114 books
—
12 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” as Want to Read:
The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition
by
How does Santa really know who is naughty or nice? The answer is finally revealed in...The Elf on the Shelf A Christmas Tradition.TM
The Elf on the Shelf A Christmas TraditionTM is an activity the entire family will enjoy. Based on the tradition Carol Aebersold began with her family in the 1970s, this cleverly rhymed childrens book explains that Santa knows who is naughty a ...more
The Elf on the Shelf A Christmas TraditionTM is an activity the entire family will enjoy. Based on the tradition Carol Aebersold began with her family in the 1970s, this cleverly rhymed childrens book explains that Santa knows who is naughty a ...more
Hardcover, 26 pages
Published
October 1st 2015
by The Elf Store T/A Baby Republi
(first published 2007)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Elf on the Shelf,
please sign up.
Recent Questions
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition

It's funny the things we do for our children. My sons named their elf "Elfie." I know, sooo original. Granted, they were only 5 and 2 at the time. Indisputably, there is something to this tradition that brings them so much joy.
...more

Two things:
1. The Elf follows you everywhere. Everywhere. The little darling reports on your every move to the Big Red Guy, akin to McCarthy-era witch hunts or modern-day N.S.A. tactics. I can't think of a faster way to give your child a complex than to break this stinker out year after year.
2. I cannot support the idea of extrinsic motivations for moral development. If children are being decent, kind, generous citizens just because a tiny humanoid is watching their every move, then they're not ...more
1. The Elf follows you everywhere. Everywhere. The little darling reports on your every move to the Big Red Guy, akin to McCarthy-era witch hunts or modern-day N.S.A. tactics. I can't think of a faster way to give your child a complex than to break this stinker out year after year.
2. I cannot support the idea of extrinsic motivations for moral development. If children are being decent, kind, generous citizens just because a tiny humanoid is watching their every move, then they're not ...more

Jun 29, 2013
M.M. Strawberry Library & Reviews
rated it
did not like it
Shelves:
childrens-book,
terrible-book
I heard of this last year via a relative who was talking about how her co-worker had bought this for their household. She explained the basic gist of the elf on the shelf, and I found it creepy.
I decided to investigate further, since the relative did not mention there was a book to go along with it. After seeing what the book is about and the 'rules' regarding the elf and how you are supposed to use it, I am creeped out even more. We teach our kids that lying is bad, and it's bad enough to lie t ...more
I decided to investigate further, since the relative did not mention there was a book to go along with it. After seeing what the book is about and the 'rules' regarding the elf and how you are supposed to use it, I am creeped out even more. We teach our kids that lying is bad, and it's bad enough to lie t ...more

Dec 07, 2016
Meags
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
christmas,
childrens-picture-books
2.5 Stars
Look, my students ate this up, so points for that, but I found it a bit creepy - stalker elf alert! I also felt it conveyed a misguided message about good behaviour - like children should only be good just before Christmas because that's the only time theirstalker elf would be reporting back to Santa. Yeah, no. I get that this is a Christmas themed story, and as such it was cute and whimsical, but I'd rather a children's story, one which is trying to promote good behaviour, take a more
...more
Look, my students ate this up, so points for that, but I found it a bit creepy - stalker elf alert! I also felt it conveyed a misguided message about good behaviour - like children should only be good just before Christmas because that's the only time their

I heard a lot of my friends talking about this book and was interested. It seemed a bit high in price to me, but we used a coupon and a gift card which made it seem more reasonable. My children loved the story and got so into it. We purchased it yesterday and this morning they were so excited to come downstairs to find Elfie (our current name, we haven't decided for sure so I am waiting to record it in the book). It helped a bit with some behavior and fighting issues. Although the illustrations
...more

Am I the only one who thought that this book was poorly written and that the central concept was kind of creepy? Shouldn't kids be taught to do good for the sake of doing good, not because a creepy elf is spying on them and reporting back to Santa all the time? Also, the rhyming was forced and awful.
...more

Hey, parents! If your discipline methods are as abominable as a certain snowman, maybe you can make up a story involving bribery to get your kids to behave.
Kate doesn't believe in any of this silliness, but we do enjoy moving "Noel" around each night. ...more
Kate doesn't believe in any of this silliness, but we do enjoy moving "Noel" around each night. ...more

For those who think this is a marketing scheme, you are absolutely right - a brilliant one. I bought the elf years ago for my kids, and we've been hooked ever since. I'm not one of those parents that just moves it halfheartedly from one spot to another when I feel like it. My elf is sneaky, fun, and brings presents. I constantly scour Pinterest and Facebook for new elf ideas. We've used them all, from turning our milk green and labeling it "Grinch Pee" to having him use toothpaste to replace the
...more

Dec 24, 2018
⭒Christie ☽✯➳✯☾
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-books,
classics
Finally starting this tradition at our home. Happy Christmas Eve Everyone 🎄

This Amazing book is a must buy for your family this holiday season. We received the book set (comes complete with an adorable elf) last year. The whole premise is that Santa sends each family around the world a special elf that helps him with the large task of keeping track of who has been naughty and nice. The family elf then flies to the North Pole to report back to Santa each and every night about what he saw and heard during the day. When you first open the book set, you get to to name the
...more

You know, the book itself didn't really knock my socks off (to me it reads more like the rules to a game written in a fun way), but it's such a great, fun idea that I had to give it 5 stars. Happy (our elf) came to our home from Grandma only 3 days before Christmas and the kiddos had so much fun each morning trying to find where he'd decided to land when he had returned through the night. It will be even more fun next year when he can return the morning after Thanksgiving! Tried to use the websi
...more

Every year on December 1st our family opens a new Christmas book to add to our collection. This year it was Elf on the Shelf...and it was received with very mixed reactions. One child thought the elf was extremely creepy and didn't want it sitting around the house, another child spent the evening examining the little elf doll and wondering how it could fly and what would happen if it got wet and what if a bird ate it, and the last child was indifferent about the whole thing. The actual writing i
...more

Elf on the Shelf
By Carol V Aebersold
Santa has a spy and he's making children all over the world behave. Love this idea.
The Elf on the Shelf, is a Christmas activity the entire family will enjoy, this cleverly rhymed children’s book explains that Santa knows who is naughty and/or nice because he sends a scout elf to every home. During the holiday season, the elf watches children by day and reports to Santa each night. When children awake, the elf has returned from the North Pole and can be found ...more
By Carol V Aebersold
Santa has a spy and he's making children all over the world behave. Love this idea.
The Elf on the Shelf, is a Christmas activity the entire family will enjoy, this cleverly rhymed children’s book explains that Santa knows who is naughty and/or nice because he sends a scout elf to every home. During the holiday season, the elf watches children by day and reports to Santa each night. When children awake, the elf has returned from the North Pole and can be found ...more

I found this book creepy. A elf who stalks you where ever you go does sound creepy.. Doesn't it? That is not a way to teach a way for your kids to behave themselves. I didn't really like this book but if your in the fantasy genre maybe you might like this book. I gave this book 1/5 stars because I thought it was lame and creepy.
...more

Jan 19, 2018
Andrew Shaffer
added it
Snitches get stitches.

Elf on the Shelf™ by Carol Aebersold
*This book is part of my personal library*
Elf on the Shelf is a book the whole family will enjoy. Each set comes with a book and a cute little Elf. Each Elf will gain his magic once he/she has been given a name. The names are as individual as the kids that the elves belong too and naming them is half the fun.
Each night the elves travel home to the North Pole so they can report in to Santa. Will their child be on the naughty or nice list? With the help of their ...more
*This book is part of my personal library*
Elf on the Shelf is a book the whole family will enjoy. Each set comes with a book and a cute little Elf. Each Elf will gain his magic once he/she has been given a name. The names are as individual as the kids that the elves belong too and naming them is half the fun.
Each night the elves travel home to the North Pole so they can report in to Santa. Will their child be on the naughty or nice list? With the help of their ...more

I believe that Elf on the Shelf is a book that the whole family will enjoy and specially little kids. Each set comes with a book and a cute little Elf. Each Elf will gain his magic once she has been given a name. The names are as individual as the kids that the elves belong too and naming them is half the fun.Each night the elves travel home to the North Pole so they can report in to Santa. Will their child be on the naughty or nice list? With the help of their magic, they return each morning an
...more

Just spent way too much money on this little elf for my daughter. Tried to get her the plush one that comes without the book, but was informed that since kids are touching the elf on the box, that it simply will not work, if you touch the elf she loses her magic. Sooooo, I had to spend double on the cheaper made elf that comes with a book. Reguardless of how upset I am at the price of this cheap toy & book.... It has absolutely made my daughter's Christmas! Not having one was going to ruin her C
...more

I really wanted to like this book, however I found the humor somewhat snarky where I would have preferred either laugh out loud funny / inappropriate or charming. I'm not sure I would read this book a second time.
...more

Why anyone would do this to their child is beyond me. A 'sentient' puppet that moves around your house and watches your children? There are horror movies based on that.
...more

This book was super cute, and helped to explain the whole “Elf on the Shelf” thing well. My daughter is still a little young to understand it, and we’re really doing it more for fun than to make her behave, but it’s still a cozy, festive story.
The illustrations in the book are cozy, and cute. I love most things Christmas related, so I definitely enjoyed this book, and my toddler sat still through the whole reading, which is a win in my book.
I definitely recommend this book if you have an Elf.
The illustrations in the book are cozy, and cute. I love most things Christmas related, so I definitely enjoyed this book, and my toddler sat still through the whole reading, which is a win in my book.
I definitely recommend this book if you have an Elf.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Errr...no, thank you. I would rather have my children fear God than this little creepy minion who reports to big old Nick. We lie to our children so much with tooth fairie, elves, Santa and what-not and then we want them to trust us and say only truth... Something is quite wrong here isn't it? Christmas already seems to be a celebration of the big fat guy in a red coat instead of Baby Jesus so
adding another fake "Christmas tradition" doesn't sit well with me, just doesn't. As a Christian, I woul ...more
adding another fake "Christmas tradition" doesn't sit well with me, just doesn't. As a Christian, I woul ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
ideas and creatitive suggestions | 1 | 2 | Nov 19, 2014 12:15PM | |
Bookworm Bitches : Elf on the Shelf | 13 | 65 | Dec 09, 2012 03:39PM |
News & Interviews
Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day.
To create our...
20 likes · 3 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »