The Magic Sleigh Bell

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian in Pickering, Ontario.

The Kirkland family always makes Christmas an extra special time. This
year, however, they are having difficulty getting into the Christmas
spirit. The father, who has been out of work for nearly a year, is cross
and depressed. The children’s effort to bring Christmas cheer into
their home fails miserably, and the 10-year-old runs away. The boy is
abducted by a man who makes the boy clean his dilapidated apartment
house. In the meantime, the family and community are searching for him.
It is the younger sister’s belief in the magic of Christmas that
brings Santa and an elf to the rescue, freeing the boy and reuniting the
family.

This is a chapter book that is intended to be enjoyed by the whole
family. The writing style is clear and straightforward, if somewhat
stiff. Character development is limited, and the characters do not
undergo any dramatic change.

My strongest objection to this book is the image of a Santa who rescues
abducted children only if they believe in the magic of Christmas.
Furthermore, Santa and the elf become involved in the first place only
because the children find a reindeer’s bell and the elf wants it back.
This is not the message I would like to share with my family year after
year around the Christmas tree, as is suggested on the opening page. Not
a first-choice purchase.