North Pole Ninjas: Mission: Christmas!

Poet Gregson (All the Words Are Yours) and newcomer Linden encourage children to perform holiday acts of kindness in this book-and-plush package. The plush figure is of Santa’s wise sensei, whose North Pole Ninjas “use their Christmas spirit/ to care for others’ needs.” Thibodeau (Goblin Hood) contributes warmly lit, cinematic scenes of the ninja elves at work that give the book the feel of a holiday TV special. The rhymes can get a bit convoluted or vague (“Stay hidden and stay quiet/ when shoveling that snow./ Secretly you’ll save Christmas/ no footprints where you go”), but the more than 40 “missions” to be completed should keep children busy doing good deeds throughout the holidays. All ages. (Oct.)