Santa’s Wonderful Workshop

It’s January and Father Christmas is planning another year’s Christmas preparation, but is beset by continual problems. First, there are reports that there are more children to make presents for, so he brings in some additional penguin workers.

Unfortunately, the penguins get a bit rowdy, so Santa brings in a rather aggressive bear (aka Barry the Bauble Coordinator) to keep control, and, confident that all will be well, joins the reindeer dance troupe for a bit of R&R.

It’s perhaps an over-confident move because things just keep going wrong… and the Present-o-Matic machine is now only making toasters. Thankfully, Father Christmas’ unusual penguin-y solution to presents for the world’s children comes off. But where is Barry?

Elys Dolan’s utterly joyful and anarchic picture books are full of detail and background action – as well as following the thrust of the main story, there are lots of speech bubbles, puns and things to spot along the way. It can be difficult to find a new spin on a seasonal picture book, but Elys Dolan is always funny and endlessly original.