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Top Elf
The elves can't be kept on shelves in this hilarious middle-grade debut about what happens when Santa opens a contest to find his successor.
Ollie is a very happy elf -- happy to work in Santa's workshop, happy to invent new games with his best friend Celia, happy to be a part of Christmas. Never in a million years would it have occurred to him that he'd have a chance to be the next Santa.
Yes, the competition is on -- and Ollie is far from the only person vying for the Big Red Suit. There are the Claus children (including the unfortunately named oldest, Klaus Claus). There is Buzz, an elf who loves to taunt Ollie. There's Ramp, who insists he's a kid . . . but looks and smells like an adult. Even Celia has thrown her hat into the race.
Where can a few extra reindeer be found? Who will sweep the chimney-climbing event? Whose ride will sleigh the competition? All these questions (and more) are answered in this hysterically funny, deeply adventurous tale of elves and Clauses vying for Pole position.
Ollie is a very happy elf -- happy to work in Santa's workshop, happy to invent new games with his best friend Celia, happy to be a part of Christmas. Never in a million years would it have occurred to him that he'd have a chance to be the next Santa.
Yes, the competition is on -- and Ollie is far from the only person vying for the Big Red Suit. There are the Claus children (including the unfortunately named oldest, Klaus Claus). There is Buzz, an elf who loves to taunt Ollie. There's Ramp, who insists he's a kid . . . but looks and smells like an adult. Even Celia has thrown her hat into the race.
Where can a few extra reindeer be found? Who will sweep the chimney-climbing event? Whose ride will sleigh the competition? All these questions (and more) are answered in this hysterically funny, deeply adventurous tale of elves and Clauses vying for Pole position.
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2017
68 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Caleb Zane Huett
22 books38 followersCaleb Zane Huett is a playwright, undercover reindeer, and independent bookseller at Avid Bookshop. He's a graduate of the University of Georgia and currently lives in Athens, Georgia where he plays a lot of video games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
May 25, 2017
TOP ELF is a zany, heart-warming, adventurous Christmas extravaganza. Huett's imagination for Christmas-y in-jokes is endless, and his ability to create sincere, dynamic characters knows no bounds. So, don your Santa hats, and get ready for: a terrifying Frosty the Snowman, reindeer nuggets ("chicken nuggets shaped like reindeer, not made of reindeer, obviously"), science!, The Gingerbread Woman ("She was known throughout the North Pole for being exactly who you call when your gingerbread house is a fixer-upper"), true friendship, and lots of crying. It's the North Pole like you've never seen it before. Get HORSE . . . get set . . . HORSE!
March 30, 2017
Emerging author, Caleb Zane Huett, is an absolute joy. I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh and smile as much as Top Elf did. Packed full with lessons on team work, friendship, and self-love (and so so much more), this book warmed my heart and soul. It is such a pleasant divergence from the typical cookie-cutter Christmas story, while still maintaining a high level of Christmas cheer. I can't wait to read this story to my kids during the holidays (and I don't even have kids yet).
TIP: For maximum enjoyment, try reading Top Elf out loud. I promise you won't regret it.
TIP: For maximum enjoyment, try reading Top Elf out loud. I promise you won't regret it.
December 13, 2019
What a fun, Christmassy romp!
July 11, 2017
Move over Elf-on-the-Shelf, a more modern Christmas star is born!
Top Elf is a magical new work of “list-erature” for middle grades from a clever and dynamic young author. Caleb Zane Huett has created a kind spirited and pun-loving hero in protagonist Ollie Gnome.
Twelve year old Ollie finds himself among a diverse crew of contestants in a sometimes dangerous competition to become the next Santa. Rollicking adventure ensues. You will find yourself reading on the edge of your seat to see what comes next. Along the way, some hard lessons are learned and lasting friendships are forged.
Sprinkled with fairy dust, goodness, and powdered sugar, the humor in Top Elf is infectious. You will be smitten with Huett’s gift for word play.
And in spite of Ollie’s advice, I really do wish I could try his dad’s flavored ice cream “Pining for a Lost Love. It tastes like chocolate, but also tissues.”
Read Top Elf before it hits the big screen. This book has family blockbuster written all over it.
Top Elf is a magical new work of “list-erature” for middle grades from a clever and dynamic young author. Caleb Zane Huett has created a kind spirited and pun-loving hero in protagonist Ollie Gnome.
Twelve year old Ollie finds himself among a diverse crew of contestants in a sometimes dangerous competition to become the next Santa. Rollicking adventure ensues. You will find yourself reading on the edge of your seat to see what comes next. Along the way, some hard lessons are learned and lasting friendships are forged.
Sprinkled with fairy dust, goodness, and powdered sugar, the humor in Top Elf is infectious. You will be smitten with Huett’s gift for word play.
