Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Santa's Stolen Sleigh

Shifty and Sam are bakers who have been asked by Santa to bake a festive feast. All the elves are poorly and Santa needs help to finish the presents for the Christmas Eve deadline. Along comes Flo. Will Flo and the boys save the day?

The illustrations seem to leap off the page and take you right into the thick of the action. I absolutely loved the full page drawings that are so busy, with scope for lots of talk about them. Perfect for a bedtime story or end of day class read, in the lead up to Christmas. Perfect for all ages. Additional feature is a QR code so you can listen to an audio reading of this story, for added fun!

Picture book / Reviewed by Carol Wright, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam Santa's Stolen Sleigh is a genuinely funny book, one to prompt a warm response even from readers usually left cold by yet another tale of Santa and his elves. If that's you, then you really must give Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton a chance.

You can read it aloud to an audience of younger readers (or non-readers) who will be chuckling in no time, much like Santa when he mistakenly eats flying dust in his Christmas feast. Or you can scan the QR code and enjoy the story trimmings and all (ie with silly voices and sound effects).

My favourite part: when robber-turned-baker Slippery Sam whips out a whisk and, with one speedy twirl of the toffee rope, reels back in a penitent Flo. Now she too can celebrate Christmas as a reformed character, along with her new found friends.

Much recommended for its humour, lively illustrations and rhyming text (that actually scans). It would make an excellent present for pre-schoolers or KS1 children, if you can wait that long to share it.

Picture book / Reviewed by Jane Rew, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 3+