| Title | : | Real Santa |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1938467949 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781938467943 |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 235 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2014 |
Real Santa Reviews
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I love feel good holiday stories. In fact, in the couple of months leading up to December, I begin collecting them, whether they are just really interesting ones I find on Amazon (or in my local bookstore), or they are read 2 reviews offered to me.
This one was offered to me ... and I wasn't so sure about it at first. The idea of the story sounds awesome - I mean, who doesn't want the children in their lives to stay young and believe as long as they can? (I have beautiful twin nieces that I wish were still the little ones who read stories with me.) This book turned out better than I had expected - if you're looking for a feel good, this one is a good choice - but there were a few characters that I didn't care for, that "over-acted" their positions. My two favorite characters were Josh and Megan - they are my kinds of children, always curious and wanting to know more, still believing, but at the same time needing proof. My least favorite character was their teacher.
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. -
Just how far would you go to keep your daughter’s belief in Santa Claus alive for just a little while longer? Would you … be willing to become the town laughing stock? Put your family’s finances in jeopardy? Take a chance on alienating the rest of your family? Risk your life? George Kronenfeldt does all those things, and more.
When George’s 9-year-old daughter Megan comes home from school and announces that her fourth grade teacher has denounced Santa Claus during a discussion on Global Warming George decides to take matters into his own hands. Marching off to school to confront the teacher turns into a shoving match and George vows to keep Megan’s belief in Santa alive for at least one more year. He is determined that having ruined his relationship with his children from his first marriage this time he will be a better parent. He will use his expertise as an engineer and manufacture a Christmas Eve visit from Santa that Megan will never forget. One that she can videotape and show her friends … and Santa will stay alive in their lives for one more year … even if he has to be the “real Santa”.
All the nay-sayers will cannot deter him from his mission as he hires a filmmaker to help with special effects, rents nine flatulent reindeer and a sleigh to perch on his roof, a contractor to expand his chimney and a couple of mountain climbers to help him up and down that same chimney. Soon enough he begins to have his own doubts about his scheme, but he has reached the point of no return and plods forth. Does Megan get her video of Santa’s visit? In the end … no, I won’t give it away! Suffice it to say that I do not think it was by accident that George Kronenfeldt shares his name with that other iconic George of “It’s a Wonderful Life” fame.
This book was a wonderful Christmas read. George is a loveable loser just trying to do his best when everyone in his life doubts him. This book has everything you could want in a Christmas read; a little history about Santa Claus, a lot of humor, many touching moments, some suspense and great characters. Megan’s teacher is the perfect villianess in this book – over the top, set in her ways, crotchety, bitter and determined to stop George at all costs. Throw in the next-door neighbor with the ugly seasonal inflatables (a tank?) on his lawn, the long suffering wife who decides she’s finally had enough, the vengeful ex-wife and his two slightly neglected children from his first marriage and you have almost the entire cast for this perfect Christmas farce.
I’m going to rate this Christmas read at 4 Christmas trees. There were a few sections that seemed to go on just a little bit too long and I could have done with less of the film director but don’t let that stop you from picking this book up if you are looking for a Christmas read. Yes – you will have to suspend reality, take a few things on faith and give in to the spirit of Christmas, but that won’t be so hard to do as you cheer for George right to the end.
I could certainly see this being made into a Christmas movie … I’d watch it.
* I received a copy of this ebook at no charge from the publisher, Koehler Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review * -
Have you ever wished you could turn back the clock or just stop and freeze a special moment in time forever? George Kroenfeldt is a fifty year old unemployed engineer who wants to make his youngest child Megan (she is nine) continue to believe there is a real “Santa Claus” and is willing to do almost anything to make that happen.
George was not the greatest father to his two older children Jamie and Jeremy but he is trying to keep Megan’s belief in Santa alive so that she can still dream. To make this dream something that Megan can actually see and videotape is going to cost lots of money and much planning and coordination from many people who will be involved in the final act of getting George on the roof with nine reindeer so that his daughter can still believe in Santa.
It is kind of heartwarming to think of what George is willing to do to make this dream a reality and it will put a strain on his marriage, cruel comments from Meghan’s teachers and his older children who are resentful of what there dad is willing to do for there stepsister but yet never did for them.
You will find yourself cheering and hoping that George can prove all these older and somewhat uncaring people alive and show even some of the older people that there really is a Santa Claus. The only problem is will it cost George his lifesaving's and possibly his marriage and the resentful feeling his older children have towards him making this dream actually happen.
For all you nonbelievers out there this book is a must? It can be per-ordered so great for a holiday gift -
We expect feel-good books at Christmas. No one wants to read a downer of a story. Heck, even A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens has a happy ending. So does REAL SANTA by William Hazelgrove.
Take one father who wasn't much of a father beyond being a good provider in his first marriage. Add a second marriage with a young girl who desperately wants to keep believing in the magic of Santa. Add losing a job just before Christmas. And stir in one man's desire to keep the Santa myth alive for at least one more year. And that is REAL SANTA.
Hazelgrove takes the reader back to the intersection of childhood when we could believe in magic and to growing up and out of the wonder of such magic. George decides he can really be Santa for one night. He nearly bankrupts the family trying to fulfill a promise to a child.
With the help of a cast of zany characters, including a frustrated Australian film director who turns the idea into a full-fledged production and a man who raises and leases reindeer. George works night and day to put together the pieces of getting live reindeer up onto his roof and him down the chimney.
The story stands on its own and belongs on the shelf of Christmas stories for decades to come.
I won't be a spoiler, but it does have a happy ending. -
I chose to read Real Santa because of the summary of the book. It sounded like something that I would enjoy reading, and it was about Santa Clause. Real Santa is the first book that I have read by William Hazelgrove.
There is two weeks til Christmas and George was just fired from his job building bridges. Looking at the bright side of things, George looks at this as time he can spend with his daughter Megan. After being fired George arrives home, and discovers Megan is upset because her teacher, Mrs Worthington, said that Santa is not real, and that could not survive the harsh conditions of the North Pole, and it was to cold for him to possibly build his workshop there.
Megan looks to her father for answers. She asked him if Santa was real, and he of course says yes. So Megan ask her farther permission to stay up Christmas Eve and record Santa, so she can put the video on YouTube and everyone will know once and for all that Santa Claus is real! Her father agrees to let her stay up on Christmas Eve and record Santa.
George is bound and determined that his little girl with not have her hopes squashed. When he was a boy his own father told him that Santa was not real, and George told his own son that Santa wasn't real. He was not going to make the same mistake with Megan. So starts the plan to be Santa Clause for Megan.
George takes a $50,000 line of credit out on his house, he draws up plans for his roof and what needs to be done so it will support the weight of a sled, and 9 reindeer. He hires a movie producer, rents 9 real reindeer, a sled, purchases a Santa suit, rents a smoke machine, a digital projector, and other equipment. Before it's over George ends up spending $80,000 on his quest to make the 'Real Santa'. Everyone tells George he is crazy, and his wife threatens to leave him, but he doesn't stop.
Now, while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't what I thought it would be. I thought there would be more humor, and lightheartedness. Instead it was mostly planning, family strife. While believing in Santa Claus when I was little, and when my kids were little is a magical feeling. Spending $80,000 on a rouse to make your child believe in Santa Claus is insane. I found that part of the story to be unrealistic. Who would actually do that?
This story is also about George's relationship with his children from his first wife. It is not a good relationship, and they feel that George tossed them aside for his new wife and daughter. I liked how their relationship played out. I can see this book as a Lifetime Movie. While I would not read this book again, I would watch the movie (if ever there is one).
Language Warning- There is quite a bit of cursing sprinkled throughout this book, but nothing that is vulgar.
*I was given an ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. -
I'm not one for Christmas stories, but as a parent I was intrigued but the idea of a dad desperately trying to persuade his child that Santa exists by going the whole hog and pretending to be him on Christmas Eve, reindeer, sleigh, costume, chimney and all.
George Kronenfeldt is an engineer, one who loses his job two weeks before Christmas for not being able to work well with others. His nine-year-old daughter Megan is just at the point of giving up in her beliefs regarding Santa Claus (mostly due to her bitter, about-to-retire teacher). After failing badly to cope with this situation by the two children from his first marriage, the engineer with time in his hands decides he's going to plan out a Christmas Eve where Megan will film the Real Santa and keep her childhood dream alive a little longer. Will his bank balance and second marriage survive this insane project? can he pull it off?
It all starts fairly sensibly, with engineer-like plans, schemes and lists. But as real (defecating) reindeer, a movie director and special effects and a towering pair of ramps become part of the plan, the insanity of George's plan becomes clear. And yet - what wouldn't you do for your own children?
I had a lot of fun reading this in the weeks before Christmas. George is a bit of an eccentric, but I liked the history we learned about his previous marriage and kids (even if the daughter is absolutely foul). Megan needed more screentime, a great young scientific brain who is the catalyst for the book but doesn't get quite enough to say. her evil teacher is great, screen villain with her own messed-up memories guiding her judgements.
The idea fuels the book. It's not going to win literary awards but it is a great look at parenting, belief, and how our childhoods can affect our adult lives.
I loved seeing George's plans come together and just had to see how it turned out, if Megan filmed her dad and didn't realise, if the reindeer broke the roof, if George made it down the chimney.
