Kris Kringle and the Great Magic Swindle
Michael Wardner
North Street Book Prize 2025 (view all the winners)
First Prize, Middle Grade
Critique by Jendi Reiter
Michael Wardner's middle-grade novel Kris Kringle and the Great Magic Swindle is a witty romp that will entertain both children and adults. Santa's elves have quit, and the Supreme Council of Sorcery, Witchcraft, and Tricks is about to revoke his magic license. But there's a bigger conspiracy afoot to steal all the magic in the world. With help from trolls, elves, the Easter Bunny, and Ms. Kringle in her airplane, our jolly friend discovers that dividing people into "naughty" and "nice" may be the root of the problem.
I'm the kind of person who deletes all the Christmas romance novel promotions in my inbox every winter. My favorite holiday song is The Pogues' mournful "Fairy Tale of New York". (Okay, so I have been known to dance badly whenever "Jingle Bell Rock" comes on the radio, but come on, it's a bop.) My point being, I'm not a Grinch, but I dread the cliché story beats and sentimentality in most media in the Santa Claus extended universe. What a surprise gift to find such originality and intelligent humor between the covers of Wardner's novel. I feel like that nerdy cartoon mouse in the Rankin-Bass special "Twas the Night Before Christmas" who learns to repent of his skepticism about St. Nick.
The authorial voice is a large part of what makes Great Magic Swindle so great. One hears a real storyteller behind the words, a jovial raconteur holding court before an audience of youngsters who still believe in Santa and older folks who need something unexpected to rekindle their interest in the old tropes. It's a tall-tale-teller's voice reminiscent of Mark Twain or L. Frank Baum (whose books outside the Oz series include The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by the way).
Not to give away the ending, but the book also resolves with an important revelation about how some people become villains because of a childhood marked by judgment instead of love. Mortimer, the wizard antagonist, defends his hostility to Santa thus:
"Had you ever considered how it felt to wake up Christmas morning and find no presents? To be judged? Have you ever considered what that does to a child? To this child?"
"Well, you're right, Mortimer. And I have been very lenient about that—" Santa started.
"Not enough—the damage was done," Mortimer continued. "The bad children knew they were bad. And sure, some of them changed their ways and were on good behavior the next year. But the rest of us knew we were bad—and we had Santa to thank for revealing our true natures." (pages 157-58)
This scene reminded me of St. Paul when he said, "At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead." (Romans 7:9-10, NIV)
The physical book was laid out nicely with a clear font and fun cartoonish illustrations. Their flat style was a throwback to the old animated specials I used to watch during the holidays. In particular, the dandyish Mortimer resembled the naughty magician from "Frosty the Snowman". The interior pages were printed on glossy stock, unusual for this genre, probably to keep the illustrations looking sharp. The downside of this choice is some glare on the page.
The book is fast-paced, but might be on the long side at 186 pages for the age group most likely to believe in Santa. It would be a great read-aloud book for family evenings on those holiday winter nights. My heart definitely grew a size and a half when I read this one.
Read an excerpt from Kris Kringle and the Great Magic Swindle (PDF)
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