Tingle, a hardworking but exhausted elf, falls asleep in a toy plane he has helped to complete. The toy is boxed and wrapped, and, on Christmas morning, Tingle finds himself face to face with an excited boy. After several hairy moments escaping the family dog, the elf manages to escape up a chimney and tries to fly the plane back to the North Pole. Another mishap occurs, but a friendly polar bear comes to the rescue and delivers Tingle to Santa's door. Garland's digitally painted illustrations have a commercial slickness, with bold, bright colors that grab viewers' attention. Tingle is an appealing little guy, with an oversized head and pointed chin and ears. Despite the visual appeal, though, Garland's story is slightly stale, with problems easily solved and relatively few surprises. Ultimately, the text serves as a vehicle to showcase the vibrant pictures.-M.M.H. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.