Even though I stress one Holiday at a time I wanted to share a new children’s book I received When Santa Wrote Back! Words by Nathan Christopher and Pictures by Pablo Pino I received in exchange for this review. Inside this post is my affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase I will make a small percentage from the products you purchase.
For my family there is just something special about getting a new Christmas book when you’re a child but I also like getting them as a adult because children’s books can be so much fun to read and share with our friends and family. You can read it, look at all the pictures, and then read it again the next night.
But what if that Christmas book also encouraged you to write a letter to Santa? That’s exactly what happens in When Santa Wrote Back! And I have to tell you, this is one of those books that had me smiling before I even got very far into the story. I could see using this book in a #Homeschool Language Arts class on Letter Writing.
The cover is beautiful, with Santa front and center, but I really wish you could see the little elf on the side of the book who is holding and yes, dropping all the letters to Santa. The illustrations throughout the story are absolutely beautiful and bring Jake’s Christmas adventure to life.
When you open the book, there’s a “Merry Christmas” greeting and a little gift tag where you can write To: and From:. I’ve always loved books that give you a place to write who gave them to a child. Years later, when they’re looking through their books, they can see who gave them that special story.
Then we meet Jake. Jake writes to Santa to ask how things are going at the North Pole, how the weather has been, and whether Santa noticed that he cleaned his room. Twice. And then Jake gets down to the really important part — his Christmas wish list. Let’s just say Jake has some pretty big plans for Christmas!
He even has some suggestions for Santa about making sure his presents arrive safely. And, of course, Jake asks Santa to write back. That’s where things get really fun. Jake is waiting. And waiting. And waiting. We see him counting down to Christmas, enjoying the Christmas tree, sitting near the fireplace and looking out the window at the stars and the moon.
Then there’s the mailbox. Let’s just say Jake gets a little impatient. I’m not going to tell you exactly what happens because you need to read the book yourself. And when Santa finally writes back? I’m not telling you what Santa says either! Because that would spoil the fun.
What I will tell you is that there are multiple letters between Jake and Santa throughout the book, and each one makes you want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next. Will Jake get everything on his Christmas wish list? I’m not telling! You’re going to have to read When Santa Wrote Back! to find out.
And then it’s your turn to write to Santa This might be my favorite part of the book. At the end, children get their own opportunity to write a letter to Santa, along with some fun tips from Jake. The book suggests being polite, asking about the reindeer, mentioning if you’ve been nice, looking for elves, drawing pictures and, of course, sharing those Christmas gift ideas.
But I have a reminder for you as I help Santa load his Sleigh this year and it Santa’s sleigh can only hold so much. Be careful what you ask for. Trust me. Maybe I shouldn’t ask Santa for an elephant. LOL What would you ask Santa for and do you think he will write back?
The tips make the ending of the book something children can actually participate in. They don’t just close the book when the story is over — they can grab some paper and start writing their own letter to Santa. And then? Maybe they should check the mailbox. You never know if Santa is going to write back or not.
The publisher describes When Santa Wrote Back! as a funny and heartwarming Christmas picture book filled with festive artwork, fun rhymes and hilarious holiday magic. But underneath all of Jake’s Christmas requests is a heartfelt message about what really matters at Christmas.
And I think that’s what makes this more than just another Christmas book. It’s a story you can read together, laugh about together and then use as the starting point for your own Christmas tradition. Read the story. Talk about Jake’s letters. Let your child make a Christmas wish list. Write a letter to Santa. And then maybe take a little trip to the mailbox together. Because isn’t that part of the magic of Christmas?
I hope you add When Santa Wrote Back! to your Christmas List and remember when you read for 10 Minutes you will collect a ticket in our 10 Minute Reading Challenge. Then check out the rest of the books in the series as the Author says there is 3 books and I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to check them out as well.
About the book: When Santa Wrote Back! is written by Nathan Christopher and illustrated by Pablo Pino. It is a Sourcebooks Wonderland children’s picture book for ages 3–7.
Nathan Christopher is a former child and aspiring adult who apparently enjoys spreadsheets and, much more usefully for all of us, making people laugh. He lives in Windsor, Canada, with his wife and children and is the creator of the When They Wrote Back! series. And apparently Jake’s adventures aren’t over.
The series continues with When the Witch Wrote Back! and When the Easter Bunny Wrote Back! in 2026, followed by When the Leprechaun Wrote Back! in 2027. So go check out When Santa Wrote Back! And make sure you write your letter. Because just maybe… Santa will write you back, too.
About the book:
Deck the halls and get ready for hilarious holiday hijinks with this funny and heartwarming Christmas picture book for kids!
It’s the holiday season, and Jake is determined to have the best Christmas ever, which of course means getting lots of presents! When he writes letters to Santa that include his never-ending gift requests, some speedy shipping suggestions, and a reminder for St. Nick to kindly reply, will Jake get all that he hopes for? Or will Santa teach him a valuable lesson in this delightfully charming story about the Christmas…when Santa wrote back!
A cleverly crafted picture book filled with festive art, fun-to-read rhymes, hilarious holiday magic, and a heartfelt message of what truly matters at Christmas, When Santa Wrote Back! is the perfect holiday gift or stocking stuffer for kids ages 3-7! Complete with a bonus spread of letter-writing tips from Jake, this book is also a wonderful addition to accompany the centuries-old holiday tradition of writing letters to Santa! A fun and special Christmas read-aloud to share!
Dear Santa,
I wrote you a week ago, didn’t you get it?
I’ve managed to keep myself busy – don’t sweat it.
My awesome new list is now ten pages long.
Start training your reindeer – they’ll need to be strong.
And how many N’s are in “venomous snake”?
I drew one in case I misspelled it.
Love, Jake
Meet the Author: Nathan Christopher
A former child and aspiring adult who enjoys spreadsheets and—far more useful for his writing—making people laugh. Nathan is the creator of the When They Wrote Back! series of funny holiday picture books, beginning with When Santa Wrote Back! (Sourcebooks Wonderland, 2025). Follow-ups include When the Witch Wrote Back! and When the Easter Bunny Wrote Back! (2026) and When the Leprechaun Wrote Back! (2027). He pens his stories (and his letters to Santa) in Windsor, Canada, where he lives with his wife and children—who ensure endless material and a conveniently sleepless schedule for writing.
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Grateful, Thankful, Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
