[.ca] Santa Claustrophobia (ISBN 084317756X)

From Amazon.com:
The comedic team that last explained How Murray Saved Christmas--Simpsons writer Mike Reiss and editorial illustrator David Catrow--returns for another comical yuletide rhyme. At first glance, their book threatens to be too wacky for its own good, but Reiss quickly saves the tale with fun rhymes and abundant cleverness. Santa Claus suffers from recurring nightmares about getting stuck in a lit chimney ("I smell something cooking. I'm not sure just what. Is it ham? Is it lamb? No, I think it's my butt!"), which clearly points to a case of Santa Claustrophobia. So Doc Holiday wisely prescribes (what else?) a holiday, arranging for St. Nick's Christmas duties to be handled by the April Fool, St. Patrick, the Tooth Fairy, et al. ("There were even a few who weren't so famous, like the Arbor Day Aardvark and Labor Day Amos.") But the well-meaning Doc soon finds that replacing the Big Guy isn't that easy: Cupid attaches long, time-consuming love notes to each present, Columbus on delivery-detail insists on sailing "east to go west, then west to go east," and the Easter Bunny has trouble gift-wrapping ("his paws were too small") so resorts to painting all the presents in pastels. Fortunately, a tanned, toned Santa Claus returns from Aruba just in time to save the day: "If chimneys are tight, I've got nothing to fear: I lost twenty pounds--nineteen from my rear!" Both kids and adults will enjoy the same humor Reiss showed in Murray, but some of the biggest laughs in the book undoubtedly belong to Catrow's details (including a genius Father Time from 1969, sporting a plastic pick sticking out of his huge gray afro). (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

The first Christmas gift of the year!:
My family and I have already enjoyed a couple of other books by Mike Reiss, and this one shares his lively wit and terrific way with language. The illustrations are gorgeous, and almost as funny as the text. If you read to your kids, and you've got "Santa Claustrophobia" on hand, you'll look forward to the story hour as much as they do.

Clever fun for kids and adults:
Poor Santa is burned out. He asks for advice from Doc Holiday. Doc suggests a sunny vacation in Aruba. What about Christmas? No problem! The residents of Stinky Cigar agree to fill in for Santa. Stinky Cigar is the town where holiday icons like the Easter Bunny and April Fool rest in between their holiday duties. With good intentions but no organization, chaos insues. The Easter Bunny is painting little fire trucks easter egg pastels. Cupid is making romantic cards for xmas gifts? Of course, Santa comes back just in time to save xmas. He has a lovely tan and is 19 lbs. lighter. All of this is told in rhyme!! I bought 2 copies today. Both the adults and kids will laugh out loud.