The Legend of Holly Claus (Julie Andrews Collection)

santa Claus Is The King Of Forever, Land Of The Immortals. When One Special Boy Writes To Santa Asking What No Other Child Has Ever Asked, A Miracle Occurs: Santa And Mrs. Claus Are Blessed With A Daughter. But The Birth Of Holly Claus Also Brings About A Terrible Curse—from An Evil Soul Named Herrikhan. Holly's Heart Is Frozen, And The Gates To Forever Are Locked, Barring Exit Or Entry.

as She Grows Into A Beautiful And Selfless Young Woman, Holly Longs To Break The Spell That Holds Her People Hostage. With Four Faithful And Magical Animal Friends, She Escapes To The Wondrous World Of Victorian New York, Where She Will Face Countless Dangers, Adventures, And A Miracle All Her Own.

publishers Weekly

in Florid Prose, First-time Author Ryan Expands The Santa Claus Mythos With This Meandering Novel. In 1878 New York City, 10-year-old Christopher Writes A Letter Asking Santa What He Wants For Christmas-something No One Has Ever Done Before. Saint Nick Realizes That He, The King Of Forever, The Land Of The Immortals, Wants A Child Of His Own, And Soon Holly Claus Is Born. Ryan Borrows From Christian Allegory And Fairytale. The Evil Warlock Herrikhan, For Instance, Is Condemned To Odyl, The Fortress That Sweats Beneath The Earth In Its Bed Of Molten Fire. The Only Way To Break His Curse Is To Possess The Purest And Most Compassionate Heart Ever Born. That Heart, Of Course, Belongs To Holly. Herrikhan Turns The Baby's Heart To Ice, Necessitating That She Be Kept Cold Or Die. The Book's First Half Follows Holly Growing Up In Her Frozen Wonderland Within The Land Of The Immortals, And Her Relationship With Tundra, A Noble Wolf. In The Second Half, Holly And Tundra And A Team Of Reindeer Set Off For New York City, Shortly Before Christmas; It Is Now 1896 And Herrikhan Awaits. Holly Eventually Meets (and Falls In Love With) Christopher, Now A Man-but He No Longer Believes. Gaps In Logic May Trouble Fantasy Fans (e.g., Why Does Tundra's Partner Lose Her Immortality Just Because She Fell Outside Forever, Even Though St. Nick Comes And Goes Without Losing His?) And Readers May Feel Gypped By The Quick Showdown Between Holly And Herrikhan After The Book-long Buildup. But Those Searching For A Lush And Leisurely Yuletide Read May Not Mind The Flaws. Long's Intricate Pen-and-inks Add To The Gifty Package. Ages 9-up. (oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.