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HomeShop at BookSurgeBusiness & EconomicsSales & SellingSANTA NEEDS A VACATION |
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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 2 customer reviews )
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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Santa's Sanity Check: When Toys Take Their Toll! Aug 19, 2009
By G. Reba
"Santa Needs a Vacation" by Gregory Hoffman offers readers a humorous look at the "other side" of Santa Claus. I mean honestly, who can really be that jolly every day of the year? Think about it. Especially with all of the pitfalls that could happen to a large man sneaking around in the dead of night! Dogs, danger, spiteful reindeer, this book has it all. I'd liken it to a humorous rendition of the night after Christmas, if a serious book of that nature existed.
Sit back and enjoy as Santa vents his frustration,
See if you too feel he needs a vacation!
On a side note, the back of the book contains a touching poem called "Christmas Memories". I really liked it...it was a great look at days gone by, now only existing within memories etched within the heart, as well as the hope for future generations to experience the same joy.
Recommended for anyone in need of a laugh or escape from the craziness that can be the holidays...happy reading!
 Santa Needs A Vacation Aug 28, 2009
By F. G. Stapleton
Gregory Hoffman has written a fun illustrated poem reciting Santa's desperate need to take a break from the holidays in his light-hearted book Santa Needs a Vacation.
Hoffman writes a clever and witty tale of Santa's desperate need for some time off. In this tale, a stranger stranded in a blizzard comes upon Santa's home while searching for shelter. It is here that Santa describes the perils attributed to his all-night adventure. During Santa's all-nighter, he explains the difficulty of trying to cram down a chimney, walking on an ice-covered roof, being surprised by an attack dog and being shot at by surprised homeowners.
As entertaining as this festive poem is, it is probably not suited for the children it may be marketed to, whether on purpose or inadvertently. While it is illustrated and its theme truly imaginative, the spirit of Christmas would certainly be tarnished if children read of Santa Claus having reindeer excrement flung in his face or seeing images of Santa with a black eye and tattered red robe. This book will certainly find an audience with young adults and older readers who understand the good-humored nature of Hoffman's verse.
The illustrations, also achieved by Hoffman, have promise. As a self-proclaimed novice illustrator, his images show depth, action, and emotion. Although the artwork is not perfected by industry standards, its simplicity creates an element of sincerity rarely found in illustrated works today. Readers will appreciate the effort Hoffman has attributed to this book.
The poetry can be clinically described as free verse as it follows no true rhyming structure. The reader may be discouraged if trying to find a pattern while reading the rhyming stanzas, because of errant punctuation and the very nature of free verse. Hoffman tells a vibrant story and displays creativity with his choice of words.
The yellow-paged inserts are reminiscent of an Alan Moore technique, and appear to be lyrics to the song Hoffman alludes to as inspiration for this book. Following the final verse, the reader is treated to a Christmas poem that speaks of the nostalgia of the holidays, and is easily relatable when taken in. This poem does not follow the plot of the main story, but acts as an epilogue of sorts, referencing what the holiday seasons means to so many of us.
Readers will find themselves laughing out loud at the direction author Hoffman takes them; and everyone will certainly think twice when wishing for something next Christmas.
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