Great idea and the ending, while a little convenient, suits the material pretty well. I can guess that this has been written with a mind to turn it into a film (there is self-referential material here pointing that way) and it would actually make a fantastic seasonal and heart-warming comedy.
It did make me think about how I'm going to cope when my son reaches the stage of doubt, both how I'll feel about that magic period being over and how we will broach it. But I don't think I'll do a George!
Review of a NetGalley e-copy. -
I received a copy of this book from
eBooks for Review in exchange for an honest review.
While the premise of the book sounded promising, the execution of it was less than stellar. I wanted to read a nice Christmas book during the holidays, and this one seemed like it would be perfect. It sounded like a sweet, feel-good novel about a man trying to keep his daughter's belief in Santa Claus alive. And while that is what the book is about, it was just so far-fetched that none of it seemed plausible. I feel like a Scrooge for rating this so low, especially after seeing all the wonderful reviews it has received on Goodreads, but sometimes a book just isn't a good fit for every reader.
George Kronenfeldt loses his job two weeks before Christmas, and then finds out that his 9-year old daughter is doubting the existence of Santa Claus. Since he now has a lot of free time, he decides that he'll do whatever he has to do to ensure that she doesn't stop believing. This includes dressing up as Santa and actually climbing up on the roof with a sleigh and live reindeer on Christmas Eve. While I can definitely appreciate wanting to do everything you can for your children, the length to which George takes it is just a little extreme. It seemed very unrealistic that a man who has recently lost his job would spend every bit of his savings and take out a loan just to make his daughter believe in Santa. $60,000 is quite a bit of money, especially when you're currently unemployed. Surely there was a cheaper way to try to keep Megan's belief alive.
Also, all of the characters seemed to be melodramatic, especially Megan's teacher, who absolutely hates Christmas and Santa Claus. We've all had that teacher who was just a little too "mean", but I never had a teacher so determined to make kids stop believing in Santa. While I understand that novels need a "villain", she was just a little too over-the-top for me.
I know it sounds like I hated the book, but it wasn't all bad. As I said, I do understand wanting to do whatever you can to make your children happy, so the point of the story isn't unrealistic. There were also a few funny moments throughout the book, and the ending was a bit touching, if a little rushed. -
“Here’s my chance to do something good. I want to do something I can believe in.”
Genre: Holiday Fiction.
Number of Pages: 244.
Perspective: Third.
Location: U.S.
Real Santa follows a man, George, who devises an elaborate plan to make his young daughter still believe in Santa. The plans involve a movie producer, real reindeer, home renovations, and almost $100,000 in expenses. What is the belief in Santa for a few more years worth?
I really liked the idea of this book more than I actually enjoyed the book itself. I liked all the quirky characters and that each had a reason to hate Christmas, which increased their need for some Christmas magic. And I liked the idea that a dad would try to preserve his child’s belief in Santa. The happenings in the book are a little ridiculous, which sort of adds to the fun. However, the daughter is supposed to be incredibly smart and gifted, yet she doesn’t notice her chimney being widened or the strange people that have been coming by leading up to Christmas. I just think she would have caught on. I also didn’t appreciate the stereotypical accents and how the author typed them out. [Do we really need “ja” and “mate” in every other sentence from the foreign characters?]
I also felt like this book just needed a bit more editing. There was one part where a character revealed something about themselves to “Santa”. A page later the Santa states that they know about that fact and the character acts all surprised and asks, “How did you know that?” Well. You just told him. Obviously, that was a mistake that slipped through the editing process. There were also quite a few typos [I have to note, though, that almost every book, even best sellers, have at least one typo]. I also didn’t feel like George needed to retell his reasoning behind going through all this hassle to literally every person he meets in the entire story. It just got to be too redundant.
But, hey, it’s pretty hard to hate a story about Christmas!
To read the rest of my review, go here:
http://judgingmorethanjustthecover.bl... -
Real Santa is a lighthearted modern Christmas story that will easily put the reader into the holiday spirit. Author William Hazelgrove weaves a delightful tale that follows unemployed engineer George Kronenfeldt as he goes to great lengths to keep the Spirit of Christmas alive by proving that Santa Claus is real to his nine year old daughter Megan, who has begun to doubt his existence.
The author weaves a touching story of one father's passion to keep the innocence, tradition, magic, and spirit of the holiday alive for his daughter. This story lovingly embraces the reader and takes them along for the ride as George's mission to become the "Real Santa Claus" is filled with drama and humor. You can't help but get caught up in the excitement as the story unfolds, and it has such a wonderful holiday message that will resonate with you for a long time. Real Santa is a heartwarming Christmas story that will make you laugh and put a smile on your face. I could easily see this story being made into a Hallmark Channel holiday movie.
Real Santa is such a fun holiday-themed story that embraces the wonder and spirit of the holiday season, it could easily become an annual Christmas tradition that your family would enjoy.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher / author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by I Am A Read Book Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot... -
When I first started this book, it did not catch my attention, but I forced myself to read it. A few chapters in I became hooked, laughed out loud (which rarely happens) and then I could not put it down!
Every adult wishes to hold onto a child's belief in Santa as long as possible! I know with my oldest he did not seem to care, but my youngest asked me last year at 12 and I told him the truth! It broke his heart!
This is a truly Christmas classic that should be made into a movie! A father who had his Christmas ruined, failed with 2 kids now wishes to hold out and give his 9 year old a memory to remember! What he did most people would not, but those of us reading it, all feel in love with the idea and the character.
This is a truly memorable story and if a movie I would be one of those first in line to see George put 9 reindeer on the roof! -
I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. At some point we all find out Santa Claus is a parent's job, how is different for everyone. George decides to do the most extreme thing possible and become Santa for his youngest daughter. She wants to see Santa arrive with reindeer on the roof and see him come down the chimney, his plan is genius. Having screwed up his first marriage and having his oldest kids despise him George needed to prove something to his youngest. His actions are crazy and unbelievable but his seriousness makes you root for his success. This was a truly enjoyable heartfelt Christmas story. Thank you to Netgalley for my review copy.
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such a great holiday book. cute beginning, didn't like the ending as much as the introduction but a good read if you are looking for something light and inspirational before the holidays... save and read in December :)
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I enjoy reading Christmas stories. It is part of my Christmas tradition and brightens my Christmas season. I loved the commitment this dad showed his daughter. His desire to keep magic alive for her was touching.
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A fun read. Explores the outrageous lengths a dad is willing to go to for his kids.
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Adorable! 🎄🎅🎄🎅
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DNF
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KIRKUS REVIEW
In a fit of inspired insanity, a laid-off suburban father decides to prove to his 9-year-old daughter that there really is a Santa Claus. Never doubt the determination of a mad scientist and his plans. In this sixth novel from prolific writer and blogger Hazelgrove (The Pitcher, 2013, etc.), the author marries the everyday dramas found in the novels of Tom Perrotta and Nick Hornby to the high camp of Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry. His protagonist is an aging engineer named George Krononfeldt who is promptly laid off from his firm for his increasingly cranky attitude. Simultaneously, his daughter Megan is slowly being poisoned of her belief in Christmas-y myths by her hateful teacher, Mrs. Worthington. “I will kick Santa squarely in the nuts once and for all,” she proclaims during one of her darker moments. Undetermined, George starts sketching out plans to give his daughter—who has inherited her father’s penchant for requiring empirical data to prove a coherent thesis—one more Christmas miracle. “I’m going to be the Real Santa,” George tells his father, whom he enlists in aid of the outlandish project. “I’m going to land a sled on the roof, go up the chimney, go down it, deliver the gifts, and then I’m going to get back in the sled and take off into the sky.” After spending more than $80,000 building a contraption that would rival a NASA launch and engaging the help of his estranged older son and daughter and a slightly mad Santa impersonator named “Kris Kringgle,” George does indeed take to the skies. It’s not as frenetic as Christopher Moore’s The Stupidest Angel or as maudlin as all those holiday staples (read: A Christmas Story), but adults looking for a funny holiday-themed tale that doesn’t lose its sense of wonder in the face of realism will find a treat here. A lovingly crafted comedy about the madness that fatherhood inspires.
BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW
*Starred Review* Real Santa.
By William Hazelgrove.
Oct. 2014. 244p. Koehler, $26.95 (9781940192963); e-book (9781940192598).
First published September 1, 2014 (Booklist).
If somebody doesn’t make a movie out of this book, there’s something wrong with the world. George Kronenfeldt is an engineer who is, again, out of a job (he’s a good engineer but not a good employee)—and this time it’s right around Christmas. Faced with a bleak financial future, George seizes on a new project to keep him occupied: to convince his nine-year-old daughter that Santa is real. That sounds nice enough, until you realize it means Bob intends to dress up in a Santa suit, rent himself some reindeer and a sleigh, build ramps to get them on his roof, hire a movie director to whomp up some special-effects footage of the reindeer and sleigh landing and taking off, and generally tear his house (not to mention his family) apart. This could have been played as an out-and-out slapstick comedy, but instead the author approaches the story like a character study: a portrait of a man with the best intentions in the world watching those intentions collide with reality. It’s a steamroller of a story, starting small, with George’s idea, and getting bigger and bigger as George tries to put the elements together, as his obsession takes him further and further away from reality. Beautifully done. -
- I was sent a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review-
When we first meet him, George Kronenfeldt is having a Very Bad Day. He’s just been fired from his job and might be on the verge of a mental breakdown, and then he comes home to find his fourth grade daughter’s teacher has put doubt in her mind over the existence of Santa Claus. Wanting to keep the magic of Christmas alive for his daughter, he decides to become Santa for her on Christmas Eve-reindeer, chimneys and all.
So begins a thoroughly ridiculous journey where he tries to become Santa-sourcing reindeer, widening the chimney, strengthening the roof and somehow along the way hiring a film crew and blowing a lot of money in the process. George risks his home, his savings and his family to make his little girl’s Christmas special and it’s left to the reader to decide whether he’s just a truly dedicated father or has lost his marbles completely.
I did enjoy Real Santa, the story was silly and lots of fun, but I did feel that there were a few things that let it down as I was reading it.
The characters are overall a miserable bunch-the story is a litany of traumatic childhoods, failed or unhappy marriages and parent issues-everyone has a back story and all of them are disagreeable in some way or other. Also personally I felt the characters were quite unlikeable-Megan (George’s daughter) is a precocious child who really grated on me, George himself is frankly bonkers, and Mrs. Worthington (Megan’s teacher) seems to relish holding power over others and is seemingly fairly “evil” in all she does for the sake of being the villain of the piece. The one that really made me cringe though was Dean; an Australian caricature that was so made of stereotypes that I’m amazed he wasn’t wearing a hat with corks on shouting ‘Crikey!’ whilst wrestling a crocodile. He punctuated every sentence with the word ‘mate’ and was wholly lacking in any kind of subtlety or personality other than that of being an Ozzie.
The writing style was a little strange-there were some odd turns of phrase that cropped up often enough for me to notice them, most frequently “You’re sending us to the poorhouse”. It was like the author only knew one expression for going bankrupt and was determined to use it whenever the subject of money was broached between characters. It just felt quite old fashioned and out of place to me.
I also noticed some sloppy editing that for me really let the whole book down. In one paragraph George removes his glasses, and then does so again a couple of lines later, in another he informs someone that he is an engineer, only to marvel a few sentences later when this person reveals that he knows this about him without George telling him at all. “How did you know that? I didn’t tell you!” Well yes, actually, you did, about a paragraph earlier. It was just clumsy and awkward.
Overall, as I said, I did enjoy the story, but I feel it could be improved by tighter editing and fleshing out the characters to make them more than just their nationality or bad temperedness.
Real Santa was a fun festive read, but for me it just needs a little extra work to make it amazing. -
Perfect for Christmas journeys at risk of delays, cancellation, snowdrifts and other disasters.
George Kronenfeldt’s world starts to fall apart in the opening scenes of the book, and most of the story is about him trying to come to terms with the changes that happen as you go through life, and realising that he’s made a mess of so many things that he really tried so hard to get right. It may not sound uplifting, but what George has got up to, and gets up to, to prove his point to himself, his family and his extended family, is probably something with which we can all relate. It’s just that most of us would not go to these lengths. Really, it’s amazing what he gets up to, not least the expenditure of vast sums of money (once you get past a certain point, you just have to carry on…) I sympathised with his (second) wife – but I desperately wanted him to succeed.
This is a well-paced (on the whole), well observed, and excruciatingly funny book, which had me laughing out loud in public. The absurdity of the situation, and the inevitability of the spiral he finds himself in, keep you reading to see whether it will … oh yes, it has! It’s compulsive reading, and it’s absolutely perfect for a cynical Christmas person like me.
The references to iconic Christmas events, films and other ‘Santapunk’ require that non-US readers either know the main films listed (I know about half of them and I’ve heard of most of the others), and you can pretty much guess other cultural allusions. The key parts of the story transcend borders and apply across many cultures where parents secretly provide gifts to their kids under the guise of a supernatural gift giver, whether Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Santa Claus, or anyone else. I was delighted by the science and logic arguments for and against the existence of Santa. I once went to an event at London’s Science Museum on the same topic, and it was suggested that as the power needed would disturb the earth’s atmosphere, he obviously isn’t at the North Pole, since there is no disturbance there. The South Pole, of course, seems to be affected by an enormous hole in the ozone layer…. If you like those sorts of argument, you’ll like this.
Mr Hazelgrove has mastered the building of tension in what seems to be an unlikely plot. The introduction of baddies in various (and sometimes unlikely) forms; the arrival at a few minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve only half way through the book (time dilation at work); multiple perspectives that both entertain and keep you on your (mental) toes; a dysfunctional family where he gradually comes to realise that he has something more he can do, it all adds up to a hugely enjoyable tale that I really hope gets translated to film.