And in spite of Ollie’s advice, I really do wish I could try his dad’s flavored ice cream “Pining for a Lost Love. It tastes like chocolate, but also tissues.”
Read Top Elf before it hits the big screen. This book has family blockbuster written all over it.
July 14, 2017
It’s the Triwizard Tournament meets Christmas with fewer casualties, and the winner is crowned Santa. It has jokes in spades to keep you in stitches, with enough heart to warm the North Pole. Ollie and Celia are my favorite friend duo since Obama and Biden, and their quest to fill in Santa’s shoes (suit?) only gets more entertaining with each page turned. Caleb Zane Huett’s debut novel is a Christmas miracle--his humor and penchant for storytelling have made Top Elf an instant classic. This book is all you need for Christmas, so buy a copy for each and every little elf in your life.
June 17, 2017
TOP ELF is pure magic. It will have you doubled over in laughter as it thaws even the most cold and Grinch-y of hearts. Huett's witty, genuine voice shines through, and his true-blue characters will remain with you long after you finish the book. This is one to keep on hand to brighten dreary days, to bring a little holiday spirit alive at any time of year. Love, love, HORSE (ahem, LOVE).
January 16, 2023
The kids weren't excited about this book originally but loved it by the end
December 16, 2023
my students loved it and that’s all that matters to me 🫶
November 20, 2020
I was ready to be charmed with a fun Christmas themed story, but this one simply did not work for me. Santa, who apparently hates his job, has all his kids and any interested elf compete Hunger Games style for the role of next Santa. The main character and his best friend are both pretty adorable, and I loved all the Christmassy jokes, but somehow the whole story was just not very engaging. I've read and enjoyed middle grade fiction before, but probably I'm just the wrong audience for this.
Audiobook, borrowed from my public library. DNF at 51%
Audiobook, borrowed from my public library. DNF at 51%
December 1, 2017
This book is so much fun! I had such a great time with it.
In TOP ELF, we follow an elf named Ollie. Santa has announced to the residents and workers of the North Pole that this year will be his last in the famous red suit. Instead of him handing the reins over to his oldest son (named Klaus Claus), he's decided to do something a little different. Ollie, his fellow elves and the Claus children are offered the opportunity to compete to become the next Santa.
Welcome to the Santa Trials, a series of competitions that will test each competitor to see who is worthy of handling this centuries-old title. But will the competitions be more than any of them signed up for?
This book is a fun middle-grade story packed with action, humor and heart. I really enjoyed reading about Ollie and Co. The comps reminded me a lot of both the Hunger Games and the Triwizard Tournament minus the casualties. Seriously, some of these comps were scary. Scary awesome! ("Santa is that you?") I had a lot of laugh-out-loud moments and found myself often cheering for Ollie and Celia as the book went along. And how about those revelations at the end?! Talk about a treason for the season. ;)
I repeat: I really enjoyed this book. A lot! Huett has a spot-on skill in storytelling. I enjoyed his humor and creativity. The pacing is great, and the plot is highly entertaining (made even more so with the audiobook which I definitely recommend). TOP ELF is the perfect Christmas read. (I'd honestly read it anytime during the year though.) I'd love to have more stories about Ollie and Co. but I'll be happy with anything Huett throws our way next.
TOP ELF is an automatic fave for me. I loved it, and I encourage anyone and everyone who comes by this review to pick it up this Christmas season.
In TOP ELF, we follow an elf named Ollie. Santa has announced to the residents and workers of the North Pole that this year will be his last in the famous red suit. Instead of him handing the reins over to his oldest son (named Klaus Claus), he's decided to do something a little different. Ollie, his fellow elves and the Claus children are offered the opportunity to compete to become the next Santa.
Welcome to the Santa Trials, a series of competitions that will test each competitor to see who is worthy of handling this centuries-old title. But will the competitions be more than any of them signed up for?
This book is a fun middle-grade story packed with action, humor and heart. I really enjoyed reading about Ollie and Co. The comps reminded me a lot of both the Hunger Games and the Triwizard Tournament minus the casualties. Seriously, some of these comps were scary. Scary awesome! ("Santa is that you?") I had a lot of laugh-out-loud moments and found myself often cheering for Ollie and Celia as the book went along. And how about those revelations at the end?! Talk about a treason for the season. ;)
I repeat: I really enjoyed this book. A lot! Huett has a spot-on skill in storytelling. I enjoyed his humor and creativity. The pacing is great, and the plot is highly entertaining (made even more so with the audiobook which I definitely recommend). TOP ELF is the perfect Christmas read. (I'd honestly read it anytime during the year though.) I'd love to have more stories about Ollie and Co. but I'll be happy with anything Huett throws our way next.
