Santa Calls

by William Joyce

Art Atchinson Aimesworth -- inventor, crime fighter, and allaround whiz kid-journeys north with his sister, Esther, and his pal, Spaulding, by special invitation from Santa himself. But why did Santa call? Now available in a new hardcover edition, this truly Joyce-ian crusade features villains and swashbuckling adventure, concluding with a most spectacular and touching Christmas celebration.

A holiday extravaganza like no other, by the creator of Rolie Polie Olie, Snowie Rolie, Sleepy Time Olie, Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures wirh the Family Lazardo, and George Shrinks.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 1993

About the author

William Joyce does a lot of stuff—films, apps, Olympic curling—but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Numberlys, The Man in the Moon, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, Toothiana, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also an Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives with his family in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Another book about Santa Claus, but William gives Santa an enemy in the Dark elf Queen. The pictures are pure William Joyce and the imagination is on joyous display here. The North Poll seems more like a bright Seaside tourist attraction than a place of pure heart, but the kids love the illustrations.

I love the reason for this whole adventure. A little girl asks to be friends with her brother and nephew. He sets up an adventure just for her. It's a lovely thought.

Both kids really got into this book. They asked if there really was a poll like in the book? They had all kinds of questions about Santa. They were hopping up and down with excitement thinking about Santa. They both gave this 5 stars.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated Christmas story is one of my favorites! An exciting adventure to the North Pole to help out Santa turns into a poignant (but not saccharine) message about the importance of family. The pictures have a sort of 1940's "Vision of the Future!" feel, if that makes sense, and the final pages feature two letters that you open and read to discover the secret behind why Santa called!

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual. Creative. Heartwarming. Makes for a great read aloud story.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top notch. Absolutely bully!

Please read this Santa Claus adventure this Christmas. And be sure to savor each rich illustration. And although it’s not polite, you’ll be forgiven for reading Esther’s letters at the end of the story.

Merry Christmas!

[Victor Casas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sin duda escribir libros ilustrados infantiles es un arte complejo que muy pocos pueden hacer bien...
La historia me pareció muy simple y bastante inferior a los otros libros de los guardianes, pero tiene esta chispa que te hace sentir calidez por dentro mientras lo lees.

Me gustó mucho.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santa calls and children answer in this delightful picture-book fantasy from William Joyce, in which Art Atchinson Aimesworth, his best friend Spaulding Littlefeets, and his kid sister Esther find themselves on a magical journey to the North Pole. When a mysterious box appears outside the Aimesworth home in Abilene, Texas, containing a flying vessel and a summons north, the three children climb aboard and set out, meeting Ali Aku, the captain of the Santarian Guard, as well as Mrs. Claus and Santa himself. Confronting the Dark Elves and their evil Queen in the north, and then joining Santa on his sleigh-ride south, the three children experience a series of fantastic adventures together. But why did Santa summon them in the first place...?

I loved the dedication at the front of Santa Calls, particularly the mention of Robin of Locksley, and of the Wizard of Oz! I saw more of the latter in the tale, to be honest - no Robin Hood associations for me here, but that's OK - and found it an enjoyable Christmas fantasy adventure. I saw the conclusion coming midway through, and felt confirmed when the Dark Elves almost snatch Esther, so the concluding letters just told me what I already knew, concerning the purpose behind the entire journey. The artwork was simply gorgeous - I loved the use of color, and of shadow and light! All in all, a lovely picture-book from William Joyce, one I would recommend to more advanced picture-book audiences in the mood for a little seasonal Santa fantasy.

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

2008
This is one of my favorite Christmas books, so I was pretty bummed when it basically bombed with my students. They just weren't old enough, I guess. I really found myself having to explain quite a lot. Still. I love it. Even if you don't love the story, you'll love the art.

I read this one to my class and they did not love it. I was honestly a bit surprised. They liked it fine, but didn't love it. I think that they were not used to the old-fashioned feel of the story and found it a little hard to follow.

