Stowaway in a SleighReviewed December 24, 2016.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. 32 pages.
Starred Review
Here's another new Christmas picture book that passed the hurdle of my approval. This one's appropriate for very young kids, because there aren't many words on each page, and the story is simple. The paintings are lovely, and bring you to a cat's viewpoint.
It was the darkest hour of night when Slipper heard strange footsteps in the house.
When she goes to investigate, she finds Mr. Furry Boots! Kids will know this is Santa Claus.
My favorite part is when Slipper does "exactly what any curious cat would do" -- she climbs into Santa's bag.
Santa unwittingly brings the cat back to the North Pole, where Mrs. Furry Boots lets the cat out of the bag.
Slipper has a good time exploring Santa's workshop, but when she starts longing for home, Santa makes a special trip to deliver her.
The story is one kids can understand and empathize with, and much of it is told through the beautiful illustrations. I plan to remember this book for December story times next year.