Book Review of Santa’s 18-Wheel Chrome-and-Steel Sleigh
The Children’s Book Review
Santa’s 18-Wheel Chrome-and-Steel Sleigh
Written by J. Brandon Boron
Illustrated by Shaun Ivie
Ages: 4-8 | 38 Pages
Publisher: Mascot Kids (2025) | ISBN: 979-8891383333
When all of his reindeer fall ill right before Christmas, Santa must trade his traditional sleigh for a massive, 18-wheel truck to make the most important delivery of the year.
With Christmas Eve fast approaching, Santa Claus discovers that his team of famous reindeer—including Rudolph, Donner, Blitzen, Cupid, and Dasher—are all too sick to fly the sleigh. Facing a global toy delivery crisis, Santa needs a backup plan. Thanks to a suggestion from Donner, Santa decides to pack up his big old rig, “Santa’s 18-Wheel Chrome-and-Steel Sleigh,” and hit the open road with a lot of milk and cookies to deliver toys to all the good girls and boys. Climb aboard and join Saint Nick on the “Pole to Pole Express” as he trucks across the world, making stops in places like Portland, Singapore, Saigon, Paris, the Outback, the Serengeti, Istanbul, Mexico City, LA, and Baltimore.
The story, written by J. Brandon Boron, offers a fresh, fun, and modern take on the classic Christmas tale. The narrative is full of energy, incorporating a distinct trucking theme with phrases like “Put the pedal to the metal” and “Breaker one-nine, it’s your buddy, Kris Kringle”. The use of rhyme and rhythm makes the book an engaging read-aloud. The concept of Santa needing to adapt to a crisis is a creative way to demonstrate problem-solving and the spirit of Christmas, even when things go wrong. The book even includes a “DISCUSSION GUIDE” with questions about the story, and a prompt for writing a letter to Santa, extending the fun beyond the final page.
Shaun Ivie’s illustrations bring a vibrant and imaginative energy to Boron’s text. The visuals perfectly capture the book’s high-octane premise, showing Santa’s incredible “18-wheel chrome-and-steel sleigh” in action as it travels from city to city and pole to pole. The illustrations are designed to “inspire children and parents to engage in exploration and creativity,” as evidenced by the colorful, humorous depiction of Santa’s trucking adventure.
Santa’s 18-Wheel Chrome-and-Steel Sleigh is a delightful Christmas story that delivers a memorable twist on tradition. It is especially recommended for young readers who love big trucks, creative problem-solving, and a good adventure. The inclusion of a QR code to listen to the song version of the story makes this book a multi-sensory experience that children will want to revisit year after year.
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About the Author
J. Brandon Boron was born in Great Falls, Montana, but has spent most of his life traversing the United States and beyond.
After studying art, music, and biology at CSU, UMass, and UNLV, Brandon joined the US Army, where he has spent the last two decades serving as a military musician across Europe, the Middle East, and the US.
In addition to his military service, Brandon loves writing and performing music with his wife, Thordis, and camping together with their dog, Tjindu.
To learn more, visit poletopoleexpress.com
About the Illustrator
Shaun Ivie is an illustrator based in Washington who specializes in colorful, imaginative illustrations full of humor and adventure. His illustrations are designed to inspire children and parents to engage in exploration and creativity, to find value in one another, and to love unconditionally through shared imagination. Big or small, he enjoys collaborating on projects to craft fun, colorful stories that explore every reach of a child’s imagination.
When he is not illustrating, you can find him adventuring throughout the great Pacific Northwest with his wife Nicole, two kids, and his two dogs.
You can find more of his work at ivieillustration.com.
To learn more, visit santas18wheelchromeandsteelsleigh.com.
