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mehsi's review
5.0
A fun and magical story perfect for the Christmas days.
I was hyped that Sibéal Pounder was having a new book, and that this one didn’t feature mermaids or witches (though always give me more of that), but instead a story about two girls and Christmas.
I wrote a good/in the middle/meh review (though most is just perfectly good as I really enjoyed this book).
Good:
-A fun retelling of the Santa Claus(e) story. This time with girls in the lead which made me quite happy! I loved seeing all the puzzle pieces come together and how everything clicked to form one big jolly Christmas puzzle. How Blanche started with her plan to give every kid a present, how the elves started making them, how people thought Claus was a boy, and so on. It was delightfully written along with much more than just Christmas. We get adventure with carts, we get to see London, we see her on a boat, and so much more.
-Blanche. I just love a character who isn’t afraid to follow her own path. And boy, she is dedicated! She never gives up no matter what life throws at her (and it does throw a lot of things at her). Blanche is such a sweet and powerful girl and I was definitely rooting for her all her plans to come true.
-The book itself. The cover (all of it), the inside. It was just so pretty and this will be a great addition to my collection, I may even have to put it on a special place each Christmas as it makes for a perfect Christmas decoration!
-How the reindeer name were selected and how Rudy fulfilled her destiny.
-All the Carols! I just loved them! How some just LOVE LOVED them being all the same, and how others wanted to stand out and be something else. I just loved Blanche’s interactions with them, they made me laugh!
-Finding out who those two men in suits were. I had my suspicions and I was eagerly waiting for things to be revealed.
-Eggnog! That big fella was just adorable and sweet and I was just hoping that he could learn to be a bit less clumsy/a bit less break everything in your path. Because he just wants to be with the Carols. And I don’t blame him. I had so many laughs when Eggnog was involved. Including the one where he was stark naked (no decorations, get it) and rolling in the snow.
I was hyped that Sibéal Pounder was having a new book, and that this one didn’t feature mermaids or witches (though always give me more of that), but instead a story about two girls and Christmas.
I wrote a good/in the middle/meh review (though most is just perfectly good as I really enjoyed this book).
Good:
-A fun retelling of the Santa Claus(e) story. This time with girls in the lead which made me quite happy! I loved seeing all the puzzle pieces come together and how everything clicked to form one big jolly Christmas puzzle. How Blanche started with her plan to give every kid a present, how the elves started making them, how people thought Claus was a boy, and so on. It was delightfully written along with much more than just Christmas. We get adventure with carts, we get to see London, we see her on a boat, and so much more.
-Blanche. I just love a character who isn’t afraid to follow her own path. And boy, she is dedicated! She never gives up no matter what life throws at her (and it does throw a lot of things at her). Blanche is such a sweet and powerful girl and I was definitely rooting for her all her plans to come true.
-The book itself. The cover (all of it), the inside. It was just so pretty and this will be a great addition to my collection, I may even have to put it on a special place each Christmas as it makes for a perfect Christmas decoration!
-How the reindeer name were selected and how Rudy fulfilled her destiny.
-All the Carols! I just loved them! How some just LOVE LOVED them being all the same, and how others wanted to stand out and be something else. I just loved Blanche’s interactions with them, they made me laugh!
-Finding out who those two men in suits were. I had my suspicions and I was eagerly waiting for things to be revealed.
-Eggnog! That big fella was just adorable and sweet and I was just hoping that he could learn to be a bit less clumsy/a bit less break everything in your path. Because he just wants to be with the Carols. And I don’t blame him. I had so many laughs when Eggnog was involved. Including the one where he was stark naked (no decorations, get it) and rolling in the snow.
xvicesx's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was cute and uncomplicated. Blanche and Rinki were very cute, and the idea of elves all living in a place called Carolburg and just waiting for something to do with their magic was endearing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Confinement, and Bullying
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
booknerdjo's review
4.0
I read this book to my daughter last year, and I chose it for the first book of my new school book group so thought I would re-read it.
It's a Santa Claus origin story with a twist - the man in red is actually a girl!
It is such a clever story, and I love the way that Blanche (the real Santa Claus) is determined to show the world what girls can do, but still somehow the world believes that Santa is an old man with a white beard!
It is a story of friendship, a celebration of difference, a big helping of Girl Power and lots of mince pies!
A perfect festive middle-grade read!
It's a Santa Claus origin story with a twist - the man in red is actually a girl!
It is such a clever story, and I love the way that Blanche (the real Santa Claus) is determined to show the world what girls can do, but still somehow the world believes that Santa is an old man with a white beard!
It is a story of friendship, a celebration of difference, a big helping of Girl Power and lots of mince pies!
A perfect festive middle-grade read!
alongreader's review
4.0
What a cute story! I loved all the little nods and winks to different parts of the Santa legend. The story itself is genius, really clever.
The characters are fantastic; I can't pick a favourite, but it might be Carol, or Carol, or Rudy...no, I really can't. I loved the descriptions, too. Rinki's clothes are wonderful. I love the descriptions, too, so colourful and detailed.
I love the illustrations, they really add to the whole story. This is going to be a great seller this Christmas, kids will really enjoy it. And I think a few letters will be signed to Blanche instead of Santa!
The characters are fantastic; I can't pick a favourite, but it might be Carol, or Carol, or Rudy...no, I really can't. I loved the descriptions, too. Rinki's clothes are wonderful. I love the descriptions, too, so colourful and detailed.
I love the illustrations, they really add to the whole story. This is going to be a great seller this Christmas, kids will really enjoy it. And I think a few letters will be signed to Blanche instead of Santa!
silvyinwonderland's review against another edition
5.0
Adorato, un regalo perfetto per i bambini dagli 8/9 anni in su!
Recensione: http://wefoundwonderlandinbooks.blogspot.com/2020/11/recensione-la-ragazza-che-ha-cambiato.html
Recensione: http://wefoundwonderlandinbooks.blogspot.com/2020/11/recensione-la-ragazza-che-ha-cambiato.html
reenelim's review against another edition
DNF. story doesn’t feel coherent and writing’s choppy.
rhiannon0307's review
4.0
This was such a brilliant festive story that highlighted the true magic of Christmas.
Blanche Claus is an orphan who dreams of bigger things than the life she leads in London as a carter. When she receives a magic bauble from a mysterious stranger, her world begins to change. Blanche soon finds herself in an unusual position and she, Rinki, Santa, and all of the Carols, prepare to make Christmas a magical time for every child in the world.
I enjoyed all the different elements that we got in this story, with the Elves also being faeries depending on the temperature, Eggnog the dancing Fir tree and Rudy the lovely horse! It made me laugh out loud, scared and even angry at parts which is definitely a sign of a good book. I also loved that the Epilogue tells you how bad Tinsel is for the environment and that Carol (the inventor) wants you, the reader, to come up with an environmentally friendly substitute.
I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. If you want a fast paced festive Middlegrade book then this is definitely one that you should pick up!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book. It's one that I'll be re-reading year after year and I'll be recommending it to anyone who wants a feminist Christmas tale.
Blanche Claus is an orphan who dreams of bigger things than the life she leads in London as a carter. When she receives a magic bauble from a mysterious stranger, her world begins to change. Blanche soon finds herself in an unusual position and she, Rinki, Santa, and all of the Carols, prepare to make Christmas a magical time for every child in the world.
I enjoyed all the different elements that we got in this story, with the Elves also being faeries depending on the temperature, Eggnog the dancing Fir tree and Rudy the lovely horse! It made me laugh out loud, scared and even angry at parts which is definitely a sign of a good book. I also loved that the Epilogue tells you how bad Tinsel is for the environment and that Carol (the inventor) wants you, the reader, to come up with an environmentally friendly substitute.
I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. If you want a fast paced festive Middlegrade book then this is definitely one that you should pick up!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book. It's one that I'll be re-reading year after year and I'll be recommending it to anyone who wants a feminist Christmas tale.
jadeyrae's review
4.0
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for providing me a proof copy of Tinsel!
This was such a beautiful, heartwarming story of the magic of Christmas, and of course a perfect festive read, even if I did read it on Halloween instead!
In this story, we follow a young girl on her journey to learning the true love and magic of Christmas and discovering who her people are and where she belongs. Blanche makes some incredible friends along her way to fulfilling her wildest dreams and has a crazy adventure in doing so.
Overall tinsel scored 7.14/10 on CAWPILE, giving it a 4-star rating overall, which I absolutely think it deserves. The relationships formed in this book all felt very real, my heart swelled at the bonds created and dreams accomplished together. The book had a great spin on the story of 'Santa Claus' and was a really fun read - I would for sure re-read this in Christmases to come and recommend to others for the festive period - this is one I see my sister really enjoying!
There were a couple of things that I think were left a bit open, and some loose ends could have done with tying up to give us a tidier ending, but overall I was very satisfied with the read, and devoured it in one sitting!
A heartwarming take of the girls who invented Christmas, I loved it!
This was such a beautiful, heartwarming story of the magic of Christmas, and of course a perfect festive read, even if I did read it on Halloween instead!
In this story, we follow a young girl on her journey to learning the true love and magic of Christmas and discovering who her people are and where she belongs. Blanche makes some incredible friends along her way to fulfilling her wildest dreams and has a crazy adventure in doing so.
Overall tinsel scored 7.14/10 on CAWPILE, giving it a 4-star rating overall, which I absolutely think it deserves. The relationships formed in this book all felt very real, my heart swelled at the bonds created and dreams accomplished together. The book had a great spin on the story of 'Santa Claus' and was a really fun read - I would for sure re-read this in Christmases to come and recommend to others for the festive period - this is one I see my sister really enjoying!
There were a couple of things that I think were left a bit open, and some loose ends could have done with tying up to give us a tidier ending, but overall I was very satisfied with the read, and devoured it in one sitting!
A heartwarming take of the girls who invented Christmas, I loved it!
alles_allerlei's review
4.0
Zuckersüß wie Zuckerstangen, Und eine viel schönere Geschichte über den Weihhnachtmann als wie man sie eigendlich kannt.
bookslucyking's review
4.0
A great Christmas story, I love the idea of the GIRLS who invented Christmas :) It was fun, very fast, though (every problem solved in three pages), but super cute and christmasy, great for both children and adults. The only thing I missed really were some illustrations.