How to Catch a Reindeer

How to Catch a

by Alice Walstead, Andy Elkerton (illustrator)

Children attempt to catch Santa's reindeer Comet as Santa delivers presents to their neighborhood on Christmas Eve. Includes information about reindeer.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Kids

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for my toddler's bedtime. This story definitely has some fun traps to catch a reindeer. I believe the view is from a reindeer communicating to readers. There's a bit of interactive to reading this story when the reindeer started the song starting with Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen and asking readers who's the next Reindeer. The illustrations are fun to look at. Although the kids were trying to trap the reindeers, the reindeers looked like they had a lot of fun and they sounded smart not to fall for the clever traps!

Thank you Sourcebooks Kids for the opportunity to read and review!

[SKP · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This book lost me at the very beginning when it was implied that Christmas and Santa and reindeer have been around since the Stone Age. Since Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, and I am pretty sure Jesus was born after the cavemen days… well, I think they are a little confused. The rest of the book was not a lot better in my opinion. There are many, many Christmas books for children out there that are far better than this one.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the story is cute but but I think the rhyming words were a bit off so it was difficult to read the story aloud with my son. I had to read and re-read it to properly understand it. Overall, it's a fun series that most kids would enjoy.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda...stupid....?

[Sarie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The imagery is amazing. The storyline is great. This is an excellent choice for parents searching for holiday reads for small kids.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this cute book we follow Comet (yes, one of the reindeer) as she explores a neighbourhood. Will the kids catch her?


I just LOVE LOVE Christmas picture books, they are the best. I mean, I love other books as well, but there is just something extra magic about picture books. Beautiful illustrations. Lovely rhymes. Or just a fun way to tell the story!

In this one I loved that we followed Comet. Quite often when we follow a reindeer it is Rudolf. But not this time! While Santa is delivering all the presents (and getting a bit stuck at times in chimneys (Santa maybe you should just not eat all the cookies)) we see the reindeer are waiting on the roof for him to come back. And Comet especially is curious about the humans. Because kids are lovely but they are also setting traps! Yep. These kids are not waiting at home for Santa to arrive and get some nice presents, oh no, these kids are setting some hilarious (and fantastic) traps with food like moss and carrots. They want to catch a reindeer! I had fun seeing if any of the reindeer would fall for it. I mean, if there is an especially enticing treat? Would they be able to resist? I loved that the kids kept trying and that they never gave up. It definitely made me laugh. And I loved that Comet gave comments or checked out the traps (but never too close of course).

Santa is sure taking a long time, I mean, almost all of these traps and tries take place at the same house. Santa really needs to get a move on, because at this pace? He is definitely not going to make it to everyone, even if he is magic. XD

The ending made me smile, now I want to be there next year!

I love that this one rhymed, it made things quite cute and fun.

And I also liked the illustrations. Loved how the reindeer were drawn, very much more like reindeer than I see them being drawn like in other picture books. I loved that you could see the differences between the reindeer. Plus, I had a laugh at that one reindeer that was drinking hot chocolate while waiting for Santa.

All in all, if you want a funny book about Santa Claus and want to see the traps these kids make and of course find out if one of the reindeer fall for it, I would recommend it!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun book in this series. Comet avoids the reindeer traps with ease as he plays with them and has a wonderful time dancing and partying on Christmas Eve.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute concept, focusing specifically on Comet the reindeer for a rhyming adventure having fun with children trying to catch Santa and/or the reindeer during the Christmas season. Well, I mean, that's a little WEIRD, because what would the children do if their traps actually WORKED? I feel like Santa wouldn't appreciate that very much and put them on the wrong "list"!

The art is adorable, and it also briefly has Comet imagine/remember? times in history when prehistoric humans and medieval princesses celebrated Christmas, which is a funny idea and definitely not regularly explored territory. The last page also has reindeer facts as a bonus, so it's not JUST another "buy this book as a general Christmas present to the young reader in your life because you otherwise don't know what they want at all" gift, I guess.

The one main problem I have is sometimes the poem changes stanza length, which is a personal peeve. I get that poetry doesn't have to have the same rules through the whole thing, but it feels "off" to me having, say, a sonnet that suddenly goes from ten syllables per line to suddenly having twenty-five each in the last two. Personal preference.

Recommended for last-minute Christmas shoppers, haha.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another rhyming Christmas book in the How to Catch series. This time the children are trying to catch a reindeer. Told from Comet's point of view, the reindeer easily avoid a number of traps set in various places like a candy cane maze with a variety of treats like carrots and moss. Although the rhyming is at times uneven and it may be confusing to young readers that the children setting the traps have seen Santa and his reindeer, fans of the series will enjoy seeing the traps and the general mayhem that they cause on Christmas Eve.

"Now I've already seen the shelf with the elf
and that blue truck loaded with trees.
I've even seen a green Santa so mean!
Tonight, I'll explore as I please.

I've heard that some kids are setting up traps
to catch an elf or maybe Santa Claus.
If you think offering some carrots will work,
I promise I won't even pause."

[Jillian]

No Rating

Read as an e-book

I'm on it with the reindeer books this month. How to Catch a Reindeer follows Comet as she dodges the traps of children on Christmas Eve while Santa is dropping off presents. The author incorporated some real-life facts about reindeer, such as what they like to eat and the sort of environment they live in. My favorite trap is the stuff bunny on top of frosting. And I love how the reindeer also include their instagram.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adam Wallace started this series and now Alice Walstead is writing in the series. I didn't think this stood up as well to the original.

In this story, we follow Comet on Christmas Eve night as children try and trap Comet. Comet is too clever to fall for those tricks.

The story isn't a whole lot different from the other 'How to Catch' books. The gag is sort of old now anyway. It's fine and kids will probably enjoy the book anyway.

For me, Ehh.

[Manda Marigold · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars. This book tells the silly story of children trying to catch a reindeer from Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The children tried setting various traps using food and festive decorations but to no avail. Eventually, the reindeer leaves, but she promises to let the children attempt to catch her again next year. Overall, This goofy story is a pleasurable Christmas-worthy read with adorable illustrations. I enjoyed that the book was told from Comet's perspective

[Jocelyn Boop]

Why I chose this book:
I chose this book because it’s a fun story about Christmas.

What I liked about the book:
I liked this book because it’s told from Comet’s perspective and it has colorful illustrations.

How I would use this book in a future classroom:
I would use this book when during a unit about how people celebrate holidays.

[Joy Shak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute rhymes, but not much else.

[Jessica Ney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute!

[Susan ...relish every word!!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo cute!!! My students loved the book…and I was able to introduce them to learning all of the reindeer names…so much fun at Christmas time in my classroom!!!

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Youtube

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute kids book I got for my nephew. Another random Xmas story, but at least this has it from the Reindeer perspective, and not from Rudolph for once.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book like the rest of the series

[crίѕтίŋα•●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●• · Rating 4 out of 5]

🦌🦌🦌🎅🏼

“It's Christmas Eve! That's right, Santa's back!
He's here with the whole REINDEER team.
There are presents and stockings and candy canes, and Christihas trees all agleam.”

[Cathie McReynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute! Read it to the kids and they loved it! I liked the POV.

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 stars for the rhythm, it’s okay but didn’t hod attention of the 3 year old.