December 2010
Different kids, different response. This year, my second graders absolutely loved this book. In fact, it fueled many a playground adventure.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love William Joyce's books and illustration style. Meet the Robinsons, Dinosaur Bob and the Family Lazardo, and the visual design of the film Robots are some of my favorites. So when I saw Santa Calls on the Christmas shelf at the library, I had to take it. I read it to the kids during Christmas week, and it was . . . pretty good. Not my favorite William Joyce--it just isn't quite strange enough, somehow--but it's a good children's book, with a wonderful and emotional reveal at the end.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1908, and orphaned inventor and jack-of-all-trades Art Atchinson lives in Abilene, Texas with his aunt and uncle, and his younger sister Esther, to whom he is pretty mean. Along with his best friend Spaulding, Art is a pretty brave guy, who loves adventure and smashing crime, but who, deep down, feels a sadness and loneliness that never leaves him since the loss of his parents.

Then, a few days before Christmas, a mysterious package arrives that turns out to be an invitation from Santa Claus to come to the North Pole. Inside the box is a flying machine, which they christen the Yuletide Flyer, since it is now Christmas Eve when they finally leave for the North Pole. At first, Art wants to leave Esther behind, but gives in at the last minute and the three immediately head north.

Landing in the North Pole, Art, Spaulding, and Esther are picked up by Ali Aku, captain of the Santarian Guard, who warns them that they must get to their destination before nightfall, when the Dark Elves and their evil Queen come out. Too late, they are pelted with snowballs by the Elves, but fight back, and Esther even manages a direct hit on the Dark Queen, who threatens that Esther has not seen the last of her.

Amid all the fanfare of their arrival, Art asks Santa just why they were called to the North Pole. Santa's answer: "Some mysteries are best left unsolved." As they take off in Santa's sleigh to make the night's deliveries, the Evil Queen manages to snatch Esther from the sleigh and take her to her castle. Art insists that he must save her, after all, she's his sister. So Art, Spaulding, and Ali Aku sneak in and rescue Esther, while pelting the Dark Elves with candy bombs and licorice as they make their getaway, back to Santa's sleigh.

Arriving back in Abilene after all their Christmas Eve excitement, Art once again asks Santa why he was summoned to the North Pole, and once again Art is told: "Some mysteries are best left unsolved."

The next morning, Art and Spaulding find splendid new gifts from Santa. For Art, it is a puppy from Santa's Canine Brigade, for Spaulding a new canoe with Yuletide Flyer II painted on it, but for Esther there are only two letters. Does Esther get what she wanted for Christmas? In the end, and I mean that literally, only Esther, Santa, and the reader know the answer to that. For Art, "Some mysteries [remain] best left unsolved."

I thought this would be a fun book to start off the holiday season. My kids love it. The first two times we read it, I didn't tell them about Esther's letters from Santa (which are pasted onto the back flyleaf), just let them speculate on why Santa had summoned Art to the North Pole. When we finally read the letters, they were surprised, but that led to discussions about importance of siblings and getting along.

Then we talked about the illustrations. The stylized art deco illustration on the cover was the first thing that attracted me to Santa Calls when it was first issued in 1993. It is not your typical warm-and-fuzzy Christmas cover, but it totally works, in part, because of the story that accompanies the illustrations throughout the book. Art deco flourished in the 1920s and 1930s and the story in Santa Calls definitely carries a kind of Perils of Pauline feel to it (no, Esther in no Pauline, trust me).

I personally loved Joyce's rendering of the North Pole, so different from the quiet busy Santa's workshop full of elves making toys. Joyce has turned it into a city that may remind fans of Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz film. But, that's where the resemblance ends, since Joyce has kept the figure of Santa the same kind, caring, generous figure he has always been.

Santa Calls is an imaginative Christmas adventure with some surprising twists that make it an annual family/classroom favorite.

This book is recommended for readers age 6+
This book was purchased for my personal library

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't your cuddly, hot-chocolate-warmth, Santa tale, but rather a fast-paced, high-flying adventure with tons of wondrous Christmas magic around every bend.