It’s a rip-roaring book suitable for adults, or at least not for anyone who still believes in Santa Claus – but it leaves you wondering. And it gives you hope – you know that however crazy you sometimes think you are, George is much, much worse – and he’s an okay guy, really. -
This is a modern day, technological version of the "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus"
In today's society with such things as social media, smart phones,Internet , it's hard to keep a young child still believing in Santa Claus
Little 9 year old Meghan has been told by her friends, older siblings & worst of all, her teacher that Santa Claus doesn't exist!! Her teacher asks her how it would be possible for anyone to live at the North Pole? It's too cold!! Also where would they put the building where the elves make the toys? Her friends tell her that parents buy the presents, yet Meghan wants to prove them all wrong by capturing Santa on a video camera
She writes her mom a note explaining all this, telling her she's looked on the Internet to see if there's any pictures of Santa that aren't obviously a man dressed to look like him & couldn't find any She asks permission to stay up that night so she can video Santa. She is doubting the whole process since she's unable to figure how Santa would climb down a chimney, climb back up, also all the letters to Santa--none have a zip code just NORTH POLE so how does he get all the letters. She has many questions & doubts & everybody telling her he doesn't exist, which only makes her want to prove everybody wrong
Meghan's father George , is an engineer. He also just got fired right before Christmas. He's feeling quite "blue" about the whole situation but his boss has told him he's hard to work with anymore, does what he wants & doesn't abide by the company so these are the reasons he's been fired. George is feeling & looking old. Becoming gray haired, a scruffy beard & his second marriage, he's surprised by the firing & in need of something to do now
Now is when George really gets to work!! He reads the letter his daughter wrote and gave to mom so he decides since he's not working anymore, this is the perfect time to help prove to his daughter & all the doubters that Santa Claus really does exist!
I enjoyed the fact this is a holiday story and many ideas for new stories are hard to come by since many have been written covering all areas of Christmas. I always liked the story of the little girl that writes the letter to the newspaper and having it posted "yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus story. I appreciated this was a modernized take on this same theme with the added stresses of modern technology helping to possibly debunk the question. Children today are growing up too fast, too soon. I still prefer the older version of the story but I give the author credit for putting a modern spin on this
Received my copy by "Inspired by Kathy" books in return for an honest review -
In a fit of inspired insanity, a laid-off suburban father decides to prove to his 9-year-old daughter that there really is a Santa Claus. Never doubt the determination of a mad scientist and his plans. In this sixth novel from prolific writer and blogger Hazelgrove (The Pitcher, 2013, etc.), the author marries the everyday dramas found in the novels of Tom Perrotta and Nick Hornby to the high camp of Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry. His protagonist is an aging engineer named George Krononfeldt who is promptly laid off from his firm for his increasingly cranky attitude. Simultaneously, his daughter Megan is slowly being poisoned of her belief in Christmas-y myths by her hateful teacher, Mrs. Worthington. "I will kick Santa squarely in the nuts once and for all," she proclaims during one of her darker moments. Undetermined, George starts sketching out plans to give his daughter—who has inherited her father's penchant for requiring empirical data to prove a coherent thesis—one more Christmas miracle. "I'm going to be the Real Santa," George tells his father, whom he enlists in aid of the outlandish project. "I'm going to land a sled on the roof, go up the chimney, go down it, deliver the gifts, and then I'm going to get back in the sled and take off into the sky." After spending more than $80,000 building a contraption that would rival a NASA launch and engaging the help of his estranged older son and daughter and a slightly mad Santa impersonator named "Kris Kringgle," George does indeed take to the skies. It's not as frenetic as Christopher Moore's The Stupidest Angel or as maudlin as all those holiday staples (read: A Christmas Story), but adults looking for a funny holiday-themed tale that doesn't lose its sense of wonder in the face of realism will find a treat here. A lovingly crafted comedy about the madness that fatherhood inspires.
Kirkus Reviews
Starred Review Booklist
"This could have been played as an out-and-out slapstick comedy, but instead the author approaches the story like a character study: a portrait of a man with the best intentions in the world watching those intentions collide with reality. It's a steamroller of a story, starting small, with George's idea, and getting bigger and bigger as George tries to put the elements together, as his obsession takes him further and further away from reality. Beautifully done."
Starred Review Booklist -
William Hazelgrove's Real Santa is destined to become a new classic Christmas read, it is a light hearted fun read that is a real page turner you just have to find out what happens next... that is full of references to Frank Capra's movies Miracle on 34th Street, It's A Wonderful Life, White Christmas and Yes, Virginia There Is A Santa Claus.
