Letters to Never Send Santa: Confessions, Complaints, and Outlandish Requests from the Files of St. Nick

Gr 2-5–This epistolary will delight readers who are eager to behold some of the “strangest and worst” letters that Santa received over the last year. The collection opens with a letter from Santa reflecting on how times have changed and warning that penning the letters he is about to share will result in a permanent spot on the naughty list. Griswold humorously taps into the layers of drama and mythos that surround Santa by creating over 20 lyrical letters presented in the style of a browsable scrapbook. Letters include children lobbing threats of blackmail, the words of an under-appreciated reindeer, a plea from a PTA of exhausted parents, labor demands from organized elves, and a fourth grader who is in desperate need of help with his math test (which he includes for Santa to complete by tomorrow). Presented as spreads, San Vicente’s bright and texture-filled collage layouts create playful intimacy with each letter. The volume ends with an appeal of empathy for Santa, but perhaps the letters, too, can elicit conversations about that. Maybe elves organizing for better labor conditions shouldn’t put them on the naughty list?