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Santa's Last Present
Julian's parents talk about Santa all the time but Julian thinks he's getting too old to believe in him. Even so, to keep his parents happy, he writes Santa a letter asking for a video game system, just like the one his cousin Patrick has. His parents think it might be a bit expensive, but Julian is confident Santa can afford it. Sure enough, on Christmas morning there it is the exact video game system he asked for. But, after all the gifts are opened, Julian's mother spots something else under the tree, a small package wrapped in dull brown paper. No one seems to know where it has come from. Then Julian tears off the paper...and discovers that just maybe he's not too old to believe in Santa after all. Children and adults alike will enjoy this surprising and deceptively simple story of how a young boy is transformed by a seemingly ordinary gift. Drawings by master illustrator Quentin Blake perfectly capture the magical spirit of the story.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2000
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 24, 2019
For a few years there, Christmas afternoons were spent with me hunched over the dining room table for four hours or more, building the LEGO forts, pirate ships and star destroyers that my boys were old enough to play with, but not quite patient enough to assemble. My back would be aching, my head would be throbbing, and my eyes would be completely squergully - a word my oldest made up, but I'm sure you know the feeling.
I never thought I would miss this, but now that they're old enough to build their own versions of Helm's Deep and The Chum Bucket . . . I do.
And in a few more years, there won't be ANY LEGO sets under the tree.
In this book, Julian pretends to believe in Santa for one more year - to keep his parents happy, of course. He writes a letter asking for an expensive video game system, and there it is, waiting under the tree on Christmas morning. He also finds a little painted wooden steam train engine.
"It has eyes!" cried Julian.
His father hypothesizes that it was probably meant for another, younger child, and "must have fallen out of Santa's sack." Dad goes on to explain "the rule" - "If you find something, and nobody claims it, at the end of a year and a day, it's yours."
As the days go by, Julian finds himself playing with his little train more than the fancy game system, and as the year speeds past, he worries that maybe during this season's visit, Santa will take the little engine away.
His worries prove groundless, as it seems Santa has one more "last present" in his bag for Julian.
This is a really sweet little book for kids and the parents who worry their tykes are growing up too quickly. It would be perfect to read aloud to children who are too old to believe, though when I try this, I tend to find myself too choked up to make it completely through the last page.
The kids seem to understand. And they still continue to ask "Santa" for more LEGO.
I never thought I would miss this, but now that they're old enough to build their own versions of Helm's Deep and The Chum Bucket . . . I do.
And in a few more years, there won't be ANY LEGO sets under the tree.
In this book, Julian pretends to believe in Santa for one more year - to keep his parents happy, of course. He writes a letter asking for an expensive video game system, and there it is, waiting under the tree on Christmas morning. He also finds a little painted wooden steam train engine.
"It has eyes!" cried Julian.
His father hypothesizes that it was probably meant for another, younger child, and "must have fallen out of Santa's sack." Dad goes on to explain "the rule" - "If you find something, and nobody claims it, at the end of a year and a day, it's yours."
As the days go by, Julian finds himself playing with his little train more than the fancy game system, and as the year speeds past, he worries that maybe during this season's visit, Santa will take the little engine away.
His worries prove groundless, as it seems Santa has one more "last present" in his bag for Julian.
This is a really sweet little book for kids and the parents who worry their tykes are growing up too quickly. It would be perfect to read aloud to children who are too old to believe, though when I try this, I tend to find myself too choked up to make it completely through the last page.
The kids seem to understand. And they still continue to ask "Santa" for more LEGO.
December 31, 2019
Le sorelle Marie-Aude e Elvire Murail hanno scritto a quattro mani un tenero racconto incentrato sul potere che ha il Natale di farci tornare un po' tutti bambini.
La vicenda ha per protagonista Julien, un ragazzino che ha smesso di credere a Babbo Natale. Sarà un dono inaspettato, finito chissà come sotto il suo albero, a cambiare il suo modo di vedere le cose: una comune locomotiva di legno, che, da quel giorno in poi, diventerà la fedele compagna di giochi di Julien. ⠀
Ma Babbo Natale ha davvero dimenticato lì il regalo riservato a qualcun altro? E soprattutto tornerà a riprenderselo l'anno successivo?
Da queste premesse, prende avvio una storia che, in poche pagine e con estrema semplicità, ci fa capire come basti così poco per essere felici. Una buona dose di fantasia ed immaginazione ci può portare in mondi sconfinati, se si conserva la capacità di stupirsi delle piccole sorprese che la vita sa riservare. ⠀
Un libro piccolo ma dal forte valore simbolico, che per di più può vantare la collaborazione dell'acclamato artista britannico #QuentinBlake.
Un connubio di immagini e parole che ci invita a conservare l'ingenuità dei più piccoli e ad accogliere con gioia il potere balsamico delle feste.