Art is a boy in Texas, who is known for his adventurous spirit and talent in about everything. He has only one flaw, he likes to fight with his little sister. When the siblings and Art's best friend discover a mysterious box and find that Santa has called them to the North Pole, an action-filled adventure begins.

The tale begins with Art, a true Texas-crime fighting hero already as a boy. The description and illustrations of this tough, slightly arrogant, and very Western kid start the book off with a clash to the winter-world to come. And it grabs kids right away and jerks them to pay attention.

Slow is not a word to be found in these pages. The moment the kids get that box, it leads to a line of adventure which hits with explosion after explosion. There is mystery, thrills, magical wonder, edge-of-the-seat escapes, daring rescues, and, on top of it all, warmth. This is exactly the kind of Christmas story kids who love adventure and aren't ready to dive into snuggly emotions are going to enjoy. It makes a great read-aloud, especially for groups. However, I wouldn't recommend this for younger readers and see it more as a read for kids ages 5 to 7.

The illustrations have a very traditional feel, which wakes a nice sense of an old-fashioned Christmas. There are lovely details, and every scene brings across the emotions and adventure nicely. While lovely, the traditional style holds an interesting clash to the very fast paced and thrill-filled adventure the kids experience. It's a mixture which demands attention and works.

If you're looking for a different type of Christmas tale, which still holds on to a bit of traditional charm while packing in a fast-paced adventure to please action fans, this tale is it. Especially kids ages 5 to 7 are sure to stay attentive as this story is read-aloud to them, and they'll probably hit the playground and join in on similar adventures of their own imaginations.

I received a complimentary copy and found the story so creepily-cute and still warm that I had to leave my honest thoughts.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

2012 February 02

Santa summons a boy to the North Pole in 1908. Art takes his best friend, Spaulding, and reluctantly his younger sister, Esther, with him. Adventure ensues. As Christmas stories go, I quite prefer this to The Polar Express with CD. One, I prefer the art direction of Joyce over Allsburg, two, I like the characters better, and three, I prefer this plot, which I kindly will not spoil. Fans of the Pals in Peril series will recognize Art as another Jasper Dash.

Another thing I really like is the author's picture at the back of each of his books. Joyce renders himself with his wife, and later, his children, in a tiny picture that somehow fits the tone of the book.

***

Ditto to my earlier words. This really is one of my holiday favorites along with A Christmas Carol, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle and Other Christmas Stories, This Year It Will Be Different, and A Wish for Wings That Work: An Opus Christmas Story.

Even after repeated reading, the art is so detailed we notice new aspects. Had I ever spotted the penguins before? And I really love how Esther, ignored for her youth and her sex, really sneaks up on you.

Library copy.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a darling book that puts one sharply in mind of The Polar Express. We’re not dealing with a disbelieving boy but an intrepid explorer, his best pal and beleaguered little sister who set off on an adventure against a despicable queen. The evil isn’t really all that evil; in fact, the dark elves resemble nothing more than grubby-faced children in sack clothes. Santa’s mysterious mission isn’t revealed until the very end of the book but prescient readers can probably guess.

With beautiful softened illustrations featuring apple-cheeked children and fluffy clouds that look soft enough to sleep on, Santa Calls captivates with its ingenuous and straightforward storytelling. I was surprised to find that this book is fairly recent, first published in 1993. In its tender message and old-fashioned illustrations, it seems more in the style of children’s books from the 1920s. Whenever it was penned, it is a Christmas delight and deserves to be a classic alongside How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Visit from St. Nicholas.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art Atchinson Aimesworth is a jack of all trades. He is a creative inventor, brave enough for adventures, and excellent at fighting crime. So, when a mysterious box comes his way, he is determined to go where it leads him--to Santa Claus. One little problem. If Art doesn't take his little sister, Esther, with him, she will tattle and end the quest. Art concedes and soon the siblings are flying to the North Pole. To their surprise, everything isn't as cheery as they hoped and Art must use his wit to save the day.

