The Joy family are spending their last Christmas at the old house before they move house, and they want everything to be perfect. Max, the oldest one, is getting to the age where he does not believe in Santa, and hatches a plan to trap Santa and prove it is really his parents. His parents overhear, and hatch their own scheme.

This appears to be a scanned paperback – at least it is in two facing-page columns and has a space for children to write their name in the front. The text is large, rounded, and easy to read, even though it is embedded on the page and can’t be easily enlarged.

The only real problem is that it doesn’t load on older readers. However it does run on Kindle Cloud reader and Kindle desktop, so if you can access Amazon, you should have a way to read this.

And all complaints were forgotten when I reached page one and saw the wonderful illustrations. The use of digital shading really adds depth, and the pictures are likely to hold children too young to read spellbound.

The story is not written in rhyme, but in short sentences that are easy for children to read – or to follow if they are being read to. The punctuation and grammar are dead on, and I didn’t spot a single spelling error. Adults may give a shudder when it refers to “stapling fairy lights”. Electrical wires, staples, and children are not a good mix, and little minds really don’t need the encouragement!

The story treads that fine and near-impossible line where it is good for kids of all ages, those that believe in Santa and those that don’t – and the parents will like it too!

Five stars for this lovely Christmas tale with a laugh-out-loud – and heartwarming – ending.