LitPick Review
The Girl Who Saved Christmas begins in Elfhelm, a little village at the North Pole. Santa Claus is visiting the toy workshop to see how things are going, when suddenly, he feels a slight shake. He doesn't think much of it, but little does he know a big surprise is in store for Elfhelm. Meanwhile in London, Amelia Wishart is losing hope as her mother is dying. When her mother finally dies, she becomes the property of Mr. Creeper, a cruel man who owns a workhouse in London. She is forced to work 8 hours a day for a year. Jumping back to Elfhelm, we learn that it is under attack and Santa has to save the day by renewing the hope of both Amelia and the elves. What can Amelia do that could possibly help Santa and his elves? Read the book and find out!
Opinion:
The Girl Who Saved Christmas was creatively written by Matt Haig. I loved how the chapters alternated between Santa and Amelia until their stories came together. I also liked how Amelia had many adventures in the workhouse, such as when she tried to escape out a window. However, there were a few aspects of the book that I thought could be left out or changed. I didn't like how the trolls became gruesome at one point in the story. Secondly, there was an aspect of romance that I believe is unnecessary for this reading level. Lastly, the aspect of hope is given too much power. Restoring hope and love at Christmas and in Santa is a good Christmas tale, but to say that hope can bring the dead back to life goes too far. I enjoyed this book overall, but those parts were things that make me hesitate recommending it to my close friends. Even though some of the details in this book weren't to my particular liking, I think in general this book is a suitable read for kids 8-12.
