General Lee and Santa Claus: An Adaptation

by Randall J. Bedwell, Louise Clack, Jean Holmgren (Illustrator)

Three young girls in the rebel South worry that Santa Claus doesn't really love them, since he has not visited them in four years, and they write a letter to General Robert E. Lee, asking his opinion

Genres: Christmas

35 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

Reviews

[Jason Pierce]

This is an adaptation of Louise Clack's book of the same name which I've reviewed elsewhere. Apparently the original is too rough for today's children and needed to be scaled down. For example, the three girls' mother is sick in this book, and not dead. Also, the father returns from the war instead of dying in it, and he had been doing good deeds for the years he was missing. It gives the tale a happier feeling. Mrs. Clack's original purpose in writing the book was to give all proceeds to Southern orphans of the war, so this change would've made no sense had it been done back then, but since it was written 129 years after the original, I don't guess it really matters. Also, I remember one scene where one of the girls had her cat dressed in doll's clothes. In the adaptation, the child is scolding the cat for trying to get away. In the original, she's flat out beating the thing if I recall correctly, and we can't have that kind of thing going on in 1996.

The plot is different as well. The children aren't told to write down dreams to put in a book to give to Santa Claus, but to make up stories, and the stories are different. I think the changes were a good thing, for, as I noted in my other review, the three original stories had to have been inspired by acid trips, or more likely some bad (or perhaps "good," if you like such things) mushrooms.

The bare-bones of the story are still the same. Three girls ask their aunt if Santa doesn't like the rebel children because he hadn't been to see them for four years, and she suggests that they consult the most honorable authority in the land: General Robert E. Lee. This they do, and they get a reply that Santa does still like them, and all is as well as it could possibly be in the southern United States in 1867 (which is still pretty crappy, but at least they're not getting blown to perdition by those damn Yankees anymore).

As indicated in my other review, if you're looking for a feelgood Christmas story, you'd best keep looking. This is nice, and all, but many others are much nicer. If you want historical reference stuff, then check out the original. If you like comparisons between originals and adaptations, then this would be essential. Have at it.

[Ted]

An adaptation of a silly book that was first published in 1867 and answers the burning question why Santa Clause did not visit Confederate rebel children during the four years of the Civil War or what those in the south refer to as the War of Northern Aggression. This adaptation was apparently updated as to not an upset the sensibilities of today’s children, but is as silly as its predecessor. There was no “Lost Cause”. Robert E. Lee was a traitor, not a saint.

[Mary]

Sorry to be a dissenter but nothing about this story or the writing impressed me in any way.

[Dolly]

I must admit that I am a Yankee through and through. I grew up in New England, and I have little to no experience with stories from and about the South. This book was given to our family by one of my husband's coworkers and I was intrigued by the title. The plot reminds me a bit of Little Women, with only three girls, an aviator father, and a southern perspective. Both books explored the austerity of life during the Civil War and the vast number of wounded soldiers. We enjoyed reading this book aloud together - it's a quick read and a good story at Christmastime.