PreS-K-Santa needs a backup plan: the reindeer have colds and are too sick to pull his sleigh. He presents a couple of wild ideas to his multiracial, multicultural crew of elves (one responds by saying, "Oy!"), but, as in the author's Santa's New Suit (HarperCollins, 2000), it's Mrs. Claus who saves the day. Cartoon illustrations, dialogue bubbles, frenetic activity, and childlike concepts result in amusing and assured storytelling.-S. P. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The reindeer are all sick a-bed with terrible colds, and Santa and his elves are desperate for alternative transportation for Christmas Eve. They audition other animal teams to pull the sleigh (they flop) and then try building their own blimp (it pops). Mrs. Claus makes Santa some hot cocoa to help him feel better, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus then use this same simple remedy to cure the reindeer of their colds. This overly easy solution takes a lot of the fizz out of the story, but there are some funny moments prior to the sudden cure. Rader's humorous watercolor illustrations use a loose style with lots of clever comments in hand-lettered speech balloons. She hides lots of humor for sharp-eyed readers: Santa's dog and cat (sometimes with strapped-on antlers) take part throughout the story, and clever product names and book titles add to the humor. A recipe for "Santa's Special Hot Cocoa" is included on the final page, and candy-cane-striped endpapers add a peppy touch. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr. 1. When Santa's reindeer come down with terrible colds, the Christmas Eve flight looks iffy. Santa tries replacement animals and a homemade blimp, but nothing works until Mrs. Claus's comforting cocoa (recipe appended) cures the sniffling deer. The ending may sound less than convincing, but Rader has already set the stage and warmed up her audience for laughs, not logic, with amusing pictures of animals auditioning for the reindeers' job: ducks cavorting in tutus, monkeys with wings strapped on, and an elephant held aloft by a dozen balloons. The cartoon-like ink drawings, washed with cheerful colors, include a energetic cast of elves and animals making observations and sometimes comical comments as the story rolls along. Good fun for the Santa set. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2003 Booklist

Never mind the title's seeming allusion to a certain red-nosed reindeer-Rader's sequel to Santa's New Suit leaves out Rudolph. Santa faces a dilemma: his flying team is under the weather, so he needs to rethink his Christmas Eve delivery plans. Several far-fetched attempts to find reindeer replacements prove fruitless, until a cup of Mrs. Claus's cocoa inspires a new solution. Although it has welcome dashes of silliness, this follow-up isn't as kicky or clever as its predecessor. But the talk bubbles and funny asides that pepper the ink-and-watercolor art buoy the comic mood. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

When the reindeer are too sick to pull his sleigh, Santa must come up with an alternate solution. He auditions replacements, but no one is right. He builds a hot air balloon, but it pops. Then Mrs. Claus's hot cocoa (which always makes Santa feel better) revives the reindeer. Radar's story is fast paced, and the festive cartoon illustrations are cheerful. From HORN BOOK Spring 2004, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.