The untold story of Father Christmas by Alison and Mike Battle

Ill. by Lauren A. Mills. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408892343
"In olden times, when magic still filled the air, there lived a master toymaker and his wife . . ."
So begins this delightful retelling of the story of Father Christmas, beautifully illustrated and set in a land of deep forests, elves and magic.
The kindly toymaker and his wife discover that if you keep your heart full of love and wonder, dreams really do come true . . . .
Who doesn't love a traditional story at Christmas time? A beautifully illustrated and timeless story about how a toymaker and his wife became Mother and Father Christmas for children all over the world. The toy maker is a kind character, always seeing the best in situations, except for one thing - they did not have their own child. With similarities to The Elves and The Shoemaker, the old couple set about making toys for the children in their village. This is a truly beautifully written story that displays the true meaning of Christmas and the act of giving. It would be fantastic to talk to students about being selfless and what one can gain from displaying this quality. I can see the children shouting out 'it's Father Christmas' as I am reading the story as he is described as a toy maker throughout the book and not referred to as this until the very last page in the book. I am a sucker for a traditional story using traditional colours in the illustrations and this did not disappoint me. A welcome addition to the collection of Christmas books.
Kathryn Schumacher