Helping Santa Load the Sleigh | Children’s Books | 10-Minute Reading Challenge
Disclosure: We received a complimentary copy of Where’s Waldo? Santa’s Sleigh Ride in exchange for an honest review. This article contains Amazon affiliate links, and we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.
Buttercup, if you’ve been around for any length of time, you probably remember that fellow in the red-and-white striped shirt and matching hat. You know who I’m talking about. Where’s Waldo! I remember Waldo from when Charlie and Suzzane were growing up, but I don’t remember seeing the Candlewick Readers collection when we were homeschooling.
Where were these books when I needed them? Laughing out loud. Today, I’m sharing Where’s Waldo? Santa’s Sleigh Ride, this is a Level 4 book from Candlewick Readers. And while we’re featuring this book in our Christmas Gift Guide 2026, there’s much more to it than finding a present to put under the Christmas tree.
We’re going to talk about reading levels, vocabulary, homeschool activities, our GreatfulMoments.com 10-Minute Reading Challenge, and even why a 19-year-old might enjoy finding this book among his birthday presents. Because, buttercup, learning shouldn’t stop just because we’ve finished school.
Imagine waking up on Christmas morning, rushing to see what Santa left under the tree, and discovering that Santa never came! Oh my goodness! What happened? That’s the problem Waldo and his friends are facing. Thankfully, Wizard Whitebeard has a magical key that can turn back time, allowing everyone to return to Christmas Eve and investigate.
And speaking of Wizard Whitebeard, you should see this fellow! His beard immediately reminded me of David because David’s beard is white. But Wizard Whitebeard also has this wild hairstyle that almost looks like a mohawk. I can already picture Charlie laughing at him.
Waldo and his friends set off on their adventure, hoping to find Santa and save Christmas. Do they succeed? Well, buttercup, I’m not telling you everything that happens. You’ll have to read the book with your family and friends and even the Dogs Charlie said to find out!
Before the adventure begins, children get to meet the characters. There’s Waldo, Wenda, Wizard Whitebeard, and several other interesting friends, including Woof, Waldo’s dog. And Woof even wears a red-and-white striped outfit! I love that the book introduces everyone before the story begins because children can become familiar with the characters and recognize them throughout the illustrations.
Every page is filled with colorful pictures, which means there’s something to explore even after you’ve finished reading the words. For children who struggle to stay interested in reading, illustrations can provide another reason to turn the page. And I think that’s important.
Before I share my thoughts about the books I wanted to help you understanding Candlewick Readers: Levels which cover 3, 4, and 5 which is one of my favorite things about these books. Santa’s Sleigh Ride is a Level 4 Candlewick Reader, but the publisher also explains other reading levels so parents and caregivers can understand how children’s skills develop.
Level 3: Building Reading Confidence– At this stage, children work with shorter sentences and an increasing range of words. They’re developing confidence as they recognize familiar words and sound out unfamiliar ones. Level 4: Decoding Trickier Words– This is the level of Santa’s Sleigh Ride. Children begin working with more challenging words and learning to express opinions about what they’re reading. That means we can ask questions beyond simply, “What happened?” We can ask, “Why do you think that happened?” or “What would you have done differently?” Level 5: Expanding Vocabulary– At this stage, children are encouraged to recognize alternative spellings for sounds and continue building their vocabulary.
I appreciate that Candlewick includes this information because not every reader progresses at the same pace. And these reading levels aren’t an age limit. They’re a way to help families, friends and teachers select books that support the skills someone is developing.
Even though I’m not homeschooling anymore, I still share homeschool information with friends and family. And I have another reason for being interested in these books. Charlie and David both struggle with reading. As their mother and wife, I want to find ways to encourage them without making reading feel like another chore.
Sometimes that means choosing a book about something they already enjoy. Sometimes it means reading together, looking at pictures, or talking about the story afterward. And sometimes it means starting with just ten minutes. That’s one reason we created our GreatfulMoments.com 10-Minute Reading Challenge.
Ten minutes doesn’t sound like much, does it? But as a busy mom ten minutes a day adds up to seventy minutes of reading in a week. And if someone begins enjoying those ten minutes, perhaps they’ll decide to read a little longer. For our family, that’s what matters.
One of the things I appreciate about this book is the section called Notes for Parents and Caregivers. It offers suggestions for helping children before reading, while reading, and after finishing the story. It also introduces vocabulary words associated with the adventure.
Some of those words include Christmas Eve, presents, sleigh, suitcase, delivery, and magic. Now, buttercup, imagine what we could do with those six words! We could start by asking children what each word means. Next, we could practice sounding out the words and breaking longer words into syllables. Then we could have children write a sentence using each word.
For younger children, parents could write the sentences as the children dictate them. Older children could write a short Christmas story using all six vocabulary words. And if someone is having trouble writing, they could draw a picture and explain it instead. That’s still learning!
If I were using this book in our homeschool, I wouldn’t limit it to one reading session. On Monday, we’d spend ten minutes reading and meeting the characters. We’d talk about what might have happened to Santa. On Tuesday, we’d return to the story and work with our vocabulary words. We’d practice spelling, sounding out words, and using them in sentences.
On Wednesday, we’d focus on reading comprehension. Why was everyone worried? How did Wizard Whitebeard help? What would we do if Santa didn’t arrive? On Thursday, we’d create our own Christmas delivery adventure. Children could draw a map, plan Santa’s route, and decide how they would deliver presents. On Friday, we’d have a search-and-find challenge.
I like how the creator encourages readers to return to the illustrations and look for a rooster, a snowman, a nutcracker, and a hamster. And buttercup, I have a feeling Charlie would especially enjoy finding that nutcracker. You could even invite Grandma and Grandpa to participate. That’s five days of reading, vocabulary, comprehension, creativity, and family fun from one little book.
I’ve been thinking about giving Santa’s Sleigh Ride to Charlie. I know he’s 19, but we’re talking about having a throwback birthday party filled with things that remind him of his childhood. And what better addition than Where’s Waldo? It doesn’t matter that he’s grown. Childhood memories don’t suddenly disappear when we become adults.
Afterward, we can put the book in our Christmas tote and bring it out each holiday season. I love the idea of having books that become part of our Christmas traditions. Maybe one year Charlie will be the one reading it aloud to someone else. Wouldn’t that be special?
Although we’re including this book in our Christmas Gift Guide, I wouldn’t limit it to boys. Girls can enjoy Where’s Waldo, too! It would make a thoughtful gift for developing readers, homeschool families, elementary school teachers, school librarians, and grandparents who enjoy reading with their grandchildren. And there’s no reason families can’t enjoy a Christmas adventure in July if that’s what they want to read. Reading is a year-round activity.
The suggested retail price printed on our copy is $16.99 in the United States and $23.99 in Canada. Good Lord, have mercy! Books certainly aren’t inexpensive anymore. But I appreciate that this book offers more than a story. Families can return to it for reading practice, vocabulary activities, comprehension questions, and search-and-find fun.
You can also learn more about Candlewick Readers through Candlewick Press.
We also received Where’s Waldo? The Golden Dragon Chase, another Level 4 Candlewick Reader. This time Waldo and his friends travel to China during Chinese New Year, where a golden dragon comes to life! And since David loves dragons, I think he’s going to enjoy that adventure.
I love that Santa’s Sleigh Ride combines a familiar childhood character with reading practice, colorful illustrations, vocabulary activities, and family learning opportunities. For our family, the most important thing isn’t how quickly someone finishes a book. It’s finding a reason to pick it up in the first place. And if Where’s Waldo can help Charlie or David become a little more interested in reading, that’s worth celebrating. Because learning doesn’t stop when school ends, and ten minutes of reading is always a good place to begin.
Grateful • Thankful • Blessed
GreatfulMoments.com — Helping Santa Load the Sleigh, One Gift at a Time
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
