Don’t trouble Santa Claus
Psichogios Publications | 2017 | Illustrations: Zoe G. Loura
Santa is an old man, carrying a few extra pounds, who works all the time and gets very tired. Still, each and every year he arrives smiling and joyful at each and every home to bring his gifts. However, not all kids appreciate him and, unfortunately, they trouble him a lot…
If you aren’t one of these kids and you really want to help Santa with his job, then do read this hilarious book and follow his advice carefully.
This book is also available in Albanian, Boulgarian and Romanian translation.
Critical Reviews
A holiday book that will fill your heart and soul with beautiful sentiments! The best gift for our children but also for ourselves!
Voula Papatsiflikioti, duende-art.com, 31/12/20
“Undoubtedly, the topic of this book is original: personally, I have never come across such an approach. Christmas and other seasonal books of the two-week holiday period revolve around more or less the same, well-known topics, with only the slightest change each writer comes up with. Makis Tsitas’s idea is admittedly interesting, successful, and it offers children a different perspective on the matter of gifts.”
Niki Salpadimou, Noumas newspaper, February 2018
“A reading pleasure for both young and older readers, a short text carefully composed down to its last word, filled with imagination and humor. Makis Tsitas: children’s fiction is in good hands with him.”
Apostolos Pappos, elniplex.com, 21/12/17
“In a humorous, yet also tender mood, the author offers a number of useful and interesting points of advice to the little ones who are eagerly expecting Santa and his gifts. Sometimes by pointing out negative behaviors, sometimes by focusing on the external characteristics of Santa’s appearance, and sometimes by playing with traditional and rigidly held views and opinions, the author manages to create a very clever and, eventually through its simplicity, multifaceted book, which is a total page-turner and which offers a good laugh to the little readers.”
Eleni Georgostathi, miaforakaienankairoimikrieleni.blogspot.gr, 18/12/17
“Makis Tsitas renews his relationship with young children who believe in fairy tales and, through those fairy tales, tries to offer them sound advice, which, of course, is indirectly addressed to parents as well. After all, with so much experience he knows very well how to handle matters: how to speak to children’s souls, without saying fantastical things, without destroying the myth; he knows how to engage them while taking the opportunity – an opportunity only rarely granted – to also teach children useful lessons.”
Anthoula Daniil, frear.gr, 07/12/17
“One of the most remarkable Greek writers of this generation, Makis Tsitas has produced the funniest children’s book of the season, entitled Don’t Trouble Santa Claus, which includes advice for kids who want to help Santa with carrying out his duties.”
newpost.gr, 06/12/17
“The most tender of Christmas books for children.”
Dina Sarakinou, literature.gr, 04/12/17
“From a stylistic point of view, it is not easy to give advice and directions to someone, without sounding severe, critical or even authoritarian. Tsitas, however, manages to approach the young reader beautifully with his friendly style and humor. In this he is greatly helped by the sweet illustrations of Zoe Loura, with funny images that reflect her rich imagination.”
Ράνια Μπουμπουρή, paidikavivlia.blogspot.gr, 10/11/13
“Can you limit your wish list to the old man who wants to make all your wishes come true? Is it allowed to be rude and ask for somebody else’s misfortune? The author promises to give the answers to all these questions though an imaginative, original, entertaining, and unerringly structured fairy tale, ornamented with Zoe Loura’s illustrations which make this ‘lesson’ a pleasant one.”
Lydia Psaradelli, lydiaexclusives.wordpress.com, 19/01/13
“From his very beginning as a children’s writer, Makis Tsitas has proven himself an excellent teacher, who knows children’s souls inside out and who knows how to educate them as well.”
Anthoula Daniil, Machitis newspaper, 28/12/12
“All this and many more points for everyday use are presented in this educationally and psychologically well-structured book, which also contains wonderful drawings that provide their own dimension and aesthetic to the simple, beautiful, easy to grasp and highly interesting text. A delightful and gorgeous book which, quite simply, offers effortless and cheerful solutions to many of the problems children face in their everyday life.”
Eleni Choreanthi, newsage.gr, 22/12/12
“A thousand different stories have been written about children’s favorite Saint. But this year Makis Tsitas made the difference, for he wrote a delightful book which can be extended to the educational domain, a book in which he details, with a great sense of humor and in the form of a list, his advice to children so that they can avoid troubling Santa, who is so overwhelmed and caught up in his work. So let children believe that Santa exists and that he visits them, keeping, in this way, the myth alive.”
Mariza Ntekastro, Ta Nea newspaper, 21/12/12
“This is a delightful and entertaining book, which pulls both children and adults into the spirit of the holiday season.”
Mariana Koumarianou, kosvoice.gr, 19/12/12
“One of the most talented new writers, who has received several awards, as well as positive reviews for his books, Makis Tsitas has recently offered us a brand-new book with Santa as its central protagonist.”
Panagiotis Skordas, Empros newspaper, 18/12/12
“This is a wonderful book for a child of any age who believes that Santa exists and will always exist…”
Romina Ksida, Proto Thema newspaper, 13/12/12