cover image The Dwarf in the Drawer: A Mischievous Parody

The Dwarf in the Drawer: A Mischievous Parody

L. van King, illus. by Chuck Gonzales.. Macmillan/Square Fish, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-250-04143-2

This very funny spoof of the bestselling Elf on the Shelf phenomenon offers a dose of holiday sanity for families beleaguered by Santa%E2%80%99s ever-vigilant, shelf-dwelling lackey. Narration comes from the eponymous dwarf who %E2%80%9Clive[s] in your drawer/ With your clean underwear.%E2%80%9D As the story progresses, the perturbed creature rails against the misery inflicted by the elf: %E2%80%9CFor most of the year, things at home were real peachy./ Then in came that usurper, acting all preachy./ Who died and made that elf king?/ That creep who made Christmas a terrible thing?%E2%80%9D Gonzales%E2%80%99s loosely rendered cartoons play up the humor of the verse, giving the elf a sinister leer and emphasizing the exhaustion of the mixed-race family under his watchful eye. A drawer-ready plush dwarf is included in the gift-box package. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (Oct.)