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Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
The Inflatables by Sara Gurule is a delightful Christmas story about Santa's secret army. Christmas is everyone's favorite time of year. Everyone except Old Man Tubbs. He doesn't have any decorations or holiday cheer. He's been on the naughty list since childhood and now holds a grudge against Santa. He plans to destroy the town's Christmas spirit by keeping Santa from delivering presents. All he has to do is get rid of the town tree that guides Santa on his journey. What people call simple decorations are secretly Santa's army in disguise. The Inflatables are the only ones who can stop Old Man Tubbs from destroying Christmas.
The illustrations are lovely and detailed with warm colors and darker hues which clearly capture the Christmas merriment. The writing has a lyrical rhyme scheme that is reminiscent of the style of “A Night Before Christmas.” Sara Gurule brings to life a delightful army with the same quirkiness as other fun Christmas tales where toys are the central characters. Gurule maintains a lighthearted tone throughout, with Tubbs clearly the Scrooge or Grinch of the story, whose personal disdain for Christmas is threatening to ruin the holiday cheer for everyone. His grudge against Christmas is a familiar trope, but Gurule brings a fresh perspective that embraces everything fun about Christmas. The story concludes with a playful and charming fight scene where the Inflatables stop Old Man Tubbs in ways that are riddled with Christmas themes. The penguins come out of igloos while the snowmen throw snowballs and the toy soldiers wrap Tubbs up like a present. The Inflatables is a funny and cheery holiday read that's perfect for the whole family!
