
Member Reviews

In a way this book reminds me of the Island of Misfit Toys. Someone who’s grown up around Santa and his reindeer really wants to help but isn’t given a chance, so they wander off. Until they find their special need and become part of the crew. It’s a very lovely story, it’s just a tad bit long. And the illustrations are nice but a bit old-fashioned. But that old-fashioned is also makes it feel like Christmas. Overall, this story is nice, and I could see it staying on the shelf for a few years, but I don’t think it’s a Classic in the making.

This was a cute story about belonging and feeling like the character was making a contribution. My kids also loved it because we have a husky and the dog in the story is a husky! This would be a good Christmas book..

Such a sweet children's story for husky-lovers. It's a story I could imagine reading to my child during the holiday season. I'd recommend for children 3+ but I enjoyed it as an adult as well.

Very beautiful book! I underestimated the length of this book for my toddlers, and they might have been confused about why we were reading a Christmas book, so I paraphrased for them and then read the rest on my own. Really love this book and the story and I think it would make a great addition to anyone's holiday shelf.

Not All Reindeer Can Fly by S. Cool is the kind of children's book that made me smile from the very first page—and by the end, my heart was full. It’s sweet, comforting, and wrapped in just enough adventure to keep little readers (and big ones like me) completely enchanted.
The story begins on Christmas morning, just as Santa and the reindeer are taking a well-earned rest. That’s when Comet stumbles upon a lost husky puppy, Ivy, alone in the woods. From there, we follow Ivy’s gentle, heartfelt journey as she struggles with not fitting in—feeling unwanted, uncertain of her purpose. But everything changes when a sudden blizzard puts Christmas in danger, and Ivy discovers a very special talent that just might save the day.
What really touched me about this book was how naturally it wove together themes of belonging, self-worth, and finding value in our differences. It’s a message that feels timeless, especially for children (and adults!) who might sometimes feel like they don’t quite measure up. Ivy’s journey is quietly powerful—never preachy, always genuine.
And can we talk about the illustrations? They’re absolutely gorgeous. Soft, expressive, and full of snowy charm, they bring warmth to every page and make this story feel like a cozy blanket on a winter’s day. I found myself lingering on each spread, taking in the gentle colors and sweet character details.
This is a perfect holiday read, but honestly, the message of empathy and purpose goes far beyond Christmas. Not All Reindeer Can Fly is a story I’d be thrilled to gift, reread, or simply keep on the shelf as a seasonal treasure.
A charming, beautifully illustrated reminder that we all have something unique to offer—even if we don’t fly.
🦌 Holiday Story | 🐶 Found Family | ❄️ Winter Adventure | 🎁 Purpose & Belonging | 🌟 Heartwarming & Hopeful

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this lovely Christmas story.
Me and my 2 year old son shared this story together. It was a great Christmas story and had a lovely ending.
I think this would be a great yearly Christmas story for families to share.

This was so very cute i loved the images and the story was cute simple and the idea behind about how everyone should feel accepted was very good will be reading more this was stunning even not for children.

Sweet story, but the illustrations are stunning! A great book for the holidays. Any child who likes animals would enjoy this lovely, but predictable book. I highly recommend it.

This was such an adorable children’s Christmas Story! The cover made me want to read it even though I am an adult!!! Adorable illustrations too!!! This would be the perfect gift for a child in your life.

Lovely, original story and beautiful pictures! This book touched my heart and I would like children, especially if they feel different from others, to read (or be read to) this magical tale. It can easily become a treasured tradition to read again every Christmas season.
A sincere thank you to NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

Not All Reindeer Can Fly is a charming holiday tale about Ivy, a lost Husky puppy who longs to belong. When a Christmas crisis puts Santa’s sleigh in jeopardy, Ivy discovers a unique talent that just might save the day. I loved how this story gently weaves in themes of self-worth, kindness, and discovering your purpose. The snowy setting, sweet animal characters, and feel-good message made it a cozy, meaningful read that I’d happily share with any young reader around the holidays.

A heartwarming tale of friendship and belonging, and celebrating everyone's differences and particular skills.
Ivy is a husky puppy found homeless and alone by Santa's reindeer and brought back to the North Pole. There, she finds friendship, safety, and community, but still yearns for a sense of purpose and belonging, a way to define herself when she seems so different from all those around her.
While it is only my second time reviewing children's fiction (and my first time with a picture book), I can see how this teaches a valuable lesson to little readers: everyone has something to contribute, and everyone can belong. Friendship is not determined by whether one looks like ourselves or not - and family is defined by love more than anything. I could see this being a gentle and whimsical way to teach children about difficult topics such as adoption, physical differences, learning disabilities, cultural differences, etc. While some sentences, to my adult eyes, seemed a bit repetitive and perhaps needed more polish to improve cadence, they carried the story at an enjoyable pace well suited to little ones.
Finally, the illustrations are really the star of the show here! Beautiful watercolours bring softness and a nostalgic feel to a timeless story.

This was a very cute story but the best part of this book is the illustrations! So captivating and just super sweet!

Who needs reindeer when you’ve got a rockstar Husky with a heart full of HOPE? 🐶🎄 Ivy totally stole my jingle bells! This book is like a warm cup of cocoa on a snowy day—sweet, magical, and all about finding your place even when you feel left out. I was grinning the whole time, and if I had a tail, it would’ve been wagging! Kids are gonna eat this story up faster than Santa eats cookies. Total holiday must-read. ❄️✨

I loved EVERYTHING about this endearing and heartwarming, very special Childrens's Christmas tale! The paintings, the text pages, and just the entire aura of the story resonated like Victorian Christmas tales and poems, such as Clement Moore's "The Night Before Christmas," and Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. But you certainly needn't save this Joy for Christmas Eve, as the story and its inspiring lessons about found friendship and found family and perseverance are suitable for any day and any time, Winter or Summer, day or bedtime.

Paws, Purpose & One Very Brave Pup!
Not All Reindeer Can Fly is a heartwarming holiday tale that proves you don’t need antlers to save Christmas—just a little courage, a wagging tail, and a whole lot of heart. 🐾❄️🎅

This was adorable! The illustrations were beautiful and helped to tell the story well. The story itself was cute, conveying how difficult it is to find your place in the world when you are different. I had one concern about this book that made me give it less than 5 stars: it was very wordy, making me wonder about the target audience for this book. Otherwise, I enjoyed this story and recommend as a nice Christmas read or at any time to reinforce that it’s OK to be different.

Every Christmas morning after presents were delivered, Santa and his reindeer had the tradition of taking a break to watch the sunrise. Comet, one of the reindeer, finds a lost Husky puppy hiding in the woods among the ivy vines so they help her. Santa and his reindeer look for the husky’s family but there’s no one. Santa names her Ivy and places her in his sleigh to take back to the North Pole. Santa, the elves and Comet take care of Ivy. Ivy tries to belong among them and set off to find it but a snowstorm came. Thick ice froze over the sleigh’s skis trapping the skis. Comet has the idea to give Ivy the reigns to pull the sleigh. Ivy pulled the sleigh but was getting tired so Comet laid a harness on Ivy’s back to help pull the sleigh which it did and the sleigh broke free from the ice. Ivy saved Christmas. Santa had Ivy sit with him in a special seat in his sleigh and had a gold plaque that read “Emergency Reindeer”. Ivy felt her importance, knew who she was and was part of the family.
This is a 45 page book for children ages 4-8. It teaches that everyone has a valuable skill. It shows how everyone has something to offer. The story teaches acceptance and importance of helping others. The illustrations were beautiful