The Santa Trap

"Bradley's parents always gave him whatever he demanded, not because they thought he deserved it, but because they were terrified of him." Bradley Bartleby was "born bad," and as a result, he gets socks from Santa every Christmas. Fed up, he spends an entire year turning his parents' mansion into a diabolical trap for the jolly old elf, one that involves dynamite, guillotines, and tigers (an especially grim scene shows Bradley grinning as he holds the disembodied head of a Santa dummy). Bernatene's cinematic mixed-media illustrations work wicked magic with Emmett's darkly comedic prose, as Bradley's plans backfire explosively. An ideal Christmas present for children who prefer Halloween. Ages 6-10. (Oct.)

Gr 2-4--A beastly boy gets his comeuppance, partially due to his own efforts, and partially thanks to that wily old elf, Santa Claus. Bradley Bartleby starts out bad (at birth, he stole the doctor's stethoscope), and gets worse as he gets older. His wealthy, overindulgent, and frankly terrified parents give in to his every whim, but Santa thwarts him every Christmas with a token pair of socks. Bradley plots hideous revenge, but Santa (unseen except in Bradley's imagination through the entire book) gets the last word with his well-considered holiday gift. Bernatene's digital mixed-media illustrations are a perfectly creepy fit to this unusual holiday tale. There's no telling whether or not Santa's intervention will change Bradley's evil ways, and some might find this budding fiend more than a little disturbing, but fans of the Addams Family and Emily the Strange shenanigans might appreciate the dark humor.--Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library