Joyce's story is somewhat random and wild, but children will certainly love the unpredictability of Art and Esther's adventure. I personally liked the ending, especially the two letters found at the end of the book. The illustrations are detailed and if you look closely, they seem to tell a story of their own.

[Jessica Nieman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santa Calls is about a group of children that receive an invitation from Santa himself to visit him at the North Pole. While the kids are on the trip, they run into a problem where the youngest, Esther, has been kidnapped by the evil elves. I think this book was very interesting. It didn't reveal why these children were selected for this opportunity until the very last page. This added a suspenseful element to the story. I think this book would only be appropriate for older grades, possibly third through fifth grade. The language in the text would be extremely difficult for a young student to understand. This book could be used to introduce the letter writing format and proper letter writing skills. I personally think that this book would be a great read aloud activity during the holiday season.

[Lisa Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art is a very smart boy living in Texas, who has recently become an orphan. He still has his little sister, Esther, but he doesn't treat her very well. One day a mysterious box arrives from Santa, and tells them to build a flying machine to take them to the North Pole. While there, they have all sorts of adventures, including Esther being kidapped by the dark queen. Art rescues her and realizes how much he loves her.

When they return home, they each have gifts from Santa, except Esther who only has two letters. On the last page of the book you see what e letters say - one is from Ester asking Santa to help her brother become her friend, and the second is from Santa happy that their plan worked. Very sweet.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adventure story involving Santa, an intrepid pair of siblings, and a villainous Dark Queen was entertaining, as all William Joyce stories tend to be, but I don't know that I would go so far as to compare it to The Polar Express, as so many other reviewers have. The story is a bit campy and fun, and I would certainly be willing to share it with readers in search of a different sort of Christmas story, but the story rings a little too much of a child's Indiana Jones or, as another reviewer mentioned, a Pals in Peril story involving Santa Claus and the North Pole. I liked it, though The Polar Express holds a place a little closer to my heart.

[Mary Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

1908, Art Atchinson Aimesworth lives with his little sister, Esther and his aunt and uncle. Art isn't very nice to his little sister - he is too busy having adventures and inventing things and eating candy.
One night Santa sends a secret flying machine and Art, his best friend Spaulding and Esther go out on the adventure of thier lives - to the North Pole. They run into evil elves and when the elves kidnap Esther, Art realizes she means more to him than he knew. He sets out to save her! Adventure, mystery, and fun!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book I found in the post holiday sale at one of my favorite book stores in the world, Page One Books in Albuquerque. And I was shopping with two of my favorite people in the world (Paul and Betsy)

This picture book is for all ages, but in particular for those older than the usual picture book audience. In fact I bought it for my 30-something daughter to give to my 30-something son next year at Christmas.

It has a special message about sister/brother relationships.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will now be a holiday staple in our home. I love this story! Art, his sister, and best friend are called on by Santa to help him at the North Pole. Once they arrive, however, the adventure takes an abrupt turn when Esther (little sister) is kidnapped and Art must save her. So begins a tale of siblings becoming friends. Loved it!

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new very favorite holiday book. William Joyce spins a masterful tale of adventure, friendship, bravery and family. My kids adored it and the illustrations are amazing. If you have kids 4-10, they will love it.

[MaryJane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Christmas books. I read it aloud to 3rd and 4th graders today. They gave it a thumbs up, and were pretty engaged in the story.

[Whittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet country twist for a Christmas book. A creative adventure for a sister and brother with a heart warming tug at the end of the book.

[Masher26 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, with great art, and a cute story with a lot of Christmas imagination (like if Polar Express had a cousin from Texas, lol)! Definitely worth adding to your line up of annual Christmas reads to your children!

[Steven Minniear · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Holiday books. We read it to the kids many times over the years. It’s clever and slightly subversive.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable book about a little girl who writes to Santa, asking him to make her brother be her friend. He sends them a gift for them to come to the North Pole to see him and they go on an adventure where she's kidnapped by the evil queen. Her brother insists he save her and because of that, they grew closer than they ever had before.

