Young Santa

At last, here is the answer to that timeless question of how Santa Claus came to be. Greenburg ( The Bed Who Ran Away from Home ) describes how the Claus baby is named (his parents had a great vacation in Santa Fe), why Santa lives at the North Pole (Dad gets transferred), the reason for his beard (shaving gives him a rash) and how eight reindeer drive his sleigh (the walruses couldn't cut it). Young Santa's after - school job at the department store livens up, thanks to the manager's gimmick: children can sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. Soon the store must hire extra help to make toys, and elves are selected--the only unemployed people in the area. When a blizzard prevents the store from distributing the toys, Santa finds a way to deliver them himself--and the rest is history. Though some of the humor and wordplay will be over the heads of youngsters, this droll, snappy tale will provide amiable entertainment, with Miller's comical drawings adding to the merriment. All ages. ( Sept.)