Santa Claws: A Scary Christmas to All

by Laura Leuck, Gris Grimly (Illustrator)

Mack and Zack are getting ready for Christmashanging up their smelly socks and blistertoe, decorating their dead pine tree, making poisonberry pies. Here in the rollicking rhyme of Laura Leuck and the gruesomely silly illustrations of Gris Grimly, is a truly memorable Christmas tale. Mack and Zack may be monsters, but their excitement is the same as that of children the world around. Come join the celebrations in Monster Town!

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Childrens, Holiday, Halloween, Storytime, Monsters

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2006

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you dream of Halloween for Christmas, this book is for you!

Two little monster boys eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claws. I will never forget their spindly tree strung with eyeballs!

Gris Grimly - I will love you forever!

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute holiday story with great illustrations by one of my favourite artists, Gris Grimly.

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wickedly fun Christmas book. It is a twisted take on a classic. The illustrations are perfect. Reminded me of the Nightmare before Christmas. Who doesn't love some blister toe hung for the holidays?!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Santa Claws" is a dark parody of "The Night Before Christmas." It's fun, creepy, and a little grim. I recommend it for fans of "Nightmare Before Christmas" and/or Gris Grimly.

The boys are 9 and 12, and it's been some time since we've read picture books together. My oldest son re-discovered "The Dangerous Alphabet" by Neil Gaiman and Gris Grimly at the beginning of May and asked me to read it to him. Now we're revisiting all of our favorite picture books. I love well written and/or illustrated children's books, and hope the boys are never to old for stories with pictures.

This book qualifies as part of my Year Of Visual Art initiative. I love Gris Grimly's clever, unique style. It's the perfect fit for dark rhymes and fairy tales.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally buying this to add to my permanent collection. It is a bit like Nightmare before christmas as it’s dark and creepy but in a good way. And it’s Claws not Claus. The story has great rhymes and perfect cadence and the Gris Grimly illustrations are a perfect match.
#Wintergames #teamreadnosereindeer +26

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book that uses the poetic style of the Night Before Christmas. The pictures of ghouls and goblins, monsters and junk are fun and fascinating! I enjoy reading this spooky book and the kids enjoy looking at the interesting pictures. A fun book to share at this time of the year!

[Bee (BacchusVines) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is completely and utterly disgusting and I LOVE IT. The illustrations remind me of the drawings from, of course, Nightmare before Christmas, and other emo illustrations back in the early 2000s. I really enjoyed reading this and know that any Burton fandom will surely want this book for their own gremlins.

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully unique Christmas picture book. Perfect for all ages. The monsters are getting the house and everything ready for Santa Claws. It's a frightfully good time! Illustrations are wicked good and I just love everything about this book.

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kind of Christmas!!

Gris Grimly is everything!!

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I love me a good rhyming kids' book.

Funny little tale about disgusting characters celebrating Christmas. They even got the word "booger" in there, much to my kids' delight.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very "Nightmare Before Christmas". Very good comp

[Katey (Kaje) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminded me of the aesthetic of Nightmare Before Christmas. Enjoyable!

[Roger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Monster children’s books are usually one of my favorite sub-genres. This book had a fun concept and a few good puns, but overall it’s disappointing.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for kids (and adults) who like a creepy vibe to their holiday reads.

[Kem Bones · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all need a good spooky Christmas story! Gris Grimly is a master in illustration.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of creepy which the title advised me of before I even opened the book!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scary fun for Christmas - the rhyming narrative is fun to read aloud and the monsters aren't too scary. Our girls loved the dragon; he is so cute. The illustrations by Gris Grimly are wonderful. We enjoyed reading this story together.

[Nanci Booher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled up Gris Grimly, the illustrator of this book, somewhere and decided to read everything that my library owned. This book, told in rhyming text, is a mix of Series of Unfortunate Events, Nightmare before Christmas and Coraline...the illustrations were fabulous. The rhyming text was a little off kilter for me, but if I was to read this at storytime I think I could make it work.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grimly's illustrations make this book the perfect spooky fun for the Christmas season! Leuck writes an amusing story of two monster children and their preparation for their version of Santa Claus. Yet Grimly's drawings are my favorite part especially the advertisements on the inside of the front and back cover.

[Trinity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely more Christmas than Halloween. Monster Christmas, not Nightmare Before Christmas similarity. The illustrations are engrossing, in every sense of the word.

And remember to avoid stepping under the Pus-Dripping Blistered Toe...

[Mary Kopec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love, love, love this book! It's Christmasy, but just a bit off. If your kid likes ooeys and gooeys while still being cute and fun ... then this book is for him or her! Love it!!! The artwork is fun and good for playing "do you see?/can you find?" games with your kids.

[Mira Domsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the vein of Nightmare Before Christmas, a town full of monsters awaits a visit from Santa Claws. The story is simple and rhymed, but perhaps a bit too twisted for younger kids. And of course, Gris Grimly's illustrations are both cute and horrifying. Loved it!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Christmas/Halloween crossover. I love Gris Grimley's illustrations.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book for parents and kids with great illustrations! Will be buying this to read each Christmas.

[Nicklas von · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read all the books illustrated by Gris Grimly really only (not only but almost) because his art appeals to me. Who cares what the book is about, just look at the pretty pictures and enjoy them.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

[Gwnhwyfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of Christmas, but I love Halloweeen...so this is the perfect book! ;)

[Donald Armfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

More illustrations from Gris Grimly and a scary Xmas tale for kids.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything that Gris Grimly illustrates! He is my very favorite illustrator. I also love "dark" children's stories.

[Adrianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too gross for me, but my seven-year-old son enjoyed it.