[Mario Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book had no literature, the animation within this book was excellent and eye-appealing. I really liked how the forest and the animals that roamed in it where colored black (due to the setting taking place only at night), yet the outlines of the animals and the features of the forest were outlined in white, which allowed for clear identification of what was what. I previously had never read a book that had used this idea of having the entire setting throughout the book take place in the dark, and I was impressed to see that it was done well in this book. The boy in this story finds a flashlight and explores the forest with it, yet never finds another human, rather only finds animals. I assumed that the plot of the story was that creepy things in the night are only creepy because they are found in the dark, but when light is introduced into a given situation, then those same creepy things don't appear as creepy as they once appeared to be. I would recommend this book to Elementary school-aged children, in hopes that students also catch the lesson at the end of the book.
I really liked trying to figure out the moral of the story a head of time, as I read about how Elmer kept playing pranks on the rest of his friends. The ending really surprised me and made me laugh. If this book was good enough to make me laugh, then I would definitely use it in my future classrooms with my young students as well. The bright colors were eye-catching, and its use of illustrations that covered the gutter of the book made its illustrations easy and clear to see. I also enjoyed the non-traditional format of text placement that it had, as some of its text blended in with the illustrations themselves, and made the reader's eyes have to scan and find the text from within the illustrations, rather than being in one predictable and same spot as previous pages were. I would recommend this book to teachers and Elementary school-aged children.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is essentially a Christmas story that emphasizes the importance of family. The main characters are all children. They are joined by Ali Aku (captain of the Santarian Guard), Santa and Mrs. Claus, the Dark Elves an their evil Queen. The children go on a wild adventure and in the end one of them learns a valuable lesson and another gets exactly what she wants for Christmas, and it isn't at all what most children ask for! (sorry no spoilers in this review). The illustrations in this book are half the reason for reading it. They are detailed and simple all at the same time. Vibrant use of color with lots of juxtaposition of light and dark. This is a holiday adventure. This book could be used to teach the importance of family. It also shows the true independent nature and spirit of children. This book would have to be taught with a couple of caveats, I'm not sure that calling one of the children an "Comanche brave" is culturally appropriate or acceptable in this day and age, and there would have to be some teaching/pre-teaching around the use of this phrase in the story. This book could easily be taught with 3rd through 12th grade, I believe 12th graders could go into deep discussions on the use of light and dark in this book, as well as the use of adventure to bind characters together.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I always enjoy about William Joyce's books is the creativity that shines through, especially in the illustrations. Here is a Santa story, similar in tone to the beloved The Polar Express, and yet the North Pole is quite different in Joyce's imagination, and the reasons for Art's trip, while similar to the boy in The Polar Express, is also quite different in that it's about someone else's wish and not his own. But Art, his friend Spauling, and his sister Esther are too busy fighting off the dark elves and their evil Queen too think about it more than occasionally. And as Santa tells Art when he does ask about Santa's invitation, "some mysteries are best left unsolved." Thankfully though, the reader is not left in the dark as two important letters are included at the end. A fun book for those who want something a little different in their Christmas stories.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a really weird book.
First, the big con is there are a couple of characters here that lean close to not great stereotypes, including the American Indian best friend, although I will say his character ended up being less of a trope than I at first feared.
The story is pretty weird and I personally don't care for the illustration style but the overall message is not bad and I very much appreciate that the letters of the end are attached to the book and not in envelopes...especially with holiday books that are designed to be reread year after year it's nice to not have those get separated from the book and go missing.
There's a lot of really clunky language in this book...most of the people don't talk like people. Yes, they are supposed to be part of a Wild West show or whatever but by the stars of Neptune it just kind of got in the way.

[James McIntosh Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun little book that to me had a flavor of "The Adventures of Tin Tin" by Hergé meets Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien, but not exclusively so. If you are looking for something different and interesting to read with your family, you might want to check this book out.

For the record, I happen to actually really like licorice. I guess the makes me a villain.