Guess who's coming to Santa's for dinner?

Guess Who’s coming to Santa’s for Dinner?

Written and Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 2004

 41 pages

Children’s/ Picture Book

 

I chose this book because by the cover it seemed to be that it was a interesting dinner that was about to take place at the Claus house. Mr. Claus decides that he wants to have his family over for Christmas, and Mrs. Claus is a little reluctant about it. Mr. Claus goes out on Christmas Eve to go deliver the presents and his family starts to slowly arrive. There is all the children and brothers and sisters of the family, as well as cats, dogs and a surprise guest no one is happy to see. Dinner is being prepared and all the family being crowded in the house makes for some interesting conversations and activities that happen.

                The illustration in this book is very colorful and cartoon like. The layout is set up like a cartoon strip, with the words on the top and bottom of the page, as well as the text balloons outside the characters heads. The medium used in this book were I feel watercolors. The colors are bright and cheerful and make you feel like you are right in the middle of the family dinner.

                This book would be enjoyed by Kindergarten through Second graders; I feel that after that students might think it was silly. Students can have a social studies lesson, and make their own family tree. They can take it home and get help from their parents and show who all makes up their family as well as where they come from.  The students can also compare and contrast typical holiday characters and discuss what dinner would be like with all of them.  Another lesson could be a Science lesson on what animals come from the arctic, and why they have to live in the cold.