Hardcover, 224 pages
English language
Published Aug. 17, 1999 by Gramercy.
From the book:Have you heard of the great Forest of Burzee? Nurse used to sing of it when I was a child. She sang of the big tree-trunks, standing close together, with their roots intertwining below the earth and their branches intertwining above it; of their rough coating of bark and queer, gnarled limbs; of the bushy foliage that roofed the entire forest, save where the sunbeams found a path through which to touch the ground in little spots and to cast weird and curious shadows over the mosses, the lichens and the drifts of dried leaves.
This tale of Santa's birth, youth, adulthood and immortality is a delight. But be aware, this tale does not match with common Hollywood & TV presentations of similar topics/materials. No, this much more magical and old-timey. My grandson (age 9) and I enjoyed it immensely.
It's probably not up to par with The Wizard of Oz as far as fanciful storytelling, but what is here is truly an underrated Christmas tale for kids, full of adventure and an unorthodox portrayal of the jolly one to boot.
