posted on 23 Oct 2017

I Killed Father Christmas by Anthony McGowan illustrated by Chris Riddell

It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees, they’re putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace. What Joni Mitchell failed to include in her list of coming Yuletide joy is the first Christmas book of the year to review – so here it is. Anthony McGowan’s new offering for young readers, brought to us by Barrington Stoke and illustrated by Chris Riddell, takes us into a young boy’s Christmas blighted by his  parents arguing over money and his own sense of guilt over the part he has to play in it. Has he, as his father unwisely says during an argument, killed Father Christmas through his greed and avarice?

Determined to set it all right our hero Jo-Jo decides that if he is indeed responsible for killing Father Christmas then it’s down to him to put it right. So pulling together all his old toys, his not-so-good sweets and creating Santa-sacks from his pillowcase he resolves to make sure everyone he knows gets the presents they deserve.

Of course he has to have the right outfit – after all what’s a superhero without the right uniform? His mom’s red coat and black belt will do the trick and all that remains is to deliver his gifts. But how will he do that? Spotting that it’s been snowing outside he decides he launch himself from his bedroom window, expecting the snow to break his fall. To the dismay of his little sister, who watches from the window, he plummets towards the ground – only to fall with a crunch into Santa’s sleigh. What will Jo-Jo learn as he rides with Santa across the rooftops dropping love down the chimneys? And what on earth will become of his own sacks of presents?

There’s some serious stuff here alongside the fantasy. Most importantly, this story may help children understand or at least come to terms with the way their parents argue sometimes just because of the pressures they are under. And, it deals with the guilt children often feel when they think they are responsible for the disharmony in a family – a feeling that will be familiar to a lot of younger readers. But it gets its lessons across in a non-threatening way that will still delight the younger reader.

The book is a lovely size and length for children and there’s a nice design touch too with some truly dreadful groan-worthy Christmas cracker jokes on the front inside card cover and a Christmas maze on the fold-out inside back cover.

And I still haven’t mentioned the work of the master illustrator, Chris Riddell. Where does he get his energy and inspiration from!? His drawings are just perfect for the book as you’d expect and work alongside the story beautifully.

This will make an excellent stocking-filler that I’m sure that parents will end up reading time and again with their children over the holiday period.

Terry Potter

October 2017