The Christmas Coal Man

Employed by Santa, a grizzled old man labors away in a dreary mine, loosening lumps of coal with his pickax while dreaming of retiring to a tropical island. After the man makes his annual trek to deliver his coal to the North Pole Santa announces that he doesn’t need it: “The whole coal-in-the-stocking thing just isn’t working.” Instead, Santa plans to reward good children with “something extra special.” Thanks to a surprise gift from Santa, the coal man not only relocates to the tropics but also performs a cheerier task: collecting special seashells for “only the best boys and girls.” Kulka’s vibrant artwork uses humor and lightly caricatured characterizations to enliven what’s initially a fairly gloomy setup—the miner’s faithful mule sports a pink hair bow and impossibly long eyelashes, while the man himself trades his miner’s hat for a Hawaiian shirt as he embraces semi-retirement. Ages 5–9. (Sept.)