Where Elves Come From by Santa, Edit Engel, and Alan McBrearty is a beautiful fairytale with some lovely messages for young readers that will make them aware of life, the experiences it teaches, and the fundamentals such as setting goals, always looking for the positive side of things, gratitude, and to have a happy, loving life through strong family bonds. Five-year-old Suzy meets Anna at the City Park and they become friends. Anna’s father can see the beginning of a great friendship between the two girls. It is love at first sight for Anna’s and Suzy’s parents and they soon become a happy, loving family that cares for each other. Their joy turns to sadness when Anna is diagnosed with cancer.
Set against the backdrop of the Christmas season, the story has sixteen chapters which have a moral at the end of each. The story has magic and real life events knitted together, making it an enchanting read. The illustrations capture the beauty and essence of the Christmas season and bring the characters and the scenes alive. There are a lot of good messages children can learn from this story, hence making it a good bedtime storybook and ideal for read aloud and story-telling sessions in classrooms and school libraries. The book is educational yet fun to read. The pain and sorrow of the family are palpable and it is a heartwarming story of gratitude, trust, friendship, love, family bonding, faith, and courage. The mystery of the elves towards the end of the story gives a whimsical feel to the book. The elves, the sparkle of the Christmas season, and the celebration mood make it a fascinating read for everyone.