Reviewed by Molly Martin
The Adventures of Fawn: ‘Til the Last Snowflake Falls
by Al E. Boy
Print Length: 530 pages, October 1, 2014, ASIN: B00NRZO920
The year is 1849, Fawn the young daughter of Santa’s Reindeer of Comet and Vixen, spends her days in the stable as her parents practice for the upcoming reindeer competition. Fawn is bored, bored, bored. She despairs that her parents believe her to be a baby, too young to go out into the world alone, while she wiles away her hours with nothing to do. She just wants some fun and excitement. And she is ready for anything, she thinks, ‘I don’t care how dangerous it is.’
Fawn’s only contacts during the day are The Forgetful Twins, Elves 1 and 2 who at age 30 are quite young for elves. By luck, one day Vixen overhears the twins discussing the passwords to use to exit Santa’s Village and get out into the world where adventure is sure to await. Vixen cannot wait to use the passwords and move out into the world, to make friends, and play and ….
From that beginning we follow this immature youth who is so like many children we all know, not really a baby, but not quite grown up and ready to face whatever may await. We are carried along with Fawn as she does meet Snowboy and Bunny who become her best friends forever, ‘Til the Last Snowflake Falls’.
Chicanery, greed, a desire to capture and sell North Pole inhabitants to a zoo, parental love, friendship, and a little magic all come together to create a memorable and enjoyable tale well worth the reading. For more impact, a number of large illustrations are interspersed with the pages of text. I think middle grade readers who generally still retain some of magic and wonder of Santa will enjoy reading it the most. Parents and grandparents who have refreshed their store of wonder and delight in the magic of the old Christmas tale of elves and reindeer who fly and Santa are also likely to enjoy reading the narrative along with a youngster or two whilst sitting at computer.
On the other hand, I have found from many years teaching K 1 age emergent readers, paper books to hold in the hand, carry home for reading at home with parents and family before tackling the same tale on computer screen has been more readily received.I would really like to see Fawn and her friends developed as a paperback series for the younger set to be used as read as read-to books before they are given the work as an eBook. I have found nothing instills a love for reading quite so much as cuddling with parents and grandparents and listening to the story or sitting on the rug at the end of the classroom day as teacher holds the book and reads aloud the adventures held between the covers of ‘our favorite book.’
Authored by a 40 year mall and store ‘Santa’ Til the Last Snowflake Falls has come about as a result of the questions presented by Little People and the answer ‘Santa’ gave in response to the questions regarding Christmas, and Reindeer, and Elves and the magic of Christmas. I enjoyed ‘Til the Last Snowflake Falls, very much and am happy to recommend for Middle Grade Readers and beyond. Vocabulary used is within the scope of most middle grade students, illustrations are handrawn and colored, and add much to the work . I hope someone reads the book and sees a potential for it to become a Christmas ‘movie’. I think adults and children alike will enjoy it as movie and eBook.
————————————————-
Reviewed by: MOLLY’S REVIEWS
Molly Martin
http://www.AuthorsDen.com/mjhollingshead
http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin
35+ years classroom teacher
————————————————-