I AM NOT SANTA CLAUS!

A comic case of mistaken identity.

A tan-skinned child sees a white-haired, white-bearded, red-suited, light-skinned gentleman enter a store and asks if he’s Santa. The man denies it, but the kid points out that the man resembles Santa. When the man mentions his wife, the child asks if he’s referring to Mrs. Claus. The man protests: “Her name is Cheryl. She’s a veterinarian.” Later, the youngster compliments the man’s “sleigh”—a red truck—and follows the gent home to “N. Pole Drive.” There, the youngster inquires about some nearby reindeer—they aren’t pets, “Santa” says, just neighborhood “wild animals.” Interestingly, “Santa’s” house includes a workshop, where he makes “hand-crafted trinkets,” runs “a coal business,” and employs elflike “assistants.” The man imparts “the true meaning of Christmas”: “spending time with people you love and thinking about others before yourself.” Before departing, the child leaves a long list of gifts—just in case. When last seen, the maybe-Santa gets his truck loaded, and the “wild reindeer” haul him and a burgeoning sack across the night sky. Kids will enjoy this drily witty and original twist on Christmas. They’ll likely have already realized from the outset that, of course, this Santa’s real; they’ll feel vindicated by the conclusion. The humorous, thick-lined digital illustrations feature wide-eyed, racially diverse characters.

A genuinely jolly Christmas choice.