The Christmas Chronicles

While most people know the myth of Santa Claus, few know the truth—that a 14th-century woodworker dedicated his life to making children happy, but when age and infirmity caught up with him, he was made a saint and moved north to make children happy forever. This inspiring Christmas tale skillfully weaves various popular Christmas fables (the story of Rudolph being a notable inclusion) into a fresh story that retains an air of traditional folk tales while delivering an updated tweak on familiar stories. While the conflict, in the form of villainous Rolf Eckhof, is sporadic, the rest of the story is simply and sincerely entertaining. (Nov.)