Two Bad Boys Explore Santa Questions
Two hundred years ago, in 1823, the American poet, Clement Clarke Moore, published the verse, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which is now more popularly known by its opening line, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” During the past two centuries children from all over the world have asked recurrent and timeless questions about the Christmas Eve appearance of Santa Claus. Perhaps the most pressing question and worry of millions of children everywhere is how will Santa visit their homes, particularly if they live in a house that does not have a chimney.
In a new secular Christmas book, Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen encourage questioning and brainstorming about the countless ways Santa Claus may make his annual Christmas Eve visit to all good girls and boys. No children are left out even if their homes are tropical residences made of grass, pueblos made of mud bricks, or urban high-rises made entirely of steel and glass.
Barnett and Klassen are sometimes referred to as the “two bad boys” of children’s literature because they break all the established rules in creating their award-winning picture books. Their collaborations are wickedly funny. They have redeemed themselves with this hilarious and sweet exploration of the innumerable ways Santa visits children around the world on Christmas Eve. They address some very practical questions that children have asked for generations. Does Santa’s red suit become covered with dirty soot after chimney visits? And, if so, does he take time to borrow at least one family’s home washer and dryer to restore his beautiful attire? How does Santa deal with watch dogs? Why don’t they bark when he appears so surprisingly in living rooms during the long hours of the night? Does Santa Claus wear night-vision goggles that turn everything green, or heat-vision goggles because he prefers their red color better? What is the best present to leave for Santa: healthy carrot sticks or delicious cookies? In what ways do Santa’s reindeer help him both on rooftops and other home entrances?
The giggle monitor will register in the superior range as readers explore Barnett’s humorous yet practical questions about how Santa delivers one, two, three or even more gifts to good boys and girls. The narrative, mostly in the form of provocative questions, is matched by the delightfully superb illustrations of Jon Klassen. This intriguing investigation of Santa’s Christmas Eve behaviors is destined to become a family classic that children will want to read again and again. Moreover, today’s children will no doubt be so taken with the witticism and joy of How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? that it will become a book they will one day delight in sharing with their own children. The very best part of this instant Christmas classic children’s book is that no secrets are ever suggested or given away.
Home and School Activities
More Santa Questions. Mac Barnett only explores some of Santa’s many Christmas Eve adventures. Ask readers to brainstorm even more provocative questions that may frame discussions about Santa Claus on his most important night of the year. Match witty questions with equally delightful illustrations just as Jon Klassen creatively presents the humorous visual side of this holiday masterpiece.
Santa Masks. A calamity is about to occur. Someone has misplaced the facial attire of Santa’s Salvation Army helpers who stand on street corners ringing joyful bells to solicit contributions to help make good on his promises. The copycat red costumes with white fur are everywhere in abundance, but the masks of these substitute Santas have vanished. Provide young artists with such diverse materials as white and colored construction paper, paper plates, glue, colorful markers, and emphatically don’t forget the cotton wool to give Santa’s generous helpers colorful masks complete with the jolly beard the REAL Father Christmas wears as he visits millions of children that have shared their holiday gift lists with him.
Saint Nicholas, Sinter Klaas, and Santa Claus. Mature gifted students may want to research the millennia of the history of the beloved world-wide Santa Claus. One of many histories of St. Nicholas is The Legend of Saint Nicholas (Simon & Schuster, 2003), created by the exceptionally talented author and illustrator, Demi. It is but one of many such St. Nicholas histories found in searches on Amazon.com, for example. The baby who would become Saint Nicholas was born in A.D. 280 in Asia Minor, which is now Turkey. In his remarkable life, he performed at least 20 miracles. He became the patron saint and protector of children, seafarers, and prisoners. Across many centuries, customs, festivals, and feasts that celebrate the saint spread to Europe and from there to America and all around the world. Suggest that middle and high school students create their own illustrated biography of St. Nicholas. Demi is especially well known for her lavish illustrations featuring the use of gold paint. Can creative students develop their own trademark with color, style, and design? Similarly, gifted researchers and creators can investigate the life and work of Clement Clarke Moore and the influence of his two hundred year-old poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”
Imitate the “Bad Boys.” Truthfully, Mac Barnett and John Klassen are neither boys nor are the really “bad.” They have worked individually and collaboratively with great success with picture books that are often served up with a dish of “juvenile” humor. They have broken all the classic rules of picture book writing and illustration with humorous narration and illustration. Klassen won the prestigious Caldecott Medal (USA) and the British Kate Greenaway Medal in 2013 for his mirthful picture book, This Is Not My Hat (Candlewick Press, 2012). In a rare double win in the same year, the collaborators shared Caldecott Honors and won the Boston Globe-Hornbook Medal for Extra Yarn (Candlewick Press, 2012). Sam & Dave Dig A Hole (Candlewick Press, 2014) received another Caldecott Honor Medal. Barnett and Klassen combined their talents again to create the “Shapes Trilogy,” Triangle, Square, and Circle (Candlewick Press, 2017-2019). These board books use personification, verbally and visually, and their design and humor can serve as a template for even high school creators. The two “bad boys” used a very comical retelling and visualization of The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Orchard Books, 2022) that promises to be the beginning of a collection of “fractured fairy tales.” After gifted students have sampled the Barnett and Klassen collaborations, encourage them to bring the same comical words and images to create their own “bad boy” collection (Think MAD Magazine). Can two students work together to write a crafty reworking of a fairy tale classic, such as “Cinderella”? Perhaps a sly attorney and artist can write and illustrate a legal brief that absolves Goldilocks of charges of trespass that have been filed by “The Three Bears.” Readers of “Shape Trilogy” can brainstorm things that come in threes (e.g., the primary colors of red, yellow, and blue) and fashion picture book narration and illustration in which their chosen three items are presented using personification. What tricks, for example, does red play on yellow or blue?
In conclusion, do not miss the book(s) of the Books of the Month in January, 2024. It will be titled “Two Good Girls.”
