A Boy Called Christmas
by Matt Haig
November 1, 2016
Knopf BFYR
Source: from pub for review
Before there was Santa Claus, there was a young boy who believed in the impossible. . . . Lemony Snicket meets Elf in this warmhearted Christmas caper.
Eleven-year-old Nikolas—nicknamed “Christmas”—has received only one toy in his life: a doll carved out of a turnip. But he’s happy with his turnip doll, because it came from his parents, who love him. Then one day his father goes missing, and Nikolas must travel to the North Pole to save him.
Along the way, Nikolas befriends a surly reindeer, bests a troublesome troll, and discovers a hidden world of enchantment in the frozen village of Elfhelm. But the elves of Elfhelm have troubles of their own: Christmas spirit and goodwill are at an all-time low, and Nikolas may be the only person who can fix things—if only he can reach his father before it’s too late. . . .
Sparkling with wit and warmth, A Boy Called Christmas is a cheeky new Christmas classic-in-the-making from acclaimed author Matt Haig and illustrator Chris Mould.
PRAISE
“Irresistibly readable. Destined to become a Christmas and anytime-before-or-after-Christmas classic!” –Chris Grabenstein, New York Timesbestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
“Like stockings hung by the fire, this spellbinding opus may well become a yuletide tradition.” —Kirkus, Starred review
“Award-winning British author Matt Haig (To Be a Cat) writes with warmth, wit and irreverence.” —Shelf Awareness, Starred review
“Matt Haig has an empathy for the human condition, the light and the dark of it, and he uses the full palette to build his excellent stories.”—Neil Gaiman, Newbery-winning author of The Graveyard Book
“The definitive (and funny) history of Ho, ho, ho! My children loved it.” —Yann Martel, bestselling author of Life of Pi
“Humorous and heartfelt, A Boy Called Christmas will grow your heart three sizes and make you believe in magic.” –Liesl Shurtliff, New York Times bestselling author of Rump
“The most evergreen, immortal Christmas story to be published for decades. Future generations will receive the same comfort and joy from A Boy Called Christmas that they derive from mince pies, snowmen and creamy liqueurs.” –Stephen Fry
“Matt Haig puts the Happy back into Christmas.” –Jeanette Winterson
“A new festive classic. Funny, sad and brilliant. It turns out we only knew half the story.” –Simon Mayo, BBC
“An instant Christmas classic… Nikolas is a terrific character, clearly the offspring of Gerda from The Snow Queen and Roald Dahl’s Charlie Bucket.” –The Guardian
Nikolas is an 11 year old boy who lives in a tiny shack with his woodcutter father, only a turnip doll for a toy, and his only friend a mouse...but Nikolas, nicknamed “Christmas” is happy and still believes in magic and goodness. When his father disappears far up north, Nikolas sets out on a journey to the North Pole and the legendary Elfhelm (home of the elves) to find him. Along the way, Nikolas befriends a Reindeer named Blitzen, battles with a troll, contends with a tricksy pixie, and discovers that the land of the elves isn’t all he imagined. This is the story of how young Nikolas one day become the beloved Father Christmas!
Matt Haig’s A Boy Called Christmas is full of cheer, charm, and cheeky storytelling! Haig has created an imaginative and endearing history for Father Christmas, aka Santa Claus, and has brought even more wonderment, awe, and whimsy to the beloved character’s timeless story. Through a sweet, yet humorous and pitch-perfect voice, the story of Nikolas unfolds in a captivating and entertaining way, with plenty of moments full of laughs, excitement, and heart. The land of the elves, Elfhelm, is wonderfully imagined and brought to life! Young readers will not be disappointed in this wintery, wonderland bustling with magic and mischief.
Nikolas’ optimistic spirit, graceful heart, and bravery make him an endearing and engaging character, that young readers will root for. Haig also introduces Nikolas and readers to a sleigh full of fun, lovable characters, from a surly reindeer, sassy pixie, a sweet elf girl, a grumpy old elf, and more!
My final thoughts: A Boy Called Christmas is bursting with holiday cheer and merriment, and with its charming story and lovable characters it is sure to be a Christmas favorite!
5/5 Cupcakes
Matt Haig was born in Sheffield, England in 1975. He writes books for both adults and children, often blending the worlds of domestic reality and outright fantasy, with a quirky twist. His bestselling novels are translated into 28 languages. The Guardian has described his writing as 'delightfully weird' and the New York Times has called him 'a novelist of great talent' whose writing is 'funny, riveting and heartbreaking'.
His novels for adults are The Last Family in England, narrated by a labrador and optioned for film by Brad Pitt; The Dead Fathers Club (2006), an update of Hamlet featuring an 11-year-old boy; The Possession of Mr Cave (2008), about a man obsessed with his daughter's safety, and The Radleys (2010) which won Channel 4's TV Book Club public vote and was shortlisted for a Galaxy National Book Award (UK). The film rights to all his adult novels have been sold. His next adult novel is The Humans (2013).
His multi-award winning popular first novel for children, Shadow Forest, was published in 2007 and its sequel, The Runaway Troll, in 2009. His most recent children's novel is To Be A Cat (2012). Website * Facebook * Twitter
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