TOP ELF is an automatic fave for me. I loved it, and I encourage anyone and everyone who comes by this review to pick it up this Christmas season.
Read
December 14, 2021Cute book for kids of all ages. Starts off with Santa retiring and holding a competition for elves and his children to become the next Santa. Told from the point of view of Elves as they compete using Christmas magic to compete in trials of sleigh making, Santa suit design, holiday cookie eating and more. This is a nice middle grade for 10-12 year olds.
January 28, 2022
This is an easy fun read for me that has became a tradition for me. Each year during the holiday season I read this book. Each time I discover something new and I love to read with my siblings.
This book is about two elves who are living in the North Pole. This year however it is not a normal Christmas. This year, Santa is stepping down and holding a contest to find the next Santa. Celia and Ollie enter the contest for fun but are not in store for what is ahead of them. They have no clue have far they will go, the people they with meet and the adventures that are in front of them.
This book is about two elves who are living in the North Pole. This year however it is not a normal Christmas. This year, Santa is stepping down and holding a contest to find the next Santa. Celia and Ollie enter the contest for fun but are not in store for what is ahead of them. They have no clue have far they will go, the people they with meet and the adventures that are in front of them.
December 6, 2022
Oh my goodness! This is such a cute story! It’s about a Christmas and friendship and honesty and teamwork. The humor is great for all ages and made me laugh out loud a few times! If you’re looking for a fun holiday read, this is it!
December 16, 2017
Such a fun book for upper elementary and middle school, but with enough geeky references to make this adult clap her hands with joy and delight. And Ollie and I share the same birthday so I think this book is just about perfect! The audiobook is great too!
December 18, 2017
Aah this was a perfect christmassy read! Fun, flimsy, corny and cute!
Read
January 17, 2022We snagged the audiobook for our road trip and my kiddo loved it. It took us a little longer than I expected for us to finish it, but once the games began, we almost listened without stopping!
January 1, 2023
It was fine, but I didn't love it (it was definitely better as an audiobook).
December 9, 2024
A cute adventure story about a bunch of North Polers competing to become the next Santa. It would be a great read alouds for my fourth graders. Maybe next year…
Read
December 30, 2025Such a cute middle grade Christmas themed book.
March 24, 2017
This book is the literal definition of heart-warming, and is the first middle grade book I've read (since I was in middle school myself) that's made me laugh out loud. Huett weaves together old legends, engaging quips, and refreshing lessons in an all together fascinating Christmas tapestry. He world-builds like he's been doing it for centuries, and won't ever leave you behind floundering in the details. This is a book I want to recommend to all my twenty-something year old friends (and not just to be ironic), because it gave me all the plot satisfaction found in a book for older readers, while letting me enjoy the hilarity and adorableness of a typical middle-grade novel. I read this book in March and let me tell you -- I've never felt more Christmas-y in my life.
December 4, 2022
Fun Christmas story for kids and adults! Legend, science and technology, a lot of puns, and great natration make for an entertaining read or listen. We would love to see this made into a movie.
.
.
March 2, 2024
I read this out loud to my class and we enjoyed it. It took us awhile to finish but that was my fault not the book’s.
December 21, 2017
I loved the story line to this book.
January 5, 2025
We picked this book up at the book fair and I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was actually really funny, sweet, and overall delightful. Instead of handing down the title of Santa Clause to his eldest, the current Santa decides to hold a competition to name his replacement. Anyone can join including our protagonist - a big hearted elf named Ollie - along with his best friend Celia who both work in toy and game development.
The book does a fantastic job of pulling in tons of Christmas lore, puns on Christmas carols, troupes from Christmas movies, as well as every kind of pop culture game show you can imagine - and thanks to Huett's charming writing style he makes it work! The North Pole he imagines Ollie and Celia working in is a delightful, vibrant, magical place (with dentists) and a lot of hilarious characters. I loved the reindeer, the other elves, Ollie's family, the Clause children, and all the other characters that showed up in this book. Ollie's heart is huge and he's a great character, but so are all of the rest of the supporting cast. The book is really funny, but also has a ton of heartwarming scenes and deals with the sadder and heavier themes that surround Christmas.
My kids really enjoyed it as well - even if we didn't get through it as fast as I would have liked. Thankfully there are 12 days of Christmas (and unlike whatever instagram tells you they start ON Christmas Day and go until Epiphany) so we continued to enjoy reading this one throughout the Christmas season.
A really fun book that I would absolutely recommend.
