When Carla accidentally ruins a Christmas surprise for Santa, she must find a way to make things right again. Includes a recipe for cornbread. - (Baker & Taylor)

The superstar chef shares a heartwarming tale inspired by her childhood in which a young Carla thinks she ruined Christmas when she takes a bite out of Santa’s sugar cookie and tries to make things right. 75,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

In this heartwarming tale inspired by her childhood, superstar chef and TV host Carla Hall shares the story of young Carla, who eats a sugar cookie meant for Santa on the night before Christmas and tries to make things right.

Christmas is Carla’s favorite holiday of the year. She goes to her grandparents’ house and eats grandma’s special recipe—a perfectly delicious cornbread. She listens to her grandpa Doc’s marvelous stories about traveling the world. And, best of all, she spends lots of time with her family.

But when Carla accidentally takes a bite out of Santa’s sugar cookie, she thinks she’s ruined Christmas. How will Santa know to stop at their house if they don’t leave him a midnight snack? With her grandmother’s help, Carla comes up with a plan, but will it be enough to save Christmas? - (Simon and Schuster)

Carla Hall attended L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland. She gained her audience when she competed on Bravo’s Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars. She has been a TV personality since then, cohosting on the ABC talk show The Chew, contributing on Good Morning America, and featuring as a judge on Crazy Delicious on Netflix and on Bakeaway Camp on the Food Network. She is the author of Carla’s Comfort Foods, Cooking with Love, and Carla Hall’s Soul Food, which received an NAACP Image Awards nomination. She lives in Washington D.C. with her husband. Visit carlahall.com for more.

Cherise Harris is an illustrator from Barbados. Her work centers around an interest in fairy tale and its role in telling deep and meaningful stories. Cherise uses pencil, watercolor, and clay, exploring her ideas in both 2D and 3D form. She also uses Photoshop to create digital art and gifs. She received her associate degree in visual arts at the Barbados Community College, her BFA in illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and most recently completed her master’s in illustration at Falmouth University in the UK. Cherise currently lives back home in Barbados with her husband, Ryan, and her daughter. - (Simon and Schuster)

Horn Book Guide Reviews

Chef and Food Network star Hall presents an affectionate food-and-family story. Young Carla, her sister, and their mother take their customary festive drive to the girls' grandparents' house on Christmas Eve. Of all the delicacies on offer there, Carla is most excited for Granny's cornbread: my favorite. After dinner, disaster strikes: Carla mistakenly takes a bite out of the cookie left out for Santa. What other sweet (and savory and starchy) treat might Santa -- and readers, too, if they follow the appended recipe -- enjoy? Acrylic and digital illustrations provide details that are culturally specific (nighttime hair rollers; Black Santa ornament); period-setting (roll-up car windows, antenna TV); and mouth-watering (cinnamon butter!). Copyright 2023 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

Chef and Food Network star Hall presents an affectionate food-and-family story. Young Carla, her sister, and their mother take their customary festive drive to the girls' grandparents' house on Christmas Eve. Of all the delicacies on offer there, Carla is most excited for Granny's cornbread: "my favorite." After dinner, disaster strikes: Carla mistakenly takes a bite out of the cookie left out for Santa. What other sweet (and savory and starchy) treat might Santa -- and readers, too, if they follow the appended recipe -- enjoy? Acrylic and digital illustrations provide details that are culturally specific (nighttime hair rollers; Black Santa ornament); period-setting (roll-up car windows, antenna TV); and mouth-watering (cinnamon butter!). Elissa Gershowitz November/December 2021 p.21 Copyright 2021 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

It's Carla's favorite night of the year—Christmas Eve—but will one mistake ruin everything? Carla loves everything about Christmas Eve, when she, her mom, and her sister drive to her grandparents' house for "the best holiday ever: Christmas!" Her favorite part of the drive is the sight of twinkling lights on the houses, and her favorite thing to eat is Granny's cornbread. She watches Granny pour the batter into the cast iron skillet and put it in the oven. She sits with her Grandpa, whom everyone calls "Doc," while they wait. They talk about where Santa is, and Doc shares stories of his time in France. Dinner is delicious, though the Christmas feast will be much bigger. After putting her pajamas on, Carla sees a perfect sugar cookie sitting on a plate—and she takes a big bite. Her sister yells, "That's Santa's cookie!" Oh, no. How can Carla rescue Christmas from this big mistake? Granny has an idea, and it hinges on Carla's favorite food. With expressive illustrations that set the story in the early 1970s and evoke the Christmas mood in the context of a loving Black family, this tale reminds readers that love and good intentions can almost always save the day. Readers will be eager to try out the cornbread recipe included in the endmatter. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Heartwarming and cozy. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Top Chef contestant and culinary personality Hall relays a sweetly nostalgic tale following young Carla, who, with her sister Kim and their mother, visits her grandparents on Christmas Eve. Carla's favorite tradition is her grandma's cast-iron skillet cornbread; after enjoying the treat, spending time with her grandparents, and donning her Christmas jammies, Carla finds a cookie laying out—only to discover, after she chomps into it, that it's for Santa. Carla fears she's ruined Christmas, but Granny helps her bake a fitting substitute. Hall conveys the familial love permeating every interaction in accessible dialogue: "Don't worry about that ol' cookie. I've got a better idea." In warm, vintage-toned acrylic inks and digital art, Harris beautifully renders the nuances of Christmas in a close-knit Black family, from taking off shoes at the door to foam rollers adorning the girls' hair as they lay down to sleep, in this gift of a book. Back matter includes a recipe for Carla's Christmas Cornbread and Cinnamon Butter. Ages 4–8. (Nov.)

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 1–3—The celebrity chef gives us a warm tale with a nostalgic tone. The book follows young Carla on her way to her grandmother's house for Christmas Eve. Harris's detailed illustrations portray a Christmas dinner filled with soul food favorites, including Carla's favorite corn bread. Everything is going well for Carla, until she accidentally takes a bite of Santa's cookie. Granny swoops in to the rescue, and together Carla and Granny make Santa fresh corn bread and cinnamon butter. The story is slow to get started, but students won't mind relishing and discussing their favorite details of holiday traditions. The colorful illustrations will support readers' comprehension and engagement. with the narrative. Back matter includes a recipe for corn bread and cinnamon butter. This book provides a positive and authentic representation of a family of color, including Black Santa, and is a sweet Christmas story. VERDICT Recommended for elementary collections, especially those in need of positive, authentic representation of families of color, especially in holiday books.—Christina Salazar, Mesquite I.S.D., TX