Reviews for Santa on the Loose!

Horn Book Guide Reviews 2013 Spring
The Christmas presents are missing from the North Pole, and Santa is on the hunt for the culprit. With a preliminary list of suspects, and clues on every page, readers help by searching through ultra-busy Where's Waldo esque spreads saturated with reds and greens and Christmas paraphernalia. Once the mystery is solved, there will be little motivation for a second read.

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Kirkus Reviews 2012 September #1
Santa must solve the mysterious disappearance of toys from his workshop through this search-and-find quest with detailed pages full of elves at work and play. The crime? A theft of Christmas toys. The suspects? An elf, a reindeer, a snowman, a polar bear, a penguin and a young girl. The detective? The reader, who must find one clue on each of 11 double-page spreads that are crammed full of elves, toys, packages and animals or items specific to each locale. The cartoon-style illustrations are frantically busy, showing a cast of elves in varied locations at the North Pole and on outings together to places such as a mall and a hockey rink. Santa is in each spread holding the clue, but the elves wear red suits quite similar to Santa's, leading to dozens of nearly identical characters on each page. Illustrations of the suspects are provided, so young detectives must compile a list of the 11 clues and then deduce which suspect is wearing or holding all 11 of those items. The mystery? Slight. The interest level? A quick read for sharp detectives; a frustrating one for those less experienced in clues, mysteries and deductive reasoning. The verdict? Titles in the I Spy genre with multiple searches on each spread have more to offer. Case closed. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus 2012 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved.

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Publishers Weekly Reviews 2012 September #2

Santa's toys are missing, and this activity book prompts readers to discover the culprit by locating visual clues on busy digital spreads: "As Santa searches the stables, he finds something the thief must have dropped. Can you spot Santa and his clue?" The interactive format and broad suspect list (including Loki the Reindeer, Emo the Elf, Softy the Snowman, Roz the Bear, Arlo the Penguin, and Santa's Helper Kendra) should have fans of Where's Waldo? racing through locations like the North Pole Mall, Santa's Candy Factory, and the Wrapping Barn. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.)

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Publishers Weekly Annex Reviews

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School Library Journal Reviews 2012 October

PreS-Gr 1--With a toy thief at large and Christmas Eve coming soon, there's work to be done and readers must use searching skills and the process of elimination to find the culprit. Pictures of six smiling suspects fill the first spread. Loki the Reindeer, Roz the Bear, Emo the Elf, Softy the Snowman, Arlo the Penguin, and Santa's helper Kendra have similar North Pole accessories-hats, mittens, presents, candy canes, and cocoa-but only one of them owns all the clues that Santa holds in the following pages. The trick for readers is finding Santa first, as he is hidden in a "Where's Waldo"-like fashion throughout the town. The crowded, busy scenes and cartoon illustrations provide an age-appropriate challenge, and though the perp is found at the end, a page full of bonus searches allows for more holiday fun through multiple readings.--Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

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