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When Santa Came to Stay

Author Billy Sharff

Illustrated by Eda Kaban

Hardcover

$18.99 US

Penguin Young Readers | Dial Books

10.31"W x 10.31"H x 0.42"D | 14 oz | 24 per carton

On sale Oct 18, 2022 | 40 Pages | 9780593325230

Age 4-7 years

Reading Level: Lexile AD520L | Fountas & Pinnell N

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The Grinch meets Snowmen at Christmas in this rollicking, rhyming picture book that answers the question, Why can't Christmas last all year?

What happens when your Christmas cookies are too good? Santa comes . . . to stay! At first, it's fantastic: treats and toys and reindeer flights every day. Then Mrs. Claus arrives. And Baby Claus. And before long, the Easter Bunny and her babies Chuck and Puck and Luck and Duck and . . . you get the picture. By the time the Fourth of July rolls around, everyone's had a bit too much eggnog in their cereal and confetti in their hair. As one family discovers, maybe the true meaning of Christmas is about more than presents and sweets. And maybe there's a reason it comes but once a year.

"Smileworthy [with] lots of playful silliness . . . Here, too much Santa is a bad thing done just right." —Kirkus
"Holiday hijinks reminiscent of Snowmen at Night make this a worthy addition." —SLJ
"[Makes] the most of the hilarious chaos." —The Horn Book
“Irreverent [and] high-energy.” —PW

Billy Sharff is an author who writes for kids of all ages. He lives in a little house in the woods of New Hampshire with his wife and daughter. When not writing silly stories, Billy makes movies, writes songs, and visits every bookstore he can find. This is his debut picture book.

Eda Kaban has illustrated many popular books for children, including Pirates Don’t Go to Kindergarten and Even Superheroes Have Bad Days. Born and raised in Turkey, Eda now lives in Oakland, California, with her husband, small son, and two Siamese cats.

Billy Sharff View titles by Billy Sharff

Eda Kaban View titles by Eda Kaban

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"Story and art make for a smileworthy book with lots of playful silliness and a gentle reminder about the heart of Christmas. Here, too much Santa is a bad thing done just right." —Kirkus

"Accompanied by vibrant illustrations full of the color and movement, this is a fun and silly story that will be giggled over while shared time and again during the holiday season. . . . Holiday hijinks reminiscent of Caralyn’s Buehner’s Snowmen at Night make this a worthy addition to the holiday fare. —SLJ

“Rhyming, irreverent lines from Sharff [and] polished, high-energy cartooning by Kaban visualizes constant-Christmas chaos [with a] creative solution.” —Publishers Weekly

"Energetic cartoon illustrations, featuring a creative problem-solving Black girl and her parents, capture the over-the-top premise, making the most of the hilarious chaos." —The Horn Book