How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?

Just in time for Christmas, Candlewick Press has released a fun new book exploring some of the great mysteries of the holiday season. In the book, How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?, Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen ask the same questions children all over the world have been asking for centuries.

The illustrator and the author have both included liberal amounts of good humour and Christmas cheer in their work. A perfect example of this is Klassen’s illustration of a tattooed Santa sitting in a basement in his love-heart underwear, reading a newspaper while waiting for his soot-covered suit to be laundered. On another page, in his written text, Barnett pokes fun at the idea that nobody knows about keys hidden under flowerpots beside the front door. After all, “nobody is ever, ever supposed to mention the key under the flowerpot.”

Barnett and Klassen have both garnered large and enthusiastic audiences with their extensive and impressive body of work. They have collaborated on several books before now and, presumably, will continue to collaborate. As readers, we can only hope so. When they combine their talents and their senses of humour, the writing and artwork gel wonderfully to create entertaining and enjoyable works.

In How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?, the large sized written text is always presented on a clean, white background. Barnett conveys a conversational tone filled with curiosity and delight. He perfectly captures the wonder of childhood. The words have been carefully selected, leaving room for Klassen’s illustrations to add details.

Klassen’s artwork was created in graphite and ink and was then finished digitally. The illustrations consist of a predominantly brown palette within which the red of Santa’s suit catches the eye. In addition to reflecting the dim light of nighttime, the ink washes add a mysterious, dreamy element to the pictures—perfectly suited to exploration of some of the delightful mysteries of the holiday season.

Does Santa cinch his belt tight to squeeze down the chimney? Does he magically shrink to the size of a mouse? Does he simply enter the front door after locating the hideaway key in the supposedly secret and secure location under the flowerpot (but, remember, “nobody is ever, ever supposed to mention the key under the flowerpot”). Maybe he slips through the pipes and comes out the faucet or flattens himself to slide under the door. Barnett and Klassen give readers much to think about. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? is sure to add to the fun and wonder of the Christmas season.