Mayday in December is a story in which Santas saves a group of pilots. The story features adoption, indigineous children, and the American military. The book also mentions more difficult subject matter such as radar, auroras, meteor showers, and the subconscious. This story portrays Santa Claus as a real person. Due to the mentions of scientific technology and phenomena and the high paragraph density, I recommend this book for children older than nine, whether or not they believe in Santa.

The digital illustrations depict the cold and lonesome atmosphere of the rural arctic and the vibrant scenes of Santa's workshop, or as the book calls it, industrial complex and set an appropriate tone. However, the art style is on the more amateurish side, with garish color pallettes and a lack of accurate symmetry. I would not be attracted to read this book due to the art.

Thanks to Philip T. Nichols and Victory Editing Co-op for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Story of how Santa had to scale up as world population increased. Explains how a flight that met with severe trouble in the Arctic was rescued by Santa's organization, giving them a tour, allowing them to make wishes - and they made a wish for some very needy native children in a shelter. It's a story that combines history, historical events, historical realities, and the hope and whimsy of ledgend. At the end, the author talks about how Native children were removed from their culture in North American history.

It’s a story that combines fiction, legend, and cultural fiction with nonfictional tragedies, giving a message of hope, in this beautifully-illustrated children’s book. It’s a bit long while introducing several vocabulary words to them. Some are explained, and others will need adult guidance to understand.

5 stars for the creative intertwining historical fiction and tragedy with whimsical legend and fiction, updating that legend to contemporary reality, and giving such an uplifting hope along with it.