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Elf Elementary
Bold, colorful illustrations and a sleighful of festive Christmas facts give children everything they need to know about the most popular holiday in the world. Join Franklin and his classmates at Elf Elementary, where the required courses include Tree Trimming, Cookie Decorating, and the hardest and most important class of all - Geography.
As Ms. Tinsel says, "You'll need to know your way around the world if you want to travel with Santa Claus on Christmas Eve." And that, as for many kids, would be Franklin's Christmas dream come true. This is a book to delight and inform, and guaranteed to put even the biggest Scrooge in a Christmassy mood.
As Ms. Tinsel says, "You'll need to know your way around the world if you want to travel with Santa Claus on Christmas Eve." And that, as for many kids, would be Franklin's Christmas dream come true. This is a book to delight and inform, and guaranteed to put even the biggest Scrooge in a Christmassy mood.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Edward Miller
442 books5 followersEdward Miller is the author of many nonfiction children's titles. A prolific graphic designer and longtime art director in children's publishing, Miller lives in New York City.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
See this thread for more information.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 20, 2017
A cute Christmas book. The story is ok, my favorite part is the little facts about Christmas traditions throughout the book.
December 11, 2023
This was a fun read with lots of facts about Christmas over the years.
January 18, 2013
Mommy's review from 12/10 -
Elf Elementary has more information than a little bit. We've read the story twice so far and still haven't made a dent in the little facts strewn all through the book. I'm going to offer a guess that a few of them won't interest a young kid but the ones we've read so far have not only been interesting to my 6 year old daughter but myself as well.
I found this at my local supermarket for $3.33 and I have to say, it was a hell of a deal. The front cover and spine are unique in that all of the red on both are in felt and that, put with what's inside, make this an awesome present. That thought ran through my mind but after glancing inside on the way out of the store I knew I'd have to give it to my daughter when I got home. I couldn't wait until Christmas morning.
Even the story incorporates details about Christmas. Ms. Tinsel, the elf teacher, tells the class during Tree Trimming, how that custom began in Germany 400 years ago. (Being German I'm ashamed to say I had no idea.)
I had no idea that Nabisco's Animal Crackers were debuted in 1902 with the idea of hanging the boxes on Christmas trees! Everything from the first President to have a tree in the White House to author and stories relating to Christmas to the different customs of different countries the world over are in here.
Jingle Bells was written in 1850 by a James S. Pierpont. During the Civil War Pierpont was a Confederate who wrote rallying songs. Who knew?
You have details about how many Christmas cards are sent each year in the U.S. to when the first Christmas stamp was issued, how much it was worth and what was on it.
How candy canes were allegedly invented is particularly interesting IMO. I could go on and on and on and on. This will have to be read a good number of times to get through all of the facts and because it's Christmas, I highly doubt many, if any, of the facts will be boring. I'm so happy I bought this and that we own it and can bring it out in the future.
I'd give this as a present in a second. This is one of the few books that no kid could be disappointed in getting. Maybe when they open it, but not once they get a look at the inside. It's that cool.
And the story about the elf in elf school is just as good as all of the detail. This is really done very, very well.
Elf Elementary has more information than a little bit. We've read the story twice so far and still haven't made a dent in the little facts strewn all through the book. I'm going to offer a guess that a few of them won't interest a young kid but the ones we've read so far have not only been interesting to my 6 year old daughter but myself as well.
I found this at my local supermarket for $3.33 and I have to say, it was a hell of a deal. The front cover and spine are unique in that all of the red on both are in felt and that, put with what's inside, make this an awesome present. That thought ran through my mind but after glancing inside on the way out of the store I knew I'd have to give it to my daughter when I got home. I couldn't wait until Christmas morning.
Even the story incorporates details about Christmas. Ms. Tinsel, the elf teacher, tells the class during Tree Trimming, how that custom began in Germany 400 years ago. (Being German I'm ashamed to say I had no idea.)
I had no idea that Nabisco's Animal Crackers were debuted in 1902 with the idea of hanging the boxes on Christmas trees! Everything from the first President to have a tree in the White House to author and stories relating to Christmas to the different customs of different countries the world over are in here.
Jingle Bells was written in 1850 by a James S. Pierpont. During the Civil War Pierpont was a Confederate who wrote rallying songs. Who knew?
You have details about how many Christmas cards are sent each year in the U.S. to when the first Christmas stamp was issued, how much it was worth and what was on it.
How candy canes were allegedly invented is particularly interesting IMO. I could go on and on and on and on. This will have to be read a good number of times to get through all of the facts and because it's Christmas, I highly doubt many, if any, of the facts will be boring. I'm so happy I bought this and that we own it and can bring it out in the future.
I'd give this as a present in a second. This is one of the few books that no kid could be disappointed in getting. Maybe when they open it, but not once they get a look at the inside. It's that cool.
And the story about the elf in elf school is just as good as all of the detail. This is really done very, very well.
August 9, 2016
How do Santa's elves learn what they need to know in order to be Santa's elves? Elf Elementary attempts to answer this question. The reader follows Franklin, who is dumb but lovable and comedically gets his every task wrong, as he learns how to trim trees, read Christmas stories, decorate Christmas cookies, sing Christmas carols, and wrap Christmas presents, studies geography, and practices climbing down chimneys -- in short, everything necessary to celebrate a completely secular Christmas. It is a fun idea better executed in Santa Claus and His Elves by Mauri Kunnas who uses a less commercial tone.
The neatest part of this book are the sidebars containing facts about each elf subject. Unfortunately, the editor was asleep at the wheel, and at least two of these fact boxes contain incorrect information: Hans Christian Andersen is Danish and not Dutch, and the Cologne Cathedral is in Germany and not France.
The neatest part of this book are the sidebars containing facts about each elf subject. Unfortunately, the editor was asleep at the wheel, and at least two of these fact boxes contain incorrect information: Hans Christian Andersen is Danish and not Dutch, and the Cologne Cathedral is in Germany and not France.
January 1, 2014
Did you know that Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first American president to send out official presidential Christmas cards? Or that the poinsettia plant was brought to America from Mexico by American ambassador Joel R. Poinsett? Or that King Louis IX gave King Henry III an elephant for Christmas? This book was jam-packed full of Christmas trivia! There’s a plotline, too (so if your three-year-old wants you to read it to her, you can skip the facts printed in the smaller print and just read that part). The pictures are stylized and fun. For some reason, I can only find this book for $400+ online (only $100 used!), so hopefully you can get it from the library like we did.
November 11, 2007
An elf goes to school to learn how to be a Christmas Elf. posters and other decorations relay interesting TRUE facts about Christmas traditions around the world. Cool.
July 20, 2008
Cute story about an elf in school hoping to pass. Throughout the book interesting facts about Christmas around the world.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews