Where Would Santa Go?
I’m always looking out for books to inspire wanderlust in my small children. When I heard Julia Inserro was looking for people to review her new book, I jumped at the chance. Where Would Santa Go? tells the story of Lucy and Max as they have a Christmas Eve adventure. Lucy wants to travel so she writes a letter to Santa, asking him where he would go? He wakes them and invites them to join him in his sleigh as he tours the Earth.
Starting with penguins in Antarctica, Santa shows them historical sites in Egypt, nature in Tanzania, extreme sports in New Zealand and many more amazing places. They travel through time as well as space so Santa can show the children the Earth at its best. They visit Japan in the Spring, Nepal during Holi and Albuquerque for the Hot Air Balloon Festival.
What did we think?
The story is lovely, and it really shows the diversity of our world. The locations have been carefully chosen, and together they make a comprehensive bucket list that any adult would be proud to complete. The message is assisted by the stunning illustrations by Natalie Merheb, which capture the essence of each destination.
My only criticism is that it is a little long for a children’s book. Ted (age 4) loves reading together and was fully engaged at the beginning of this story. By about two-thirds of the way through I could see his attention was waning. When we reread it, I will probably skip a few pages to keep him engaged for the duration.
We did love reading this book, and I am sure it will be chosen from the bookshelf again and again in the run-up to Christmas. Just like Lucy, I am already looking forward to next Christmas to see where Santa takes us.
About the Author
Julia Inserro is a mother to three children and several cats. She and her husband have lived in 5 countries and visited countless more. In 2018 Julia published her first children’s book, Nonni’s Moon. Four more books have followed including Where Would Santa Go?
