I See Santa Everywhere (by Glenn McCoy)

This twisted take-off on the "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" carol that most kids know takes that song one step further. A rather neurotic young boy begin to see Santas everywhere, and most of them are far from being the kindly old gent of more classic Christmas stories and songs. In fact, most depictions are rather menacing looking and definitely unbecomingly portrayed. The boy feels he is being stalked by this scary, judgmental Santa that he sees everywhere, and he seeks out a psychiatrist, hoping to get a little help with his fears. A surprising twist at the end will leave older readers wondering ... and chuckling.

Overall, this book is clever and funny though not really appropriate for the young kids who are part of its intended audience. Those readers might be better served with one of the many versions of the original story, which has a number of illustrated versions. While I SEE SANTA EVERYWHERE derives easily from the traditional idea that Santa is everywhere, keeping an eye on every child's behavior, this version is an obvious exaggeration that is raised to the level of the absurd.

Whether or not readers appreciate it will rest partly on their relationship with Santa, and partly on their appreciation of cartoon artistry. Readers old enough to understand the playfulness of Santa's image, especially his judging of whose "naughty" and "nice," will appreciate the strange, sometimes bizarre humor with which Glenn McCoy has created his imagined Santas. His cartooning is excellent. In fact, it's the best part of the book, and the part that redeems the questionable tone.

Author: Glenn McCoy
Illustrator: Glenn McCoy
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Publication date: September 30, 2008
Number of pages: 32
Read Aloud: 6
Read Alone: 7