The House of Wooden Santas

The House of Wooden Santas is an award-winning holiday classic following the struggles of nine-year old Jesse and his mother, as financial difficulties force them to move. Jesse is not subtle in expressing his frustration toward the move, their financial struggles, and having to make new friends, so in an effort to combat his downtrodden mood, Jesse’s mother begins carving him a wooden Santa for each day in December until Christmas.

The Santas represent the various struggles and emotions Jesse must overcome, and also represent the lingering financial hope of the small family as the carvings are their only means of income. When Jesse and his mother are faced with the threat of eviction, Jesse and his new friend try to use the magic of the Santas and Christmas to help find a solution.

The House of Wooden Santas is a picture book -- the pictures are photos (Ned Pratt) of Imelda George’s wood carved Santas. The story that accompanies the pictures is a detailed, third-person narrative, and has more text than average picture books.

Governor General’s Award winner Kevin Major has published 17 books, for both young people and adults. His first, Hold Fast, is considered a classic of Canadian young adult fiction, and was recently released as a feature film. No Man’s Land, about the Newfoundland Regiment in WWI, was published in 1995 to much acclaim.