The Santa Trap

by Jonathan Emmett, Poly Bernatene (Illustrator)

Overview

A spoiled, greedy, and naughty boy matches wits with Santa Claus in this hilariously "wicked" Christmas read-aloud.

Bradley Bartleby is bad. Very bad. In order to avoid Bradley's wrath, his wealthy parents buy him whatever he wants. All the adults in Bradley's life are running scared―except for Santa Claus, who refuses to give him anything but socks.

But Bradley vows to get what he deserves. If Santa won't give him the gifts he wants, Bradley will just have to steal them. He transforms his house into a trap so fearsome even his parents refuse to enter. With dynamite, trapdoors, guillotines, and tigers in his path, Santa doesn't stand a chance. Or does he?

Jonathan Emmett gives readers a Christmas tale from a new and devious perspective.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561456703
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	10/02/2012
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 12.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD850L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Jonathan Emmett was born in England and studied architecture at Nottingham University. He is the author of over sixty children's books and has also illustrated books written by others. He lives in England.

Poly Bernatene is a visiting professor at Buenos Aires School of Fine Art. He has worked in advertising, animation, and comics, and has illustrated over sixty children's books in Argentina, Mexico, Spain, England, Australia, Denmark, Germany, France, China, Taiwan and the United States. He lives in Argentina.

Editorial Reviews

Bradley’s parents always gave him whatever he demanded, not because they thought he deserved it, but because they were terrified of him.” Bradley Bartleby was “born bad,” and as a result, he gets socks from Santa every Christmas. Fed up, he spends an entire year turning his parents’ mansion into a diabolical trap for the jolly old elf, one that involves dynamite, guillotines, and tigers (an especially grim scene shows Bradley grinning as he holds the disembodied head of a Santa dummy). Bernatene’s cinematic mixed-media illustrations work wicked magic with Emmett’s darkly comedic prose, as Bradley’s plans backfire explosively. An ideal Christmas present for children who prefer Halloween. Ages 6–10. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"This funny, beautifully illustrated story will have you talking about the importance of 'being good for goodness' sake." —The Washington Post

"Bernatene's digital mixed-media illustrations are a perfectly creepy fit to this unusual holiday tale. . . fans of the Addams Family and Emily the Strange shenanigans might appreciate the dark humor." —School Library Journal

★ "Bernatene's cinematic mixed-media illustrations work wicked magic with Emmett's darkly comedic prose, as Bradley's plans backfire explosively. An ideal Christmas present for children who prefer Halloween." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "The cleverly constructed plot unfolds with perfect comedic timing and dry wit, complemented by digitally produced mixed-media illustrations that have a suitably sinister, magnetic charm. Bernatene's artwork uses dark colors, shadows and cinematic perspectives to bring Bradley's world into believable focus."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

From the Publisher

Gr 2–4—A beastly boy gets his comeuppance, partially due to his own efforts, and partially thanks to that wily old elf, Santa Claus. Bradley Bartleby starts out bad (at birth, he stole the doctor's stethoscope), and gets worse as he gets older. His wealthy, overindulgent, and frankly terrified parents give in to his every whim, but Santa thwarts him every Christmas with a token pair of socks. Bradley plots hideous revenge, but Santa (unseen except in Bradley's imagination through the entire book) gets the last word with his well-considered holiday gift. Bernatene's digital mixed-media illustrations are a perfectly creepy fit to this unusual holiday tale. There's no telling whether or not Santa's intervention will change Bradley's evil ways, and some might find this budding fiend more than a little disturbing, but fans of the Addams Family and Emily the Strange shenanigans might appreciate the dark humor.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

A beady-eyed brat sits in a red, thronelike chair, glaring out of the cover in this hilarious, bizarre holiday story. What's that machinery behind him, and what is that kid up to? That's Bradley Bartleby on the throne, and he's bad, bad to the bone. He terrifies his "immensely rich" parents, mistreats his pet elephant and demands a huge list of presents every Christmas. But Santa brings him just one gift each year, a pair of socks. So the outraged Bradley builds a Santa trap in the chimney, planting dynamite at the bottom. He extends his trap to all the chimneys and adds tigers, guillotines and trapdoors. His parents decamp to a hotel, leaving Bradley alone on Christmas Eve, when he inadvertently falls into his own trap. But he is not forgotten by Santa, who still leaves him a pair of socks, along with a box of bandages and some antiseptic, in a slam-dunk conclusion that finds Bradley inside his own metal cage. The cleverly constructed plot unfolds with perfect comedic timing and dry wit, complemented by digitally produced mixed-media illustrations that have a suitably sinister, magnetic charm. Bernatene's artwork uses dark colors, shadows and cinematic perspectives to bring Bradley's world into believable focus. Now, some will find these devilishly delinquent developments positively beyond the bounds of good taste. But many others will say, "Naughty. But nice." (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews