Midwest Book Review
"Santa's Underwear" is a jolly romp in the theme of Christmas (in July, even), specifically in the theme of appropriate Christmas underwear for the chief player, Santa Claus. It is approaching Christmas Eve, and Santa is going through his usual ritual preparation, including bubble bath, healthy dinner, and underwear selection. But wait, there is a serious problem! Santa's favorite worn, holey, red long johns are nowhere to be found. No other underwear will quite do, though Santa tries on some funny ones! All through Santa's pre-show routine, buckets of mischievous elves are sniggering, helping, laughing and kidding him. Santa's valets are a comedy show all their own! There is even a stray reindeer in the underwear closet. But wait, what is the surprise that awaits Santa on his special night? Kids will love this adorably funny Christmas story for all its kooky details and for its underlying message of love. The illustrations add all the joy that can be imagined to this funny holiday tale.


Kirkus Reviews
There's nothing like underwear jokes to get kids giggling, and this funny story focuses on Santa's entire underwear collection and which set he will wear on Christmas Eve.
The cover shows a nearly nude white Santa displaying his rotund belly and a too-small pair of turquoise undies, with two elves laughing hysterically. The story opens on Christmas Eve with Santa eating a healthy dinner, taking a bath, and combing his long, snow-white beard. He is assisted at every step by a crew of cute elves in green and candy-cane-striped suits, his helpers including both elves of color and female elves. (Hurray for elf equality!) Trouble ensues when Santa can't find his favorite set of "old, faded, and saggy" long underwear and finally decides on his green, shamrock-sprinkled long johns. When he opens his closet to put on his red suit, he finds a new set of bright red long underwear, a Christmas gift from his reindeer. Rudolph can be spotted in several illustrations setting up this surprise for Santa. The slight mystery is well-paced, and the different sets of underwear set up some laughter, along with the cavorting elves. Soft-focus illustrations in watercolor and pencil are mostly full-page in size, making this a fine choice for reading aloud to a group.
A troupe of entertaining elves, a jolly Santa, and lots of underwear jokes add up to Christmas chuckles in this engaging story. (Picture book. 3-7)


Publisher's Weekly
On their own, Santa and underwear are generally picture book winners; together, they'll keep kids plenty amused--and hoping their own Christmas gifts don't include much underwear.

★Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus Reviews highly recommend!
★Every Children will be amused by this unique and funny story about Santa .
★Soft-focus illustrations in watercolor and pencil are mostly full-page in size, making this a fine choice for reading aloud to a group.

It's Christmas Eve and Santa is busy getting gussied up for the big night. But when he goes to put on his warm, cozy (holey, ragged) Christmas underwear, they're nowhere to be found! With undies for every occasion, he tries on the rest of his collection. But nothing is quite right. Just when he's about to give up he find a surprise from his considerate team of reindeer. Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!

Marty Kelley was born hundreds and hundreds of years ago in Manchester, NH. He is currently a children's author and illustrator but has, in the past, been a second grade teacher, a baker, a cartoonist, a newspaper art director, a drummer in a heavy metal band, a balloon delivery guy, an animator, and lots of other things. He'll probably continue writing and illustrating children's books for many years to come because there are few other jobs where being able to paint a perfect booger-bubble is an actual job

Marty Rhodes Figley grew up in Missouri and now lives in Virginia with her husband and Samoyed pup. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College where she earned a bachelor's degree in American Studies. Besides writing for kids she enjoys making pies and playing the guitar.