Even though #Halloween is right around the corner I was cleaning up my office this morning I wanted to share a new children’s book I recieved 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 items you purchase.
, I sat down with Hide-And-Seek Santa a lift-the-flap Christmas book, and before I knew it, I was smiling at the illustrations and thinking about putting up our Christmas tree. Yes, I know it is still October, but when you put a beautiful Christmas tree on the cover of a book, you can hardly blame a girl for getting a little excited about Christmas!
Hide-and-Seek Santa: A Lift-the-Flap Book (A Hide-and-Seek Board Book) by Marta Altés is a playful Christmas story for little ones who love peek-a-boo, surprises, and looking for things hiding in plain sight. And honestly, after reading it, I have to ask: Have you ever played hide-and-seek with Santa? I certainly haven’t! But after seeing the trouble Santa and his reindeer get into in this book, I think it might be a whole lot of fun.
One of the first things I noticed was the beautiful Christmas tree on the cover. There is also a little girl and boy hiding underneath a tent in their pajamas, with a reindeer right along with them. I don’t think this is Rudolph because this particular reindeer doesn’t have a red nose, but he certainly looks like he is enjoying himself!
I also love how the book looks like a Christmas present when you first open it, complete with a big red ribbon. Then there is Santa, hiding and telling everyone, “Shh.” Which is hard to do when you begin reading the book because like my family you will be reading out loud.
Inside, we discover the children asleep in their bedroom, with Christmas lights hanging above the window. I love little Christmas touches like that. Now, if I tried putting Christmas lights above our bedroom window, David would probably have a heart attack! Some people are ready for Christmas decorations before Halloween, and others need a little more convincing.
Santa loves playing hide-and-seek, but his reindeer aren’t nearly as good at hiding as he is. Somehow, they keep choosing the silliest hiding places and giving themselves away. We see Santa and his reindeer getting into all sorts of antics. Rudolph is leading the sleigh, and things don’t go quite as planned. Let’s just say the journey doesn’t look particularly smooth!
Then the children get involved in the game. Before long, Santa is hanging upside down outside the window while the kids look for him. There are hiding places to discover, flaps to lift, and plenty of opportunities for little readers to guess what might be hiding underneath each one.
At one point, the reindeer are on the couch while Santa is hiding behind the Christmas tree, making himself look like part of the decorations. Can you imagine trying to explain that one?
I’m not going to tell you what is hiding behind every flap because that would spoil the fun. Half the enjoyment is letting children investigate the pictures themselves and discover what happens next. Hide-and-Seek Santa is a sturdy board book with 14 flaps for little hands to lift.
The interactive format encourages children to look closely at the illustrations, make guesses, and participate in the story instead of simply listening to someone read the words.
One thing I noticed is that the hardback-style board pages can feel a little stiff when you first start turning them. Take your time with the pages and flaps, especially when sharing the book with very young children. The illustrations are colorful, playful, and full of little details to discover.
The reindeer are particularly funny, and Santa’s attempts to stay hidden make the game even more entertaining.
Although the book is aimed at younger children, I can see grown-ups enjoying it, too. In fact, Charlie and David were laughing out loud by the time we finished the story! The book doesn’t take long to read, but the flaps give children a reason to go back, look again, and play along. That makes it a lovely choice for a short reading session with a toddler or preschooler.
Marta Altés is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. Originally from Barcelona, she studied graphic design before moving to the United Kingdom to pursue a master’s degree in children’s book illustration at Cambridge School of Art. Her books include I Am an Artist, My Grandpa, The King Cat, No!, and Little Monkey. Her work has received recognition in children’s publishing, including an Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor for My Grandpa.
I hadn’t heard of Marta Altés before picking up Hide-and-Seek Santa, which is one of the fun things about discovering children’s books. Sometimes a new author finds her way into your reading pile when you least expect it. There is also another hide-and-seek book, Hide-and-Seek Mommy, for families who enjoy this interactive style of storytelling.
This book is a natural fit for our 10-Minute Reading Challenge. It is short enough to enjoy in a quick reading session, and the lift-the-flap surprises give children something to do while listening to the story. It would also make a fun addition to a Christmas Eve book basket, a toddler’s stocking, or a collection of Christmas books to bring out each December.
I can picture a parent or grandparent sitting with a little one, asking, “Where do you think Santa is hiding?” Then comes the best part: lifting the flap together and finding out whether the guess was right. And if your little reader wants to play the game again, you can start right back at the beginning.
You will find Hide-and-Seek Santa on our Christmas Gift Guide Wish List, where I am asking Santa to consider packing this book for the good little boys and girls on his Christmas list. I absolutely loved the illustrations in Hide-and-Seek Santa. The Christmas tree, the little touches around the children’s bedroom, and all the silly places Santa and his reindeer hide make this a charming book to share during the holiday season.
Charlie and David enjoyed it right along with me, and hearing them laugh made the reading experience even better. A book that can entertain the little ones and make the grown-ups laugh, too, deserves a place on our Christmas reading list. If you are shopping for a toddler or preschooler who enjoys peek-a-boo, surprises, and interactive books, this is one to consider. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I may need to go look at our Christmas decorations. This book has me thinking about that tree again!
Book: Hide-and-Seek Santa: A Lift-the-Flap Book
Author and illustrator: Marta Altés
Format: Board book with 14 lift-the-flap surprises
Best for: Young children and families who enjoy interactive Christmas stories
Reading challenge: A lovely choice for our 10-Minute Reading Challenge
Christmas gift idea: Add it to a holiday book basket or stocking
About the book:
Ready or not, here I come! A hilarious hide-and-seek lift-the-flaps game between toddlers and Santa Claus, who is just trying to do his job…
Once a year when Santa visits, he loves to play hide-and-seek. He’s great at staying hidden, but his reindeer? Not so much. They always pick the goofiest hiding spots that are much too easy to find.
Delighted readers will spot Santa doing his best to stay out of sight, but his reindeer might just give him away . . .
Charming, funny, and relatable for any adult who has ever hidden from a determined toddler just to have a moment of peace, Hide-and-Seek Santa is a vibrant peek-a-boo board book perfect for little seekers and fans of the Karen Katz lift-the-flap books.
With 14 sturdy flaps to lift, young readers will love looking for Santa and spotting all of the funny hiding places his reindeer have chosen instead!
Santa loves playing hide-and-seek, and it turns out he’s VERY good at it!
Meet the Author: Marta Altés
Marta Altés is the award-winning creator of My Grandpa, I am an Artist!, my New Home and The King Cat. She loves to tell stories and her love of illustration saw her study for a degree in Graphic Design in Barcelona. Marta moved to the UK to study for an MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art (the best decision she ever made!) and graduated in 2011.
Since then she has seen her books translated into 30 different languages. MY GRANDPA won the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honour in the US and I AM AN ARTIST was longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She’s also won the Read It Again! Award and the Nottingham Children’s Book Award and her first book NO! (Child’s Play) was shortlisted for the Peoples Book Prize and the Waterstones Picture Book Prize. Marta lives in London.
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Greatful. Thankful. Blessed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David cates
