Here are some of this book's reviews
Santa had better watch out. He’s coming to town – but one naughty boy and his tigers are lying in wait.
If you're less sympathetic to Saint Nick, he's under attack in Jonathan Emmett's The Santa Trap. Spoilt boy Bradley is fed up with getting socks every year, so he trains tigers, dynamites chimneys and trapdoors the floors. Thankfully, he doesn't get his guy, but Poly Bernatene's illustrations make the manhunt sensationally watchable. Split screens, panoramas – it's like a movie on the page. For ages three and up.
Nicola Smyth, THE INDEPENDENT
Not at all heart-warming is The Santa Trap by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene. Bradley Bartelby is the bad son of rich, terrified parents. Every Christmas he asks Santa for a long list of presents but every year Santa gives him the same thing: a pair of socks. Bradley has had enough and decides to build a Santa trap. He works on it all year and what happens next is a hilarious adventure. The stylised illustrations complement the story brilliantly, creating a wonderful darkly funny atmosphere.
THE SCOTSMAN
'TIS the season to see who has risen to the challenge of producing a good yuletide story. Jonathan Emmett and illustrator Poly Bernatene have exceeded the brief. As the sticker on the back cover says: "Warning: Contains no peace and goodwill", at least on the part of the spoiled rich kid Bradley, who has a serious beef with the bearded gentleman about the contents of previous years' stockings. Confident of his ability to influence events, the little blighter comes up with an apparently fool-proof plan to halt the annual present delivery and snaffle all the gifts for himself. But, as we know, Santa is made of the sterner stuff and the denouement is amusing as well as satisfying.
Jill Rowbotham, THE AUSTRALIAN
I do like picture books for the slightly older reader (or listener) and this Christmas Story from Jonathan Emmett is a great alternative to the usual Christmassy tales that appear on the shelves at this time of year.
Bradley Bartleby is a bad boy. He's been bad since the day he was born and in the first couple of pages we learn just how bad he is. He bit the midwife's bottom, he stole the doctor's stethoscope and he emptied his nappy into his grandmother's handbag. The older Bradley got, the worse he became. A team of secretaries type up Bradley's Christmas list, but as everyone knows, naughty children don't get what they want from Father Christmas, and all Bradley gets is a pair of socks. Bradley's parents spoil him and buy him everything he asks for, but Bradley still isn't happy and he decides to get him own back on Father Christmas and get all of his present for himself. Bradley turns their huge house into a giant Santa Trap with trapdoors, wild tigers in the garden, dynamite in the chimney and much more, however, things don't go according to plan‚ but you'll have to read the book to find out just what happens.
A great book for slightly older readers to enjoy for themselves and wonderful for parents to share with those younger.
Damian Harvey, ARMADILLO MAGAZINE |
US
