Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas
The companion book to Elise Primavera's much-celebratedAuntie Claus,Auntie Claus  and the Key to Christmas, gives Sophie Kringle's younger brother,  Christopher, a turn in the starring role. Finally, Chris will learn the Kringle  family secret--that his great-aunt Auntie Claus, inhabitant of penthouse 25C of  New York City's Bing Cherry Hotel, is Santa Claus's older sister! When Chris  overhears someone say that only babies believe in Santa Claus--and then repeats  the rumor!--he is immediately summoned by Auntie Claus for tea, marmalade cake,  and a talking-to. During teatime he learns of the PRUNES--Parade Rainers United  National Elite Society (people who would dare to say there's no Santa) as well  as the B-B-and-G List (Bad-Boys-and-Girls) that Santa makes each year. Taking it  all with a grain of salt, Chris decides to use the scientific method: he'll  behave so boorishly that he'll get on the List--if he still gets presents, he'll  know it's all a hoax. Sophie attempts to demystify Christmas for him once and  for all, sending him up in a magical elevator to the North Pole where he  discovers (1) he made the List, (2) PRUNES exist, and (3) Santa exists. Sharing some of the smart-alecky humor of Jon Scieszka's Time Warp Trio series  (Ozzie and Pam Spam are on tour promoting their new bookWe're Geniuses and  Yer Not!, for instance), Auntie Claus then dashes the comparison with a  sweet-as-cherry-pie maxim--"the best things are invisible"--which also happens  to be the key to Christmas. Once again the whimsical, grand, richly colored  paintings steal the limelight in this o'er complicated holiday tale. Still,  those enchanted by the firstAuntiewon't want to miss it. (Ages 6 and  older)--Karin Snelson