12 Little Elves Save Christmas by Stephanie Campisi is a fun and whimsical holiday story that brings the excitement of a last-minute Christmas rescue to life. It’s a great pick for celebrating Christmas Around the World, whether in the classroom or at home with your child.

An incredibly cute children’s book I loved reading to my son and daughter. Multi-cultural in that it shares Christmas traditions from across the world, which I thought was both incredibly sweet, inclusive, and taught us something new.

Thank you to NetGalley and Familius for an advanced reading copy of this book. 12 Little Elves Save Christmas will be released on September 9, 2025.

There is so much to love about this book. As I was reading it, I was envisioning the lessons I could teach to students to tie in multiculturalism. The different counties mentioned would help make this book a great introduction for a Christmas around the world unit. The illustrations were beautiful! The text was easy to read, and perfect for a read aloud. Students and teachers (and librarians) will all have Christmas fun when they read this book!

Give a big cheer, the elves are here!

A huge storm is threatening Christmas, but 12 elves are determined to make sure that all the world gets to celebrate.

Written in charming verse, the illustrations gives It's a Small World Vibes as the elves traverse the globe. This book will be a great tool in kindergarten classes (and homes) to teach children about the ways that different cultures celebrate the Christmas season. It would also allow for children to even talk about their own holiday traditions, opening the door for children to embrace the uniqueness of different cultures.

A must for any classroom or home bookshelf!

Thank you to NetGalley and Familius Books for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

A charming, global adventure wrapped in rhyme and holiday cheer! 🌍🎄

12 Little Elves Save Christmas is a festive delight that takes readers on a whirlwind journey across the world after a storm threatens to cancel Christmas traditions everywhere. Luckily, twelve determined elves are on the case—restoring decorations, reviving local customs, and bringing joy wherever they go.

Stephanie Campisi’s rhyming text is playful and engaging, making it an instant storytime favorite. But it’s Susanna Covelli’s illustrations that truly steal the show—vibrant, whimsical, and packed with festive detail, they’ll absolutely enchant young readers and Christmas lovers alike.

What makes this book extra special is its global perspective. From paper lanterns in Argentina to nativity scenes in Lebanon, each stop on the elves’ journey offers a beautiful window into how different cultures celebrate the season. The final pages feature flags and fun facts about each country, including traditional holiday treats—which makes it perfect for curious minds and classroom reading.

Heartwarming, colorful, and brimming with joy, this is a must-have for any holiday bookshelf. A celebration of Christmas spirit, community, and cultural traditions that young readers will want to revisit year after year.

🎁 Ages: 3–7
📚 Perfect for: Holiday gift giving, classroom libraries, global-themed storytime, Christmas countdowns

What an absolutely adorable and inclusive Christmas book.

Aesthetically, the art and font was whimsical and very Christmas feeling. I love all the little elves and their different faces and shapes.

Content wise; this book really does go around the world. I feel like the Middle East and Africa are often left out of a lot of world books, and this book really touched on every continent. I also especially loved the final pages with an explanation of each of the traditions mentioned.

A beautifully thought out and joyful Christmas book.

Thank you so much to Familius and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

What a creative book, a wonderful and very unique Christmas book. It follows 12 elves as they go place to place around the world and help them save Christmas with their celebration’s for the holiday season.

I really enjoyed the illustrations through this book, seeing a glimpse at each of the events, seeing all the elves doing different things to help and also seeing an elf with the flag of where they were on each page was so precious, I loved spitting what the various elves were up too.

This book was written in a wonderfully lyrical way, it was highly educational but in a fun and simple way. It’s a very different type of holiday book but it it’s a great way to share what different cultures around the world do for Christmas or a holiday similar, the things they do to prepare. The back provides a little bit more Informatiom too which is always nice to see.

A very adorable Christmas book on elves helping out in a way you’ve never read before. A really whimsical and fun book for during the holiday season, children will have lots of fun with this books, and they’ll live looking through all the illustrations too.

I loved this book! I like that there are parts in rhyme and that it goes around the world!
The list in the final pages with explanations of Christmas around the world is super cute. I will read it to my children during the Christmas period, I think they will like it a lot. You could also do a simple activity with a planisphere to teach them a bit of geography and some typical characteristics of the countries mentioned. I can't wait!

Thanks to NetGalley for this eBook in return for a honest review.

Such a cute story for boys and girls of all ages. I enjoyed reading this story and imagined myself reading it to my 4y/o granddaughter. She would hear of places that she has yet to learn of and become exposed to cultures unlike our own.

This book will be a "best seller" in the hearts and minds of Christmas lovers, the world over!!!

I want to thank Netgalley and Familius Books for the ARC of 12 Little Elves Save Christmas by Stephanie Campisi and illustrated by Susanna Covelli.

12 Little Elves Save Christmas is a wonderful journey around the world and how people celebrate Christmas differently at each location. 12 little elves were tasked with saving Christmas from storms all over the world. The story is written in a rhyming pattern which adds an extra whimsical layer to the story. At the very end of the story is a reference section that highlights a country and Christmas tradition explaining in more detail.
The illustrations were charming. The elves are adorable and full of happiness and fun. (Look for the elf holding up the flag of the country they are visiting and helping.) All the details in the pictures are great for question and answers with young kids.

I really loved this sweet and fun holiday book! It follows 12 cheerful elves as they travel around the world, learning how different cultures get ready for Christmas or other winter holidays. I thought it did a great job showing all kinds of holiday traditions in a way that’s both interesting and easy for kids to understand.

The story is full of happiness, kindness, and the true spirit of the holidays. It’s a warm and welcoming book that’s great to read every year. Whether you’re reading it with kids or just enjoy holiday stories yourself, I highly recommend it!

A huge thanks to NetGalley, the author & the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

We loved this book, seeing all of the Christmas traditions was great. The rhyme of the book had a smooth easy cadence and it was enjoyable to read