Reviewed by: Santa Claus, the World's Number One Toy Expert Elizabeth Bush Frazee, Marla Santa Claus, the World's Number One Toy Expert; written and illus. by Marla Frazee. Harcourt, 200540p ISBN 0-15-204970-3$16.00 R 4-8 yrs Toy expert is just part of Santa's job description. Yes, he does road-test playthings for their amusement quotient and durability, but let's not forget that he's also the patient listener who hears the covetous wishes of bold and shy children alike, the gift assessor who matches toy to kid with astonishing accuracy, and the master expediter who packs, wraps, bundles, and delivers presents worldwide—and according to Frazee's account, he manages all this apparently sans elven aid or Mrs. Santa's support. Hand-lettered text extolls Santa's skills and work ethic, while pencil and gouache pictures in ever-so-slightly muted Christmas reds, greens, and charcoal trace his seasonal rounds and peek inside his warehouse operation. The fun's in picking out the details of Santa trying out baby dolls (promising gifts) and pogo sticks (oops—a painful failure), taking the inventory in his boxer shorts and back brace, dozing off at his computer, and leaving a trail of empty hot-cocoa mugs in his wake. Although spreads are somewhat more amply filled than those of Frazee's Roller Coaster (BCCB 6/03), the artist works her white space like a medium unto itself, and her generous clean backgrounds make Santa's perambulations easy to follow. Pair this with Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas to fully appreciate that it ain't easy being Santa. Copyright © 2005 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois