cover image Twelve Bells for Santa

Twelve Bells for Santa

Crosby Newell Bonsall. HarperCollins Publishers, $3.5 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-06-444086-8

With total recall of a child's world, Bonsall has written swift, funny stories with the added attractions of her own larky illustrations. This I Can Read is a festive Christmas adventure, depicting events in color-washed drawings. Endearing kids compete at a holiday party for the title of best Santa Claus. Chaos ensues as pet dogs disguised as reindeer bite each other and bark and the ""Santas'' yell. Only one contestant (``a big kid'') goes quietly about trimming the tree and putting presents under it. All agree that he wins the prize but he rides off to the sound of sleigh bells. The second story concerns Bee, Wilma and their rambunctious little pal Norman. The fair thing to do, they believe, is to deliver the real Santa's prize (12 chocolates) to the North Pole. Relying on Bee's map, they start out but the way is longer than they had anticipated and Norman's fussing is a trial. So is hunger. (48)