Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fluffy cat in a fluffy and sweet holiday tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
When Splat asks for a really big present, his sister gives him last-minute doubts: “Are you sure you’ve been good?” Worried, Splat tackles jobs that don’t need doing in hopes of ensuring he’ll measure up. He stays up all night, waiting for Santa so he can tell him how good he’s been. But when Christmas morning dawns, there’s been no sign of Santa. Was Splat good enough?
Is It Any Good?
As with his earlier books featuring endearing Splat, Rob Scotton’s story plays second fiddle to the fun illustrations. Here they play well to the deadpan text. Kids will giggle at the alarm in his mother’s face when Splat announces his intentions. And the spread where Santa slips, unnoticed, right past the wide-eyed cat will have them in stitches. The color palette -- mostly black-and-white with subtle coloring and bright pops of red and green -- adds to the appeal.
Kids will relate to Splat’s worries -- and his wish for a big gift. Grownups worn out by the holiday gimme-gimmes may wince.
Whimsical artwork is full of delightful touches.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about being good. Is Splat being very helpful when he tries to be extra good? What else could he have done to help his mother? In addition to helping, what else could he do to be good?
Splat worries at the last minute that he hasn’t been good enough for Santa to come. He probably didn’t have anything to worry about. But if he hadn’t been good, do you think it’s enough to be good just on Christmas Eve?
Splat wants “a really big present.” Do you think a present has to be big to be good? Can you think of small things that make really good presents?
What do you think is inside the box Splat opens?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Rob Scotton
- Genre : Holiday
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date : September 22, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 7
- Number of pages : 40
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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