SANTA’S LAST PRESENT

Julian is a boy of seven or eight who doesn’t really believe in Santa any more, though he plays along to please his parents. On Christmas morning he receives an extra present under the tree, one that surprises both Julian and his parents. He finds a toy train engine with life-like eyes that can shine in the dark, and it becomes Julian’s favorite toy through the following year. During the next Christmas season, Julian isn’t sure what to believe: he writes a note to Santa telling him that his parents will now provide the gifts, but Julian also leaves the train engine under the tree with a note to return it to Santa, since Julian feels it was probably left in error the year before. On Christmas morning, Julian is amazed to find three rainbow-hued train cars attached to his toy engine, and his faith in Santa is restored through this last, special gift. Blake’s loose watercolor-and-ink illustrations and the volume’s small size complement the whimsical nature of the story. (Picture book. 7-9)