Real Santa is the story of George Kronenfeldt, an engineer who just got fired because his boss says that he cannot work well with the rest of the engineers,so 2 weeks before Christmas he has no job or prospects! When he gets home he hears from his youngest daughter, Meagan 9, that her teacher is saying that there is no such thing as Santa, and so are her classmates and friends!
George Kronenfeldt also intercepts a letter meant for his wife from Meagan asking why there are no pictures on social media or videos on YouTube of Santa.. this is something she intends to rectify on Christmas Eve by staying up and taking a video of Santa coming down the chimney and posting it on YouTube so that everybody knows there really is a Santa!!
To rectify this problem George using his engineering skills is going to help prove that there is a Santa, his schematics for accomplishing the feat are very interesting dealing with all the working problems and solutions involved for instance how to get Santa, his sleigh and 9 reindeer on the roof(with NO red-nosed one) up on the roof of his house without the last reindeer falling off. Also thinking of enlarging the chimney and figuring out how to get Santa to descend/ascend in the chimney that was a fun read as is all this book.. the only problem being that to get the reindeer and other things need, especially getting a director, finally gets Drew an Australian who is so strange and the things he gets up to with George to make this a success for them and Meagan, and for Christmas.
So by spending all his life's saving and more, $80,000 and financial ruin, the loss of his wife and marriage, his reputation and his daughter's belief in Christmas,in Santa.
This is a fast, light hearted book that looks at the flawed character of George Kronenfeldt,and really in all ourselves, who will go to any length to let his daughter belief in Santa and the Christmas magic for a little while longer, this book was a big piece of making this Christmas special,for me and hopefully you too!
4 Stars for Real Santa
I received this copy of Real Santa as a review copy from the author for an honest review -
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and here it is:
I feel it’s only fair to give a little personal information/bias upfront: this is not my usual or typical genre choice of book to read and it does have a certain amount of foul language which is not ordinarily off-putting to me but in the case of this particular book it does not feel in line with the special seasonal spirit I associate with Christmas. **As a personal aside, I love the movies full of hilarious hijinks, like Home Alone for instance, although that is not the genre of book I normally read but do love to watch. I think I would really enjoy this book much more as a movie. **
Deciding how to rate this book was a tad difficult for me. This is the first book I have read by William Hazelgrove and it’s premise seemed like it would be a perfect and light-hearted Christmas read. While I am not a the type of reader that blows through books in a night, this book took me a long time to read. I could not help but feel all through it that it was a movie I was reading, and I could not get lost in the magical-spirit-of-Christmas feeling that I thought this book might evoke.
Possibly I had preconceived expectations, likely the busy-ness of the holiday season made my reading of this a bit sporadic and disjointed (which is why I did not finish reading it until well AFTER Christmas) so it may have been personal reasons that kept me from falling into the story in a way that I love to do, so while I did like this book, I was not invested in it.
It was fun and funny in many respects and very modern in the current-day references to things like youtube, texts, and more recent show titles like iCarly. The many mentions of and references to various other Christmas stories that have been classic or box office hits throughout the years gave it a bit of a nostalgic feel but it was a tad overdone, too much of it made it feel a wee bit gimmicky.
I still love the premise and the overall story of Real Santa and I do hope to watch it one day. -
George Kronenfeldt loses his job just a couple of weeks before Christmas. To make things worse, he finds out that his daughter’s teacher has been telling her class that Santa is not real. He doesn’t want his daughter to lose the magic of Christmas yet. But now Megan says the only way she’ll believe in Santa is if she can video tape him and post the video to YouTube.
George goes to ridiculous lengths to make this happen for his daughter, nearly bankrupting himself and threatening his marriage. Quite a number of unexpected mishaps occur along the way making for a look at the crazy things parents will do to keep their children happy.
I liked that the protagonist was able to reconnect with the children from his previous marriage whose belief in Santa he had destroyed at the same age that Megan was. I liked the growth in George’s character in relation to all of his children throughout the story.
I don’t know much about reindeer, but I appreciated the humour that the author inserted into the story with them. I can just visualize the look of the yard the next day. Oh boy!
I liked the pace of the book. It was neither too fast or too slow. Though the book is about Santa, I would not consider it a children’s book, but would put it at least in the young adult category. There is some mild to moderate profanity in it. Other than that it is quite clean.
Real Santa was a pleasure to read. Anyone who loves stories about family and Christmas should enjoy this book. I gave it a rating of 4 stars out of 5.
Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion is not required. All thoughts are my own.