The book does a fantastic job of pulling in tons of Christmas lore, puns on Christmas carols, troupes from Christmas movies, as well as every kind of pop culture game show you can imagine - and thanks to Huett's charming writing style he makes it work! The North Pole he imagines Ollie and Celia working in is a delightful, vibrant, magical place (with dentists) and a lot of hilarious characters. I loved the reindeer, the other elves, Ollie's family, the Clause children, and all the other characters that showed up in this book. Ollie's heart is huge and he's a great character, but so are all of the rest of the supporting cast. The book is really funny, but also has a ton of heartwarming scenes and deals with the sadder and heavier themes that surround Christmas.
My kids really enjoyed it as well - even if we didn't get through it as fast as I would have liked. Thankfully there are 12 days of Christmas (and unlike whatever instagram tells you they start ON Christmas Day and go until Epiphany) so we continued to enjoy reading this one throughout the Christmas season.
A really fun book that I would absolutely recommend.
February 15, 2018
Amazing how everyone can come together in the spirit of Christmas.(Almost everyone!)
January 5, 2021
it was fun to raed good for cristmas
June 30, 2017
This wonderful read truly brought my inner child (or rather, elf) out. With all of the unique words and inventive phrases, I found myself reading aloud without the realization that I was doing so. Huett's premiere work was intelligent, captivating, and magical. Get reading!
December 26, 2017
I did it, I finally finished this book. I found this one really difficult to get into...kind of thought of it as Hunger Games for Elves. I'm glad I finished but it isn't going to be an annual tradition to read it.
October 29, 2017
I purchase a Christmas book almost every year and this is my 2017 choice, and well worth it. Lots of fun and would be a great family read.
December 17, 2017
My goodness this was one of the most adorable books I've ever read!!!! Real review to Come!
*Edit 12/17/17 -You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away... **
I added this book because I went to an event called Tweens Read and while there, I noticed that ALL the kids there were reading it in some way. They had either picked it as a prize or purchased it. And of course, working at a library, I decided I needed to check it out too. And cliché as it sounds, I’m so glad I did!
Christmas is coming as usual, but a couple days before Santa says he has an announcement. His announcement is: Santa is no longer going to be run by the Klaus family, instead there will be a competition to find the next Santa. To some, this is a great opportunity. To others, not so much. Ollie finds the competition interesting and enters it with a host of others. Can he really win and become the next Santa?
I’ve had this on my shelf for a couple months now, but I wanted to wait until I was more in the Christmas spirt before I read it. And that was the right call. This book is extremely cute and features elves, Santa, Snowmen, Gingerbread Women, and so much more. It was one big Christmas adventure full of Christmas action.
However, the best part of this book was the writing style and the humor. I don’t remember going more than 5 pages without laughing. Normally with MG books I find the humor to be not really funny, and it was nice to finally read something that actually made me laugh. (But nothing got me like LDB and “Come through they told me!” I haven’t laughed that hard in ages!) I also loved that Huett’s writing style showed his true love of Christmas. I had the chance to listen to him speak at Tweens Read and his love for Christmas was obvious from even a young age. I’m glad his love for Christmas turned into this book.
After reading this I was so into the holiday spirit that I binge watched Christmas movies on Netflix. This book will most definitely put you in the mood to surround yourself with more Christmas things. It was absolutely adorable, and I will definitely send this to my little sister to read!
*Edit 12/17/17 -You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away... **
I added this book because I went to an event called Tweens Read and while there, I noticed that ALL the kids there were reading it in some way. They had either picked it as a prize or purchased it. And of course, working at a library, I decided I needed to check it out too. And cliché as it sounds, I’m so glad I did!
Christmas is coming as usual, but a couple days before Santa says he has an announcement. His announcement is: Santa is no longer going to be run by the Klaus family, instead there will be a competition to find the next Santa. To some, this is a great opportunity. To others, not so much. Ollie finds the competition interesting and enters it with a host of others. Can he really win and become the next Santa?
I’ve had this on my shelf for a couple months now, but I wanted to wait until I was more in the Christmas spirt before I read it. And that was the right call. This book is extremely cute and features elves, Santa, Snowmen, Gingerbread Women, and so much more. It was one big Christmas adventure full of Christmas action.
However, the best part of this book was the writing style and the humor. I don’t remember going more than 5 pages without laughing. Normally with MG books I find the humor to be not really funny, and it was nice to finally read something that actually made me laugh. (But nothing got me like LDB and “Come through they told me!” I haven’t laughed that hard in ages!) I also loved that Huett’s writing style showed his true love of Christmas. I had the chance to listen to him speak at Tweens Read and his love for Christmas was obvious from even a young age. I’m glad his love for Christmas turned into this book.
After reading this I was so into the holiday spirit that I binge watched Christmas movies on Netflix. This book will most definitely put you in the mood to surround yourself with more Christmas things. It was absolutely adorable, and I will definitely send this to my little sister to read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews