an older child but you can read each chapter just as an individual story which does help to break it up some for the younger kids but it's still pretty daunting for a child. I'm not sure why authors keep writing these extremely long Christmas books for kids. It makes you wonder if they actually have any kids of their own. My 9 year old would not sit through even a couple pages so I definitely think it should be shortened. It does have some really fun stories, pretty pictures and everything you want to know about Santa if you can actually get your kids interested enough to sit down for long enough to read some of it.
*I received this ARC through FirstReads and the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
*I received this ARC through FirstReads and the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
December 8, 2015
I won Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North Pole?, written by Stephen W. Bigalow and illustrated by Bill Megenhardt, from Goodreads.
A beautiful hardcover book with wonderful artwork throughout, Who is Santa? is perfect for adults to read aloud to children during the holiday season. The book is divided into chapters, each a complete short story, that combine together to explain or enhance the Santa Claus mythology. Children will delight in stories about Santa's journey to the North Pole, how the elves came to work with him, the creation of candy canes, and how reindeer come to pull Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. Surely this lovely book will be a family treasure for generations.
I would have given this delightful book five stars if not for the mechanical problems throughout the book. At times, entire conversations are lumped into a single paragraph, instead of a paragraph change with each new speaker. I found this oversight distracting.
Who is Santa? is a terrific book for celebrants of Christmas and all things Santa.
A beautiful hardcover book with wonderful artwork throughout, Who is Santa? is perfect for adults to read aloud to children during the holiday season. The book is divided into chapters, each a complete short story, that combine together to explain or enhance the Santa Claus mythology. Children will delight in stories about Santa's journey to the North Pole, how the elves came to work with him, the creation of candy canes, and how reindeer come to pull Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. Surely this lovely book will be a family treasure for generations.
I would have given this delightful book five stars if not for the mechanical problems throughout the book. At times, entire conversations are lumped into a single paragraph, instead of a paragraph change with each new speaker. I found this oversight distracting.
Who is Santa? is a terrific book for celebrants of Christmas and all things Santa.
December 14, 2015
This is a fictional take on the history and life of Santa's life to becoming the big man with gifts. I really think children will love the story, it is really imaginative. This author must have an amazing imagination. The detail in this is amazingly well thought out.
My eight year old was transfixed on story I was reading to him. He was beginning to question whether Santa was truth or myth. Not anymore.
There are illustrations on just about every other page and they help to keep a child interested while reading.
This isn't the type of book you hand to an eight year old to read on his own, it would be way too due to how many words there are. It is a rather long story. It took several reading sessions for us to read this.
Recommendation:
This is a perfect book for this time of year. I love how it made Santa more "believable" and helped to save the magic for my seven year old little man. I wasn't ready for him to stop believing. For that I thank the author for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
My eight year old was transfixed on story I was reading to him. He was beginning to question whether Santa was truth or myth. Not anymore.
There are illustrations on just about every other page and they help to keep a child interested while reading.
This isn't the type of book you hand to an eight year old to read on his own, it would be way too due to how many words there are. It is a rather long story. It took several reading sessions for us to read this.
Recommendation:
This is a perfect book for this time of year. I love how it made Santa more "believable" and helped to save the magic for my seven year old little man. I wasn't ready for him to stop believing. For that I thank the author for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2016
This is an attempt to give a uniform framework to the multiple
Santa Claus legends, by stringing together standalone chapters
of the story. The chapters are standalone to provide episodes
within the comprehension and attention span of small children
to whom they are to be read. The strung-together framework
is to provide a full-length story for older children to read for
themselves. The multiple goals fail in this effort, however. The
story is too complex and too wordy for the small child, and too
out-of-the-tradition for older children who, being at an age
that they can comprehend the writing, are likely also of an
age when skepticism about the guy in the red suit has set in.
The book is well illustrated, and has excellent production values,
but mixes a bit to much Coca-Cola Santa with Clement Moore
Santa.
This book was given to me by Goodreads in expectation of a review;
the opinion expressed is my own.
Santa Claus legends, by stringing together standalone chapters
of the story. The chapters are standalone to provide episodes
within the comprehension and attention span of small children
to whom they are to be read. The strung-together framework
is to provide a full-length story for older children to read for
themselves. The multiple goals fail in this effort, however. The
story is too complex and too wordy for the small child, and too
out-of-the-tradition for older children who, being at an age
that they can comprehend the writing, are likely also of an
age when skepticism about the guy in the red suit has set in.
The book is well illustrated, and has excellent production values,
but mixes a bit to much Coca-Cola Santa with Clement Moore
Santa.
This book was given to me by Goodreads in expectation of a review;
the opinion expressed is my own.
January 23, 2016
I won this book in a giveaway. The fact that it was a gift (of sorts) and came with a charming letter make it difficult to give a poor review. Nonetheless, it was awful.
At 142 pages it is mammoth for any child young enough to be charmed by Santa stories. The language and manner in which the subject is addressed are also far too sophisticated for children. "History books indicate he was a saint...If the definition of a saint..." It reads more like a term paper than a children's book.
If it is intended to be a somewhat factual presentation of the myths and origins of Santa, the author muddies this with broad, judgmental and erroneous assumptions. ""He was very different from a wealthy person of many centuries ago, a time when the wealthy liked to flaunt their wealth, living in castles and having extravagant balls with horse drawn carriages."
The author enjoyed reliving his childhood stories of Santa but in this case, I didn't.
At 142 pages it is mammoth for any child young enough to be charmed by Santa stories. The language and manner in which the subject is addressed are also far too sophisticated for children. "History books indicate he was a saint...If the definition of a saint..." It reads more like a term paper than a children's book.
If it is intended to be a somewhat factual presentation of the myths and origins of Santa, the author muddies this with broad, judgmental and erroneous assumptions. ""He was very different from a wealthy person of many centuries ago, a time when the wealthy liked to flaunt their wealth, living in castles and having extravagant balls with horse drawn carriages."
The author enjoyed reliving his childhood stories of Santa but in this case, I didn't.
October 27, 2013
Review of a Netgalley e-book.
My son isn't three yet but I can see that this will be a winner in a few years.
For all those children that want to know: how does Father Christmas get round to every house in one night? Why does he live at the North Pole? What do the elves do? How did the red suit get made? What's so special about candy canes?
This lovely little story answers all these questions with a sweet tale about Santa and Mrs Claus and how they went from toy and candy makers into the most famous couple in the world. The writing style itself is a little pedestrian but the story is destined to be a winner with 4-8 year olds desperate to hear more about Christmas.
There are lovely colour illustrations starting each chapter and the whole thing is designed to be enjoyed over several nights in the run-up to December 24th.
Enjoy with your little ones!
My son isn't three yet but I can see that this will be a winner in a few years.
For all those children that want to know: how does Father Christmas get round to every house in one night? Why does he live at the North Pole? What do the elves do? How did the red suit get made? What's so special about candy canes?
This lovely little story answers all these questions with a sweet tale about Santa and Mrs Claus and how they went from toy and candy makers into the most famous couple in the world. The writing style itself is a little pedestrian but the story is destined to be a winner with 4-8 year olds desperate to hear more about Christmas.
There are lovely colour illustrations starting each chapter and the whole thing is designed to be enjoyed over several nights in the run-up to December 24th.
Enjoy with your little ones!
December 6, 2015
Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North Pole? is a fun chapter based book that answers many of the questions children have about Santa Claus.
In story format Stephen Bigalow sets out to answer many of the questions Children have about Santa: Who is he? Where did his elves come from? How did he get his sleigh? Where did his reindeer come from?
The book is well illustrated with full page illustrations. The chapters are short, ranging from 1-2 pages to a max of ~5.
The target readers are older children who can read the book on their own, but the book also works well for younger children who want a serial bedtime story read to them.
The book at times, read almost like a documentary--focused on answering questions vice telling a vivid story to fully engage young readers.
Full advertising: I won this book on goodreads.com/giveaways
In story format Stephen Bigalow sets out to answer many of the questions Children have about Santa: Who is he? Where did his elves come from? How did he get his sleigh? Where did his reindeer come from?
The book is well illustrated with full page illustrations. The chapters are short, ranging from 1-2 pages to a max of ~5.
The target readers are older children who can read the book on their own, but the book also works well for younger children who want a serial bedtime story read to them.
The book at times, read almost like a documentary--focused on answering questions vice telling a vivid story to fully engage young readers.
Full advertising: I won this book on goodreads.com/giveaways
December 20, 2016
This is a wonderful book that should be read every Christmas. This is the telling of Santa’s story. It goes into his very beginnings of making toys, where he lived and why he moved to the North Pole. We learn how he met the elves and how they became such a big and important part of his life and his story. The only question that is not answered is whether or not he sleeps with his whiskers inside or outside of the covers. This is a very well written story. It was wonderful learning what keeps the elves going, why candy canes are red and white striped. This book can answer just about any question your child can come up with. I am very happy I was asked to read and review this book. The illustrations are beautiful. This is a story that should be shared year after year. It is to be enjoyed by young and old alike.
January 19, 2016
This was a delightful read on the story of Santa Claus and how his gift-giving prowess came to be. It's designed as a children's book but is rather lengthy as such. However, if read over the course of several readings, it is quite manageable. Each chapter is a small story which can stand on its own - a perfect book to be read to a young child but yet still delightful for children of all ages.
The copy I received was a first run which would have benefited from some tighter editing. These oversights were presumably corrected in a subsequent edition.
I am grateful to author Stephen W. Bigalow and Goodreads Giveaway program for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity did not, however, influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
The copy I received was a first run which would have benefited from some tighter editing. These oversights were presumably corrected in a subsequent edition.
I am grateful to author Stephen W. Bigalow and Goodreads Giveaway program for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity did not, however, influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.
December 16, 2015
I got this book through a giveaway with the intent to read it with my nephews (ages 4 and 6). While its really long for a children's book, it was not a bad length if divided between several days. Awesome illustrations. The story itself was decent. It is definitely geared more for children ages 5 and above. For younger kids, there are wayyyyyy to many words to hold their interest. Meanwhile, from an adult standpoint, I admit to finding it a bit annoying to read. I don't think I'm generally that critical of books, but the entire time I was reading this, I kept seeing grammar error after grammar error (I won't even go into the inconsistencies in the story itself...). Overall, however, not a bad children's book.
February 23, 2016
This is a delightful book which unfolds many of the holiday wonders surrounding Santa Claus. It brings many clever stories together for a flowing narrative about our friend at the North Pole. From why his suit is red, to the elves; from his sleigh to his reindeer, many secrets are revealed. The artwork accompanying the book is colorful and wonderful, adding a richness the story deserves.
My niece was a little young for the length of the stories this year, but I will be keeping it around and ready for when she can sit longer. It is something I cannot wait for her to appreciate.
I was blessed to receive a free copy of this through Goodreads.com. They provide excellent exposure to new and seasoned authors with fantastic books everyone should read.
My niece was a little young for the length of the stories this year, but I will be keeping it around and ready for when she can sit longer. It is something I cannot wait for her to appreciate.
I was blessed to receive a free copy of this through Goodreads.com. They provide excellent exposure to new and seasoned authors with fantastic books everyone should read.
December 29, 2013
What a fantastic book with beautiful illustrations that capture the magic of Christmas and Santa. This book tells the story of Santa and how it all began, it is enjoyable from start to finish. This is a must have festive read for adults and children alike and one that can be enjoyed year after year. It is fantastically written and answers some of those questions young children like to ask in a way that is interesting and helps to build the excitement of Christmas Day and a visit from Santa. This is a book I am sure to read to my own children this Christmas. I can not put in to words just how much I loved this book.
January 1, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the Goodreads First-Reads contest. I am an adult and won this book with the intention of gifting it to a friend's kid. However, before doing so I read the book. It is a well-written, exciting book geared towards children who want to learn about how Santa Claus came to deliver toys every Christmas to children. It is full of illustrations and many different details have been thought out including the invention of Santa's red suit and how Candy Canes became to be in existence. I really enjoyed this book and it is a great overall story.
December 13, 2015
I won this book on goodreads and I'm very happy to be chosen. I read this book nightly to one
of my grandchildren and he loved it. He would get so excited for me to continue to read each chapter. I highly recommend this children's book to young readers. It was well written, easily for the child to understand and kept them
wanting more. Kudos to the illustrator for the pictures that brought this story to life and to the writer Stephen Bigalow for a well written story with so many lessons learned and a book that I will keep to read to my grandkids every year no matter how old they get.
of my grandchildren and he loved it. He would get so excited for me to continue to read each chapter. I highly recommend this children's book to young readers. It was well written, easily for the child to understand and kept them
wanting more. Kudos to the illustrator for the pictures that brought this story to life and to the writer Stephen Bigalow for a well written story with so many lessons learned and a book that I will keep to read to my grandkids every year no matter how old they get.
December 5, 2015
I won this book through Goodreads. I found that the illustrations were delightful. The book is long, but it can be read to smaller children in chapters, as each chapter addresses a different subject, You will wonder if Santa sleeps with his beard under the covers or outside the covers:) Children will learn how candy canes came to be, and many, many questions about Santa, Mrs Claus and the elves, that all children want answers to. I am giving this book to a precious little girl for Christmas knowing that she will want it read for many years to come.
January 24, 2015
Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North Pole?
Bigalow, Stephen W. *
Do have that child that always asks more questions then you have answers for, this is a great book to read, chapter by chapter with your small inquisitor, He or she will learn who Santa is, why he chose to give gifts, why he moved to the north pole, this is a great book for you to share the season at home with your child.
Bigalow, Stephen W. *
Do have that child that always asks more questions then you have answers for, this is a great book to read, chapter by chapter with your small inquisitor, He or she will learn who Santa is, why he chose to give gifts, why he moved to the north pole, this is a great book for you to share the season at home with your child.
November 29, 2014
I feel so lucky to have won Who is Santa and how did he get to the North Pole. What a wonderful book. It is a book parents and grandparents need to have. Our 8 year old granddaughter loved it especially because she is an excellent reader. The 6 year old granddaughter wanted us to read it to her. Both children were delighted with the stories. This would be a lovely Christmas gift for any child. I highly recommend this book. Stephen W. Bigalow is genius.
December 7, 2014
This is a fabulous book and would be great to start a new tradition. Loved the story, the illustration are bright and cheery for the very young and the story line is just interesting enough for older children. I, as an adult, enjoyed this story and would absolutely without a doubt recommend this for the kids for Christmas.
You could read a little each night right before Christmas, having cocoa and cookies and start a new tradition.
You could read a little each night right before Christmas, having cocoa and cookies and start a new tradition.
January 19, 2016
I received the following book from Goodreads.
Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North Pole? The two big questions in the title are answered and so much much more. You want to read this book before Christmas, read a chapter or two a night to savor the Christmas spirit.
The animation photos for each chapter are stunning. You feel joy and happiness as you go through the book.
I read the book with my nieces, and they smiled and giggled throughout.
Who is Santa? And how did he get to the North Pole? The two big questions in the title are answered and so much much more. You want to read this book before Christmas, read a chapter or two a night to savor the Christmas spirit.
The animation photos for each chapter are stunning. You feel joy and happiness as you go through the book.
I read the book with my nieces, and they smiled and giggled throughout.
January 11, 2016
This is a cute book about how Santa became Santa, and how he came to live at the North Pole. All the questions you ever had about Santa are answered in this book.
An older reader could read this book by themselves, or parents could read this book to their younger children a chapter at a time, every night of December, to build excitement for Christmas.
The illustrations are fun to look at too.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.
An older reader could read this book by themselves, or parents could read this book to their younger children a chapter at a time, every night of December, to build excitement for Christmas.
The illustrations are fun to look at too.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.
Read
February 2, 2016"WHO IS SANTA? AND HOW DID HE GET TO THE NORTH POLE?" by Stephen W. Bigalow is a delightful, entertaining book in the early life of Santa Claus and his elves. Chapter by chapter there is something with old ideas remembered and fresh thoughts to add to ones memories. This book is good for children and adults who read and for parents to grandparents to to read to the little ones. The illustrations by Bill Megenhardt will put twinkles in the eyes and smiles on the faces.
June 30, 2016
Who is Santa is a wonderful book on the story of Santa. It is a fictional story on how Santa Claus first started to deliver toys throughout the world. It explains how come he moved to the North Pole, how he met the elves, how the candy cane came about, and the training of the rain deer It is delightfully written with wonderful pictures. This is a must read for families on the importance of giving to others and the fictional story of Santa and Christmas.
July 24, 2016
I received this book as a First Read. It's a nice story that tries to explain some elements and origins of Santa and Christmas. It's a bit long for a middle grade read but still interesting. The illustrations are colorful and nice. The dialogue is creative and modern. A cute Christmas book that would make a nice holiday gift.
August 25, 2015
This book is super cute! I am reading it to my 3 year old who doesn't like Santa (she even wants her daddy to meet him outside instead of letting him in to put her presents under the tree!) but she LOVES it! She asks me to read from it every night! Very insightful account of Santa and Christmas! This will be on our shelves for years to come!
December 7, 2015
This is a beautiful chapter book with answers to many questions your children may have about Santa. Rich illustrations and easy-to-read, brief chapters make this book enjoyable for all ages. We will gladly add this to our Christmas traditions as we have a collection of beautiful books about Santa that we get out each year.
November 22, 2014
This book could not have come at a better time. My 8 year old son has been questioning Santa. This book provided a believable story for him. Not only was it entertaining to read, but it also helped with some underlying questions he had. Definitely a must read for parents and little kids during the holiday season! Will be recommending this book to others!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews