Overview

He's jolly, hip, and one groovy St. Nick-with a sleigh full of soul and a bag full of tricks! Get ready for a holiday ho-ho-hoedown in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, where a very special Santa brings soul, style, and sparkle to the season! Written in joyful rhymes by Dr. Gerald W. Deas-a real-life doctor, poet, and playwright-and bursting with colorful cheer from illustrator Anne Wertheim, Soul Santa is a sleigh-ride celebration of community, culture, and Christmas joy for little ones ages 3-5. Inspired by the true story of the author, who became the first department store Black Santa in his New York City neighborhood in 1971, this festive tale reminds every child that the spirit of Christmas belongs to everyone.

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Physician, poet, and playwright Gerald Deas, MD, MPH, is a trailblazer in health advocacy and media. A Brooklyn native, he became the first Black medical columnist for the New York Daily News, served as the chief medical correspondent for Fox television's Emmy-winning McCreary Report, and hosted House Calls, an urban health talk show on WLIB radio.Deas was among the first physicians to harness the power of the media to address health disparities in the Black community. In addition to writing hundreds of articles, poems, and songs, he authored several off-Broadway musicals, including Oh! Oh! Obesity-a gospel-rock, rap-n-roll musical comedy about America's obsession with weight loss.The inspiration for Soul Santa came in the years following the civil rights movement when department store Santas in Deas' Brooklyn neighborhood were all Caucasian. One Christmas, after a chance meeting at a local department store, he traded his white lab coat for a bright red Santa suit-and Soul Santa was born.Soon, Black Santas began appearing in shopping malls across the city. To commemorate this milestone, Deas wrote Soul Santa, a poem about the first Black Santa Claus. In 1971, singer-songwriter Brook Benton recorded it as a song. Fifty years later, the poem endures in holiday radio rotations and now comes to life in this richly illustrated Christmas story set in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn-the neighborhood where Deas grew up. Anne Wertheim is an accomplished illustrator with over 20 years of experience bringing children's stories to life with warmth, whimsy, and imagination. Specializing in children's books, Anne has collaborated with a wide range of publishers, authors, and educational companies to create engaging, expressive artwork that sparks curiosity and joy in young readers.Her illustrations can be found in books published by Scholastic, Highlights, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Capstone, Holiday House, Guideposts, Llewellyn Worldwide, St. Martin's Press, and many others. Anne's ability to capture emotion, narrative, and character with charm and clarity has made her a trusted creative partner for both major publishing houses and independent authors alike.Among her recent work is Soul Santa-a vibrant holiday story featuring an African American Santa Claus on Christmas Eve in Brooklyn, New York. Anne describes the project as both challenging and fun, offering her the opportunity to blend festive magic with rich cultural detail and urban charm.Known for her professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to meeting deadlines, Anne consistently delivers illustrations that not only enhance the story but make it shine. Whether she's illustrating a heartfelt bedtime tale or a lively educational book, Anne's art helps young imaginations take flight.

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