A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa's Tasty Trip Around the World

by M.E. Furman, Susan Gal (Illustrator)

Overview

This beautifully illustrated book explores the traditional treats that children across the globe leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve—includes recipes!

A World of Cookies for Santa takes readers on a journey to discover holiday traditions and beloved Christmas cookies from cultures around the world. Head to the Philippines, where children leave out puto seko cookies and ginger tea for Santa; jet to Russia for a honey-spice cookie; then set out for Malawi for a sweet potato cookie! 

And the journey continues in your own home kitchen, as author M. E. Furman provides recipes for children to bake some of Santa’s cookies for themselves.  

 

Winner of the American Book Fest Best Book Award and the Moonbeam Book Award!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328466624
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/18/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
Lexile:	AD860L (what's this?)
File size:	76 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

M.E. Furman lives with her family in the northern Rockies, where there's always a white Christmas. As a child, her two grandmothers made the same Christmas cookie with two names--one called them snowballs, and the other called them Russian teacakes. Now her family enjoys sharing their favorite Scottish shortbread with friends and family (and Santa!). A World of Cookies for Santa is her first book for children. Find out more at www.worldofcookiesforsanta.com. 
Susan Gal received a BFA from the Art Center College of Design and worked in animation before embarking on her career as an illustrator of children's books, including Night Lights, Please Take Me for a Walk, and Bella's Fall Coat among others. She lives in California.

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2017
Furman’s first children’s book takes readers on an appetizing world tour of Christmas traditions, highlighting the treats children leave for Santa and his regional counterparts—jam-filled nastar cookies for Sinterklaas in Indonesia, almond cookies and wine for coal miner Olentzero in the Basque Country, etc. Beginning on Christmas Island in the Pacific, Furman zigzags across the globe, stopping in 32 locales on her way to Hawaii. Though the descriptions of some countries’ rituals are cursory, many offer intriguing details (“In Denmark, Julemande puts presents under the tree while the family eats Christmas dinner”). Gal’s digital collages offer kaleidoscopic tableaus for the countries, mixing images of celebrating children, the featured confections, regional Santa figures, decorations, and more. Recipes for nine of the desserts wrap up this cheery book. Ages 4–7. Illustrator’s agency: Morgan Gaynin. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Each page will leave readers hungry for cookies and curious to try new confections. An author’s note and nine recipes are appended. A mouthwatering choice for classrooms and libraries." –School Library Journal "Vibrant, glowing illustrations show children of different ethnic groups along with cultural traditions and decorations. The Christmas-cookie traditions of 32 countries (or sometimes a city or a state) are each described in a short paragraph, including the type of cookie, local name for Santa, and fun, related Christmas customs that will interest children . . . A delightful introduction to a popular Christmas treat and traditions around the world." —Kirkus "Furman’s first children’s book takes readers on an appetizing world tour of Christmas traditions, highlighting the treats children leave for Santa and his regional counterparts..." —Publishers Weekly "Charmingly illustrated throughout by Susan Gal, 'A World of Cookies for Santa' is a truly multicultural celebration that families will return to year after year."—Midwest Book Review —

From the Publisher

10/01/2017
K-Gr 3—All around the world, children wait for Santa Claus, Papai Noel, Father Christmas, or Grandfather Frost and leave sweet treats for him to enjoy. In Malawi, children thank Father Christmas with mbatata (sweet potato cookies). In France, children leave carrots, oats, or apples inside shoes for Gui, Père Noël's donkey, and a slice of yule log with a glass of wine. And in the United States, children hang their stockings and leave a glass of milk and a cookie for Santa Claus. Each page depicts a Christmas scene and the holiday desserts in charming, brightly colored illustrations by Gal. Each page will leave readers hungry for cookies and curious to try new confections. An author's note and nine recipes are appended. VERDICT A mouthwatering choice for classrooms and libraries.—Jessica Ko, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

2017-08-21
Cookies are set out for Santa on Christmas Eve in many countries around the world, described in this collection that includes recipes. A striking cover illustration shows five children of different ethnicities with Christmas cookies arrayed in front of them and Santa and his reindeer taking flight just below the title. The digitally composed illustrations are the sweet treat in this book, from a snow-speckled Santa facing the title page to the final spread with children in Hawaii setting out pineapple-macadamia bars for Santa under their tree decorated with shells. Vibrant, glowing illustrations show children of different ethnic groups along with cultural traditions and decorations. The Christmas-cookie traditions of 32 countries (or sometimes a city or a state) are each described in a short paragraph, including the type of cookie, local name for Santa, and fun, related Christmas customs that will interest children. For example, the double-page spread about Mexico includes children with a piñata and cut-paper decorations in the illustration. Thoughtfully designed front endpapers offer a map with all the locations marked as a continuous journey for Santa; the back endpapers repeat this map with the addition of illustrations of the cookies, coded to the locations by number. Recipes for nine different cookies are included, and an author's note gives further information about Christmas celebrations and Santa traditions. A delightful introduction to a popular Christmas treat and traditions around the world. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews