written by Sarah Addington, illustrated by Gertrude Alice Kay
The Boy Who Lived in Pudding Lane is essentially a story about Santa Claus' youth.
This book has an interesting approach to Santa's vague history, adapted to a kid's perspective. It is written by Sarah Addington (1891–1940), a children's author and journalist. This explains why this story was published by the magazine publisher.
Six colored illustrations are an added value.
Gertrude Alice Kay (1884-1939) was a successful artist schooled at Drexel University, just like Jessie Wilcox Smith, and many other talented females who excelled in art at the beginning of the 20th century.
As you see the subtitle is pretty descriptive:
Being a True Account, if only you believe it, of the Life and Ways of Santa, Oldest Son of Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Being a True Account, if only you believe it, of the Life and Ways of Santa, Oldest Son of Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
The book was published by Atlantic Monthly Press, Boston, in 1922. It's the first in the series of four books staged on the Pudding Lane.
The book has 20 chapters but they are short and you can easily read it in one sitting.
We'll skim through it with a welcomed help of Gertrude A. Kay's illustrations.
We'll skim through it with a welcomed help of Gertrude A. Kay's illustrations.
Mr. Clause is a baker. He has a wife and a son. Son's name is Santa. He loves to eat and is pretty round. He also loves his red suit. He always wears red.
Most of all, he loves to give the pastry baked by his dad to kids from the neighborhood. The names of these kids are pretty well-known. We can find them in the book titled Mother Goose.
Most of all, he loves to give the pastry baked by his dad to kids from the neighborhood. The names of these kids are pretty well-known. We can find them in the book titled Mother Goose.
Mother Goose is Santa's grandmother. Her daughter Nellie is Santa's mother. Mother Goose sometimes comes to visit and everybody loves her.
But they believe she should come much more often.
The perfect occasion for her visit was an expansion of the family Claus. Santa had got two younger brothers. And then two more. And then a sister.
Mr. Claus is a bit worried because suddenly there are a lot of hungry mouths around the table. A bit worried. Not too much. Santa is helping his mother and he doesn't have time to give away Mr. Claus' pastry. The business is going pretty well.
Santa is worried too. He notices that his siblings have no toys. He decides to take action. He spends a lot of time in the shed. Nobody knows what he does there. It definitely involves tools paint, and wood.
Then, just on the evening before the Holy Day, he disappears. The whole village looks for him.
Around midnight he jumps to the living room of his home with a bag full of toys for his siblings.
But they believe she should come much more often.
The perfect occasion for her visit was an expansion of the family Claus. Santa had got two younger brothers. And then two more. And then a sister.
Mr. Claus is a bit worried because suddenly there are a lot of hungry mouths around the table. A bit worried. Not too much. Santa is helping his mother and he doesn't have time to give away Mr. Claus' pastry. The business is going pretty well.
Santa is worried too. He notices that his siblings have no toys. He decides to take action. He spends a lot of time in the shed. Nobody knows what he does there. It definitely involves tools paint, and wood.
Then, just on the evening before the Holy Day, he disappears. The whole village looks for him.
Around midnight he jumps to the living room of his home with a bag full of toys for his siblings.
Everybody is excited about his skills. Maybe he should become a carpenter?
Life goes well for some time and Mrs. Claus throws a party. Everybody is happy. There is just one worry. In Hamelin, something bad happened.
The town of Hamelin was infested with rats and a piper took care of them but the major didn't pay him as he promised. So the piper used the magic of his melody to lure all the children out of the town and leave them in a cave. He is known as the Pied Piper.
Then the piper started wandering around. Other towns could be in danger and Pudding Lane is no exception.
Life goes well for some time and Mrs. Claus throws a party. Everybody is happy. There is just one worry. In Hamelin, something bad happened.
The town of Hamelin was infested with rats and a piper took care of them but the major didn't pay him as he promised. So the piper used the magic of his melody to lure all the children out of the town and leave them in a cave. He is known as the Pied Piper.
Then the piper started wandering around. Other towns could be in danger and Pudding Lane is no exception.
Santa knows that you can easily resist the hypnotic melody by putting some cotton in your ears. He does exactly that when he hears a distant melody in notices that all the children start following the piper.
He runs after them and tries to stop the kids. They hear him but the melody is stronger than his worries.
Then Santa gets an idea. He promises all the children gifts just like his siblings got if they stop and return to the village.
This convinced them. The piper continues his way alone.
He runs after them and tries to stop the kids. They hear him but the melody is stronger than his worries.
Then Santa gets an idea. He promises all the children gifts just like his siblings got if they stop and return to the village.
This convinced them. The piper continues his way alone.
Santa starts working full time. He makes wonderful toys and gives them to children every Holy Day. When he grows up his father expects him to start working in his bakery.
But Santa wants to continue making toys. And he doesn't want to sell them, so the question is how he can support himself.
Luckily, Mother Goose visits again and finds a solution. She convinces King Cole to provide a place and tools to Santa so he can continue making toys. Santa has to move to the North, where King Cole has a perfect place for him. It can be a lonely place so Santa marries first.
He and his wife dedicate their lives to making all the children happy.
But Santa wants to continue making toys. And he doesn't want to sell them, so the question is how he can support himself.
Luckily, Mother Goose visits again and finds a solution. She convinces King Cole to provide a place and tools to Santa so he can continue making toys. Santa has to move to the North, where King Cole has a perfect place for him. It can be a lonely place so Santa marries first.
He and his wife dedicate their lives to making all the children happy.
Now you know.
This, of course, is not the end of Santa's adventure.