Memoirs of an Elf

Scillian and Bowers return to the format they introduced in Memoirs of a Goldfish, delivering a tech-savvy elf’s by-the-minute chronicle of Santa’s Christmas Eve journey around the world, which involves texting with Santa (“Time to fly, big guy!”) and snapping multiple “elfies” to commemorate the occasion. Bowers’s high-energy illustrations show the sleigh soaring above snow-covered neighborhood, as well as scenes of a rather dotty, dilly-dallying Santa: “Starting to worry about falling behind,” reports the elf. “Santa always wants to stop and pet every dog.” A canine stowaway presents an amusing quandary and a light message about the meaning of the holiday. It’s a lighthearted diversion with a few modern twists for readers who wonder if Santa uses GPS. Ages 6–9. Illustrator’s agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content. (Sept.)