When Santa Got Stuck in a Gum Tree by Jackie Hoskings, illustrated by Nathaniel Eckstrom

Title: When Santa Got Stuck in a Gum Tree

Author: Jackie Hoskings, illustrated by Nathaniel Eckstrom

Genre: Christmas

Publisher: Walker Books

Published: 4^th September 2024

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Price: $24.99

Synopsis: From the creators of An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree, Jackie Hosking’s lyrical rhymes and Nathaniel Eckstrom’s charming illustrations are the perfect match to get you into the Christmas spirit.

It’s Christmas Eve but Santa is stuck in a gum tree! How will he deliver the presents?
Luckily, an enthusiastic cast of Aussie animals are up for the challenge. But despite their Christmas spirit, unsticking Santa is harder than they thought! Maybe they need a new plan …

~*~

Santa is coming to Australia for Christmas – but on his way across the vast country, he gets stuck in a gum tree. He’s fallen out of his sleigh, and the he’s hanging off a branch in a tree. His reindeer are on the ground – and it means he can’t deliver the presents! Oh no!

Santa is in luck though. He is stuck in Australia, where lots of help is going to come. All the Australian animals from a koala to a kangaroo, even a cockatoo come to help. They’ve got great Christmas spirit – but they’ve all got their own obstacles – and they find out that none of them alone can help Santa. Together, though, they can come up with a plan that involves everyone – and they’ll work hard to save Christmas!

The new picture book from Jackie Hosking celebrates Christmas with an Australian twist. It brings a traditional Christmas figure into a new and unique Australian context to unite the two elements. Many Christmas books that we get in Australia often examine a wintry Christmas with snow, snowmen, warm clothes, fires and Christmas trees. We watch all the Christmas movies sent in winter, and we listen to all the Christmas music. These are what we all know Christmas to be – largely in part, thanks to Charles Dickens.

We’re entering the time of the year when Christmas books start appearing, so people can get them in time for December. Picture books are fun for Christmas, and there are so many good ones. They cover all sorts of traditions that people enjoy at Christmas as well as the things we know and love about it. It examines the fun that can be had, and the joy in helping people who need help. Santa is in dire circumstances. Child readers will gasp in awe and horror, worrying about Santa until the animals find a way to save him and save Christmas.

When Santa Got Stuck Up a Gum Tree is a fantastic and fun new Christmas picture book with a distinctly Australian flavour. The combination of the bush with Santa is always a winner. Jackie and illustrator Nathaniel have brought these elements to life brilliantly, and brought a wintry character into the Australian bush together fantastically. It is also filled with wonderful Australian humour and voices that bring seasonal books to life. I think this is a lovely book that readers will enjoy and that will kick off the Christmas season with a lot if fun.