This review is published on my blog Shelf Full of Books
http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs... -
There's nothing like a great, humorous Christmas story and REAL SANTA certainly fits the criteria. The concept was wonderful and while I found the delivery to be hilarious at times, while warm and light hearted at others, I did find some thoughts a little overboard. Hazelgrove presented a heart- felt Christmas dilemma in a funny, somewhat twisted way. When a child's belief in Santa is doubted, due to one 'worn out" teacher's perspective, her Dad goes on attack mode. He sets out to make sure his daughter holds onto that belief no matter what the cost. And what an expense, not just physically but mentally as well. Unfortunately, it almost cost him his home, his marriage, and his life. The main character George will do whatever he can to keep the magic in Santa, even if it means he has to be THE GREAT MAN himself. His daughter, Megan wants proof by videotaping the REAL SANTA and put it on YOU TUBE! George feels like he has already messed up with two children from a previous marriage and sets out to make sure it doesn't happen again with his 9 year old baby. George’s obsession with creating the magic of the REAL SANTA has him questioning himself; is he going through a midlife crisis or is he at the breaking point of insanity, unable to identify reality. The characters who helped George achieve his plan all had their own reasons for doing so, each having their own story as to how the magic was taken away from them and at what age. Deep feelings and emotions sore as Santa rides through the make shift scene. I'm sure whoever read this book reflected on the day when the idea of NO SANTA was questioned. A sad day indeed. George teaches us to keep that magic alive always in our hearts.
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George Kronenfeldt is one crazy guy. After losing his engineering job, he proceeds headlong into a plan to keep his daughter believing in Santa…even if it means breaking the bank.
Megan Kronenfeldt is her father’s daughter and requires proof of Santa’s existence, so George has agreed to let her videotape Santa to put on YouTube and take back to her class. Her teacher is worse than The Grinch, and all but outright Denied Santa’s existence.
George ropes his father into helping him with his plans, as well as those helping him pull off the show. Things start to exponentially grow and get a little out of control. George and the crew have one shot to get things right for Megan, so he does his research, which brings him face to face with Kris Kringgle…who really thinks he is Santa.
This novel does teeter on the adult side on the language scale, but I believe it to be fitting for the parts it appears. I enjoyed seeing George’s growth throughout the novel, and his budding relationship with his children from his first marriage. His daughter, though, drove me crazy! Such an ungrateful person.
I liked the present-day relationship between George and his dad the best, and George’s relationship with his son Jeremy. Even though Jeremy brings to light some of the differences in George’s relationship to Jeremy/Jaime and Megan, there is still a bridge to be repaired there, and I liked that.
I did start worrying the closer that Christmas approached, especially with that Grinch Mrs. Worthington on her anti-Santa rampage. I enjoyed the humor of the Kronenfeldt so very much. I would definitely recommend Real Santa, if only to make you laugh! -
Megan is 9 years old and has been told by her friends, teacher and older siblings that Santa isn't real. She wants to prove that there really is a Santa Claus by video taping him coming to her house then posting it on You Tube to show the world that Santa exists! When she writes her mom a note explaining everything she wants to do and asks for permission to stay up late so she can video tape Santa's arrival, her father, George, reads it and wants to make her wish come true. George is an engineer who just lost his job so he has the time and knowledge to make "Santa" land his reindeer on the roof and deliver the presents so Megan can tape it. George is willing to do anything in order to have his daughter believe in Santa. His plan does have problems like the astronomical cost, and the strain it puts on his marriage.
The beginning of this story was not happy with George getting fired and had me wondering if I would like this book. As I continued reading I enjoyed this Christmas tale and liked the way it showed there isn't anything a parent won't do for their child. I also liked that George got insight into his own childhood as he was trying to organize the Santa visit for Megan. He knew he could have been a better father to his older children, Jeremy and Jamie, but his never too late attitude was inspiring.
I received a complementary copy of this book by "Inspired by Kathy" in exchange for my honest review. -
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and honestly, I expected better. It’s taken me several weeks to read the story, mostly because I couldn’t get into it. It started off exceptionally slow and though it picked up slightly, I felt like there was too much minutiae. There was just too many details on the small stuff.
The more I think about it, the book would make a fair screenplay for a cable Christmas movie. The details would be more evident onscreen and wouldn’t take so much time from the plot. In theory, the story is a cute Christmas pick-me-up, but for me, it didn’t translate in book format.
There were a few things I liked about the book, which influenced my three star rating. I really liked the way Mrs. Worthington (the teacher) was written. She was believable as a burnt out educator and inadvertent Scrooge. I also liked the dialogue (especially the wisecracks) in the classroom between the teacher and kids. Essentially, this novel is a modernized version of Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.
If you’re in the mood for a Christmas tale, Real Santa certainly fits the bill. Though it’s not perfect, it’s a decent story to share. As for me, I’ll just stick to the classics.
