Good reading book for a little boy

"An impossibility is just a possibility you don't understand."

For the second time in less than a week, I have gotten to enjoy a Santa Claus Origin Story; this one on Christmas Day, no less.

In A Boy Called Christmas, we meet 12-year-old Nick, whose mother has passed away and who lives with his father. The two of them don't have much, but they love each other very much. Nick has also inherited his belief in elves from his father.

One winter, Nick's father leaves on an errand for the king - to bring back proof that elves exist. He promised Nick that he would be back within 3 months, but until then Nick would be under the care of his Aunt Carlotta - a truly terrible woman who does not like children at all.

When three months come and go, and there is still no sign of his father, Nick begins to worry. Knowing only that he had headed in the direction of the Far North, Nick sets off after him with his trusty mouse Mika, who may not believe in elves but does believe in cheese, though Mika has yet to actually taste cheese.

What follows is a wonderful set of adventures for Nick and Mika including, riding and flying on a reindeer, meeting the elves, discovering their magic, and more. Some of the adventures are good and some are not, but they all help bring Nick closer to finding his father and figuring out who he is and who he wants to become.

This was a wonderful origin story for Saint Nicholas/Santa Claus, and I especially liked the concept that elves would stop aging once they figure out who they truly are, and what they want to do or be for the rest of their lives. I also find it quite cut that the elves only had one curse word: impossible. Just think of all the things one might be able to accomplish if they removed "impossible" from their vocabulary. I mean, having magic also helps, but still...

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, narrated by Stephen Fry. I don't think I need to tell you how wonderful Fry is, but just in case I do... Fry does an absolutely wonderful job with the narration; his voice work is spot on - I loved his voice for Mika - and he brought the story to life. I'm somewhat disappointed that Fry doesn't narrate the next book in the series, but I also understand it since the protagonist of the next book is female. I definitely look forward to reading the next book, whether that is through reading it myself or listening to the audiobook.

Very enjoyable read from the mind of Matt Haig that will have you nodding when elves make decisions that parallel the type of political decisions made today. A mean Aunt, a father with a big heart and a boy on a quest.... What a great story! And thank you Mr. Haig!

I am a big fan of Matt Haig's writing. Ever since reading "The Midnight Library " i couldn't stop devouring more and more of Matt Haig's books. Once I noticed the movie "A Boy Called Christmas" was based on a Matt Haig novel I had to check out it out. I really enjoyed the movie and then I decided to buy the trilogy of books. The novel and its illustrations blew me away. I don't want to give anything but the book was much deeper and a whole lot better than the movie. Even though I liked the movie, the ending of the movie felt too rushed. I felt that way even before reading the book. The ending in the novel is Amazing. Loved this book. Now I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

My son devoured this book and then some he read it like 3x. I made him a DIY book advent calendar. By day three he finished the book but it's the thought that counts.

I bought this book recently and read it as a read aloud with my 5th grade students. It was such a cute, sweet story with a variety of fun characters! Everyone loved it, and I plan on reading it again with my class next year. There is a movie on Netflix that goes along with the book, but as usual, the book is much better. If you have a class - or 8-10 year old(s) - and are looking for a good read aloud for the holidays, this book is a great choice! Not only is the story fun and original, but it also presents a unique backstory for the background and making of Santa Clause!

Read this book to 4th graders around the holidays every year! They love it! It is a bit tragic when a character dies but it has an uplifting ending!

I look forward to sitting and reading this to my great-grands! It was enjoyable and gave us a new twist on "knowing" Santa!

Beautiful story, lovely quality book

It was a perfect gift on Christmas for my son. He loved it!

Il libro è davvero carino! Storia ben strutturata, belle le illustrazioni, piacevolissimo da leggere anche per gli adulti. Purtroppo è arrivato con un angolo rovinato, ma non era un regalo, quindi va bene lo stesso.

If you like reading about hope, magic, and goodness, this book is for you. It is a simple book that will fill your heart with happiness and contentment. However, if you are looking for something intense, thrilling, or even mysterious, then skip this one. You will be disappointed with the simplicity of its writing. This book, for me, was a constant reminder of how we, as humans, have forgotten the joy of little things in life.

Le père de Nikolas voyage pour le roi tout au Nord du Nord de leur pays, afin de prouver l'existence des elfes. Mais ne le voyant pas revenir, et lasser de devoir supporter sa tante acariâtre, le jeune garçon décide de partir à sa recherche.

J'ai tout aimé dans ce roman. C'était prenant dès les premières pages, plein de rebondissements, d'aventures et émouvant bien sûr, sans jamais être mièvre. J'ai particulièrement aimé certaines découvertes que va faire le jeune garçon, sur son père notamment, je ne m'attendais pas à ça. J'aime les auteurs qui écrivent pour les plus jeunes sans les sous-estimer, et c'est clairement le cas de Matt Haig, pour cela un grand bravo, comme pour le ton du roman et les moments où il s'adresse à nous. Je me suis beaucoup amusée aussi, j'ai adoré cette version de l'histoire du père Noël où chaque élément est bien pensé, j'ai aimé faire la connaissance des elfes et ce qui leur permet d'arrêter de vieillir est une si jolie idée... Enfin, les illustrations sont sublimes, belles et étranges à la fois, et très nombreuses. J'aime cette générosité. Le livre a été adapté depuis et je suis maintenant très curieuse de découvrir le film et le visage du jeune Nikolas.

J'ai un peu moins aimé la fin, pas du tout à cause de la manière dont ça se termine attention, mais plutôt parce que cela m'a paru un peu long et un peu plus brouillon que le reste. Ça ne m'empêchera pas de garder un souvenir joyeux de cette lecture et de lire la suite avec plaisir.