Santa Mouse, Where Are You?

by Michael Brown, Elfrieda De Witt (Illustrator)

Overview

Santa’s littlest helper gets lost and must find his way back to Santa’s sleigh in time to save Christmas in this delightful holiday picture book.

Every Christmas, Santa Mouse becomes Santa’s little helper. This year, when Santa’s ready to take off in his sleigh, Santa Mouse scurries onto his shoulder—only to fall off into the deep, dark snowy ground below. How will he ever find Santa and help him deliver presents to the children?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534438026
Publisher:	Little Simon
Publication date:	10/26/2021
Series:	A Santa Mouse Book
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

The idea for writing the Santa Mouse stories came to Michael Brown (1920–2014) while holding piece of children’s pajama fabric featuring a tiny Christmas mouse. He went to work creating the character that was to become Santa’s little helper. In addition to writing stories about Santa Mouse, Michael Brown performed his own songs in cabaret and was a composer/lyricist and producer/director in the theater.

When introduced to her art, Michael Brown immediately knew that Elfrieda De Witt would be the perfect choice of collaborator for his Santa Mouse stories. Her style perfectly captured the spirit of Christmas. Known affectionately as “Freddie” by friends and family, Elfrieda spent much of her career illustrating for greeting card companies. Brown and De Witt continued their friendship for many years after the publication of the Santa Mouse books.

Editorial Reviews

2021-08-18
Santa Mouse has an adventure while helping Santa with deliveries.

Rhyming stanzas narrated in the first person plural introduce the small creature, who is dressed in a red-and-white Santa suit, complete with white beard and black boots. While Santa brings “big presents that come for you and me,” Santa mouse puts tiny gifts in the branches of the tree. One year, a child stringing lights on the tree decides to put a bright light “right at the very top, / so Santa Mouse can see!” While the children drift off to sleep, happy with their gleaming, yellow light, Santa Mouse is completing his tiny gifts with a yellow ribbon. Santa gives a last call for the journey, and Santa Mouse climbs aboard the sleigh. As they fly through the air, the tiny gift Santa Mouse is holding slips out of his hand; reaching to save it, Santa Mouse falls off himself, landing safely in a snowbank. Just when he thinks all is lost, the ribbon of the gift catches the light from atop the tree, guiding him to a place where Santa will find him. With simple illustrations characteristic of this book’s original 1966 publication date, this sweet, easy read is perfect for young ones who are fond of small animals and may inspire families to add a small new tradition to their holiday celebrations. Happily, it is free of the lingering stereotypical elements that marred the recent revision of prequel Santa Mouse (2019). Almost all human characters are White, including Santa. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Unusual and memorable. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews