An origin story for the reindeer: Santa's sleigh used to be pulled by a horse called Silverbell, but Dasher - whose family was kept in a traveling circus - followed the North star and found them. She helped deliver gifts, then returned to the North Pole, but wished to be reunited with her family. Wish granted! Tavares' dreamy illustrations remind me a bit of Chris Van Allsburg's, but with more color. ( )

Oh my goodness. I am in love with this book. Yes, it has Santa. But the story isn't really about that. It's about family and finding your way to home...and to a new life. ( )

Besides the winter-magic atmosphere set by the wonderful book cover and the intriguing one-word (that is, one-name) title, what most drew me to this children's book is the fact that Dasher is a girl in this take on Santa's reindeer.

Once I read it, delighting in the full and lovely illustrations, I quite appreciated the family theme. What a warm and uplifting tale! ( )

This one is perfect for a Christmas read and invites to dreams with the graceful touch of a fairy tale.

Dasher and her family live at the circus, which means long hours, tight spaces, and tons of guests peering at them. Dasher doesn't mind the last of these, since she loves kids and gets tons of carrots. Her mother's stories about their homeland, a place where the North Star shines directly overhead, has Dasher wishing she could see the country herself, someday. When a nightly storm knocks the pen's door open, Dasher takes the chance and chases the star, not sure if she'll make it or where it might lead.

With every illustration, this one holds a sense of dreams, beauty, and rich atmosphere. From the circus to the forest and sky, every scene has depth and invites to be viewed again and again. It's well done and a treat from this aspect already.

The tale is written in traditional story style, creating a great read-aloud or, for those much more sure of their words, one to visit alone. The vocabulary is appropriate for the intended age group as is the tale itself. There is a sense of sadness as the reindeer huddle together at the circus or pull the carts in the evening, and it's just enough to make a reader concerned but quickly adds positive thoughts to steer clear of true worries.

Dasher comes across as a brave and curious reindeer. Her love for her family is warming, while her determination to head out and discover more hits inspiring. It's a true Christmas story, which ends with joy and all those wondrous feelings of hope, magic and dreams, which glide with the season. I received a complimentary copy and got lost in the tale. ( )

How did Santa get his flying reindeer? Why from a traveling circus of course. With a little help from a brave reindeer named Dasher, who was brave enough to take the first step. ( )