Just Be Claus: A Christmas Story

by Barbara Joosse, Kimberley Barnes (Illustrator)

Overview

Even as a baby, sweet little Claus seemed different. He didn't cry like the other babies and with his rosy cheeks and round little belly, he was a jolly soul. His grandmother declares he is precisely perfect! But as Claus grows, the little boy worries that he is different from other kids: he has a loud hearty laugh, he likes to wear red all the time, and his favorite hangout is the workshop with his grandmother. And at hockey, he helps the other team win because he doesn't want the players to feel bad. When Claus confides to Grannie that he'd rather be more like the other kids, she tells him his differences make him special. She tells him to be himself, "Just be Claus." Claus is sure Grannie is wrong. But then a snowstorm threatens to ruin Christmas. Can Claus figure out a way to use what makes him special to help save the holiday?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534192706
Publisher:	Sleeping Bear Press
Publication date:	09/15/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	28 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 7 Years

Editorial Reviews

10/08/2021

Toddler-PreS—Joosse's latest offering is a Clausian origin story with sweetness rivaling the holiday's titular treats. Readers meet "Clausie" as a baby and watch him grow into a "not like other kids'' holiday enthusiast. When a snowstorm prevents present delivery from the nondescript winter town, a young Clausie predictably engineers a plan that solidifies him as the new monarch of gift-giving. While "just be yourself" is a worthy and earnestly presented moral, the overall package is lacking. The twee illustrations rely on a color palette reminiscent of an eight-pack of crayons, lacking dimension and energy. The prose is brief enough to be an option for even fairly young listeners, but it isn't particularly inspired. The story centers Clausie and his family, who are white, but among the villagers there are folks with a diversity of skin tones and features. VERDICT It's safe to pass on this well-intentioned but unsuccessful and unremarkable work.—Taylor Worley, Springfield P.L., OR

School Library Journal

2021-08-18
Little Clausie has always been different—but that turns out to be a good thing for everyone in town.

When young Clausie is born, he doesn’t look like the other babies, and he doesn’t cry. By age 6, Clausie is even more unusual. He wears the same red outfit day after day. His laugh is different. He is so considerate that he can’t play competitive sports. And his dog, Dasher, is very, very big. In Clausie’s “supersecret” workshop, he and Grannie make toys and doodads. It’s Grannie who assures him that being different is wonderful: “You’re one of a kind!” But Clausie isn’t convinced. When a major snowfall closes the roads and the train tracks just before Christmas, Clausie worries about all his neighbors who won’t receive their gifts from family members far away. Clausie makes a plan. His family helps him get ready, and Dasher helps him with deliveries…and the whole town is delighted with what becomes the beginning of a tradition. Grannie was right: His differences make others happy. With energetic strokes and expressive gestures, Barnes’ illustrations are lively and engaging. The story’s sweet message of self-acceptance combines well with the idea that Santa could be a legend based on a very thoughtful person. Clausie and his family are depicted as White; there is some racial diversity among the townspeople and friends.

A refreshing angle on the (very) oft-told tale. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews