Book Review: I Still Believe in Santa

Fiction/Children/Short Story Collection

I Still Believe in Santa

Gerald Conteh

Pre-publication

Although the title suggests it, I Still Believe in Santa, is not a Christmas book about holding on to belief in the charming character that is the representative of joy for the festive holiday season. No, this short story collection for children by Gerald Conteh uses the title to open readers’ minds to the imaginative storylines presented for eight to eleven-year-olds that culminate in life lessons that span the themes of jealousy, selfishness, gang violence, and thrill seeking. The author constructs fantastic scenarios in the twelve stories in this collection that will captivate children.

“Melissa’s Heart” is the story of a five-year-old who is openly envious of her older brother’s spacious room and, as a result, clings selfishly to her abundant personal possessions, packing her small room with them and refusing to donate even items she does not particularly care for to her church. When Melissa has a dream that puts her in an impoverished village in India with a “sister” who does not go to school, spends all day working, and has no toys, Melissa realizes that her life is full and therefore she should be generous to those with less. In “Caitlin & Clara” possessiveness and jealousy are addressed in this tale of two young girls with a volatile friendship. Caitlin is open to befriending all children, regardless of their ethnic background. Clara, who is obviously receiving negative messages about cultural differences from home, becomes jealous and angry when Caitlin plays with Russian and Pakistani immigrants new to their neighborhood. Caitlin’s fear of losing her friendship with Clara is revealed with the help of an invisible pet.

The story that highlights the power of children to impact their own lives is “Timothy the Invincible.” Timothy’s father has been kidnapped by rebels in Nigeria where he was working with an oil company. Ms. M., Timothy’s third grade teacher, sets into play a classroom project that encourages Timothy and his classmates to learn about Nigeria and the political atmosphere that nurtured the trend of kidnapping U. S. workers. Ms. M also advises Timothy to go public with his story.

There are other, heavier topics addressed in this collection including gang violence as well as physical attacks by animals and strange insects that remind one of the Goosebumps stories. Thus, the book would probably be more appropriate for the older, mature end of the eight to eleven-year-old age range. Even so, a younger child reading these stories with a parent could benefit from the messages presented primarily because they will provoke conversation that may not occur without such a catalyst.

I Still Believe in Santa uses fantasy that caters to school-aged children to tackle timely issues. It should spark dialogue between parents and children and serve as a means to close the communications gap on a variety of difficult subjects.

Melissa Levine

For Independent Professional Book Reviewers

www.bookreviewers.org

Reviewer for IP Book Reviewers www.bookreviewers.org

Blog: Woman Free, A Novel http://womanfreeanovel.blogspot.com