Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
by Frank Baum | Grades 3-6 | Lexile 480
Frank Baum's Life and Adventures of Santa Claus was first published in 1902, two years after his Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Drawing on the attributes of Santa Claus from Clement Moore's 1822 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (The Night Before Christmas), Baum chronicles Santa's life from his childhood in an enchanted forest--the same forest that is the source of all magic in the land of Oz--to his destiny of sharing gifts and spreading love to his fellow man. Along the way we witness him making his first toys, discover the origins of the Christmas tree and Christmas stockings, and learn the stories behind many Christmas secrets, like why Santa slides down chimneys, how he picks his reindeer, and how he delivers all his toys in one night.