La vicenda ha per protagonista Julien, un ragazzino che ha smesso di credere a Babbo Natale. Sarà un dono inaspettato, finito chissà come sotto il suo albero, a cambiare il suo modo di vedere le cose: una comune locomotiva di legno, che, da quel giorno in poi, diventerà la fedele compagna di giochi di Julien. ⠀
Ma Babbo Natale ha davvero dimenticato lì il regalo riservato a qualcun altro? E soprattutto tornerà a riprenderselo l'anno successivo?
Da queste premesse, prende avvio una storia che, in poche pagine e con estrema semplicità, ci fa capire come basti così poco per essere felici. Una buona dose di fantasia ed immaginazione ci può portare in mondi sconfinati, se si conserva la capacità di stupirsi delle piccole sorprese che la vita sa riservare. ⠀
Un libro piccolo ma dal forte valore simbolico, che per di più può vantare la collaborazione dell'acclamato artista britannico #QuentinBlake.
Un connubio di immagini e parole che ci invita a conservare l'ingenuità dei più piccoli e ad accogliere con gioia il potere balsamico delle feste.
December 3, 2021
A Natale mi sentivo diversa da tutti gli altri bambini, perché io e mio fratello non trovavamo mai un regalo sotto l'albero. Alle letterine e a Babbo Natale noi non pensavamo mai. Noi attendevamo la Befana. Per anni e anni abbiamo scritto lettere che inserivamo con cura nelle calze. Le calze stesse venivano appese con tutta la cura possibile. Controllavamo che la cappa prima - e il camino poi, fossero aperti e ben accessibi per il suo arrivo. Abbiamo trascorso più di qualche notte insonne, nascosti dietro il divano, con la speranza di sentirla arrivare. Una notte ci raggiunse anche in un'altra città e in un'altra casa (trovammo i regali nella doccia, perché avevamo lasciato la finestrella del bagno aperta). La nostra befana ci sorprendeva sempre. Sapeva sempre darci la cosa più attesa e al contempo inaspettata.
Non ricordo quando smisi di credere alla Befana, è come se avessi cancellato quel momento dalla mia mente. Però più ci penso, e più mi rendo conto che mi manca. Non capisco neanche perché ho smesso di scrivere quella lettera, dovrei farlo anche quest'anno, e sperare ardentemente che la vecchina scenda, e mi renda felice con carbone e cioccolata ancora una volta.
(Questa non è una recensione, è un ricordo, ma è comunque tutta colpa della coppia Murail-Blake)
Non ricordo quando smisi di credere alla Befana, è come se avessi cancellato quel momento dalla mia mente. Però più ci penso, e più mi rendo conto che mi manca. Non capisco neanche perché ho smesso di scrivere quella lettera, dovrei farlo anche quest'anno, e sperare ardentemente che la vecchina scenda, e mi renda felice con carbone e cioccolata ancora una volta.
(Questa non è una recensione, è un ricordo, ma è comunque tutta colpa della coppia Murail-Blake)
November 18, 2019
This was a lovely, funny Christmas story that shows children that they’re never too old for the magic of Father Christmas and toys! Julien is lucky enough to receive both the expensive games console he asked for and a strange train called Juliette who comes to life. Julien plays with her every day, despite his parents telling him he’s too old for trains. By the end, he thinks they’ll be parted but instead Father Christmas leaves one more very special gift!
It links to PSHE and the value of being grateful and thankful for what you have, particularly in the technology-orientated world that we live in. I love Quentin Blake’s beautiful illustrations that go alongside the stocking-sized book.
It links to PSHE and the value of being grateful and thankful for what you have, particularly in the technology-orientated world that we live in. I love Quentin Blake’s beautiful illustrations that go alongside the stocking-sized book.
January 2, 2021
This is one of my favorite Christmas stories — I get teary-eyed every time I read it. I often think of that “last gift” of magic. Of course, we usually don’t know when it occurred... that last moment of sweetness that is experienced then left behind because we grow “old”. This book lets you relive “it” in the simplest terms.
December 10, 2017
Very enjoyable! Such a delightful story in our tech-driven world.
December 10, 2019
Too old for G in 2019 but such a wonderful story.
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December 20, 2020Very sweet.
January 1, 2021
La Murail non delude mai
January 14, 2021
A nice tale about Christmas and a treasured gift
October 22, 2022
Warning: this book is very direct about Santa.
December 27, 2023
Un’autrice che è una garanzia. La magia del Natale per sempre
December 30, 2023
Un libro molto carino adatto per i bambini di 8-9 anni che parla della fine della magia del Batale una volta che si raggiunge una certa età.
December 29, 2025
This is a sweet little Christmas tale that would be perfect for sharing with a child who is just on the cusp of not believing in Father Christmas anymore.
May 13, 2010
Nice, gentle story. Julian is only pretending to believe in Father Christmas for one more year to please his parents, until he discovers a very special present under the Christmas tree. Early chapter book--1st or 2nd grade.
December 21, 2011
Short and sweet. Cute book about being "too old" for Santa Claus
November 3, 2013
A sweet short chapter book about the love of Christmas. It would be perfect for a child who is starting to think that they may be too old to believe, this book were surly change their mind!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews