I received product/compensation from Scholastic in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

It is that time of the year when I wait for the question from my kids “Is Santa real?” My kids are 10, 9 and 6 years old and honestly none of them have asked yet. I have a feeling my boys know he is not real but don’t want to ask for fear they won’t get presents from Santa if he is not real. I like to think my kids don’t ask because they still believe in the magic of Christmas, I know one day though I will have to cross that bridge.

I have tried different conversations in my head over what I would say but nothing has come out quite as good as the book Love, Santa by Martha Brockenbrough. As a mother, Martha struggled to come up with a story for her daughter but she came up with the best way to explain who Santa really is.

Love, Santa

By Martha Brockenbrough

Illustrated by Lee White

Released September 26, 2017

For Parents and Kids ages 6-11 (for telling the truth about Santa)

Love Santa tells the story of a girl writing notes to Santa every year. The book even features little envelopes with the notes inside for kids to take out and read as part of the story. One year she writes a note though and leaves it for her mom, asking if she is Santa. The mom’s response tells the truth that she is not Santa but is the one who gives her presents. She explains that “Santa is a teacher who helps us believe. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness…” Believing in Santa teaches us that we need to have faith even if we can’t see or touch things and will face challenges our whole life. I never thought of it that way and really like how she references how believing in Santa helps us understand how much more there is in the world than just ourselves. Christmas is the season of giving, which definitely is easy to forget. The book ends with the little girl joining Santa’s team. It is a very cute story with adorable illustrations and as sad as I am for my kids to ask me that question, I do feel better prepared.

About the Creators

Martha Brockenbrough is the author of two books for adults and five books for young readers, including The Game of Love and Death, which earned four starred reviews and was a Kirkus Prize finalist, Devine Intervention, and The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and their two daughters. Visit her online at marthabrockenbrough.com.

Lee White is an artist and teacher who loves watercolor, print making, and climbing trees. He spends his days splashing paint in his backyard studio, where there are absolutely no clocks allowed! He has illustrated more than fifteen books and shown in galleries across the country, from Los Angeles to New York. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and young son.

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