Dasher Read online

  YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE STORY of how a certain red-nosed reindeer was

  chosen to guide Santa’s sleigh one foggy Christmas Eve. You’ve probably heard of the

  eight other reindeer too. Maybe you can even remember all their names.

  But you might be surprised to hear that there was a time, long ago, when Santa’s

  sleigh was pulled not by a team of reindeer but by a single horse, named Silverbell.

  In those days, Santa didn’t have quite as many toys to deliver as he does now. But over

  the years, as more and more children believed in the magic of Christmas, Santa’s list

  grew longer and longer. And his sleigh grew heavier and heavier. Santa knew that pretty

  soon, dear old Silverbell was going to need some help.

  This is the story of how an ordinary family of reindeer became the most famous

  animals in the world. And it never would have happened if it weren’t for a brave young

  doe named Dasher.

  For Luke and Levi

  Special thanks to Willow and Holly, the reindeer at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts; Dave Banks; Benjamin and Everett Copleman;

  Rosemary Stimola; Katie Cunningham; Maryellen Hanley; and everyone at Candlewick Press who helped bring this book to life.

  Copyright © 2019 by Matt Tavares. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information

  retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior

  written permission from the publisher. First electronic edition 2019. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2019938994.

  ISBN 978-1-5362-0137-6 (hardcover); ISBN 978-1-5362-1490-1 (electronic)

  The illustrations were done in watercolor, gouache, pencil, and pastel.

  Candlewick Press, 99 Dover Street, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144. visit us at www.candlewick.com.

  LIFE WAS NOT EASY for the reindeer family

  of J.P. Finnegan’s Traveling Circus and Menagerie.

  They spent long days crammed together under

  the hot sun as an endless stream of curious people

  jostled to catch a glimpse of them.

  Even at night, there was little rest. Some nights, to pass

  the time, Mama would tell stories.

  “It was a magical place,” she would say. “The air was crisp

  and cold, and the ground was always covered with a cool

  blanket of white snow. Your father and I were free to roam

  under the glow of the North Star.”

  Dasher, the youngest reindeer, loved Mama’s stories.

  “Is that the North Star, Mama?” she asked.

  “The very same,” Mama said. “We always knew we

  were home when it was directly overhead.”

  “I wish we could go there,” said Dasher.

  Mama sighed. “I do, too,” she said. “But Mr. Finnegan

  is not kind to animals who try to escape.”

  Day after day, under the watchful eye of Mr. Finnegan, the reindeer

  family delighted crowds wherever they went.

  Dasher liked being with her family. And she loved meeting so many

  children, who were always kind to her. Sometimes they even fed her

  carrots, which were her very favorite food.

  But at night, while the others were sleeping, she would lie awake,

  gazing at the bright star on the horizon, wishing for crisp, cold air and

  cool blankets of white snow.

  One night, mighty winds shook the circus tents and rattled the

  animals’ cages. Dasher was wide awake, wishing on the North Star,

  when she was startled by a loud creeeak!

  The gate to their pen had swung open!

  Dasher could hear rustling from inside Mr. Finnegan’s trailer.

  She glanced up at the North Star. She looked back at her sleeping

  family. She knew that this might be her only chance. Her heart

  pounded. She took a deep breath.

  And then she ran as fast as she could.

  On she went for hours, with the North Star as her guide.

  But no matter how far she traveled, it was still way off on the horizon.

  Dasher began to wonder if she would ever make it there.

  She thought about turning back, but she couldn’t remember

  the way. She didn’t know what to do.

  So she looked up at the North Star and made a wish.

  Just then, Dasher heard something in the distance —

  a soft jingling, coming from the woods.

  There, in a clearing, Dasher saw a man and a horse.

  “I’m sorry, Santa,” said the horse. “The sleigh is just so

  heavy this year.”

  The man smiled. “Now, don’t you worry, Silverbell,”

  he said. “We’ll take all the breaks you need.”

  “But the children,” said the horse. “They’ll be heartbroken

  if we can’t deliver all these toys by Christmas morning.”

  Children? thought Dasher. She stepped forward.

  “Maybe I can help,” she said.

  “Hello there,” said the man. Dasher walked closer. The

  man smiled. “Have you ever pulled a sleigh?” he asked.

  Dasher shook her head. “I’ve never even seen a sleigh,” she

  said. “But I pull a wagon just about every night.”

  “Well,” said the man, “how would you like to make a whole

  bunch of children really happy on Christmas morning?”

  “I would like that very much,” said Dasher.

  Santa thanked Dasher and attached her harness. It was soft against her fur,

  and its jingling bells made the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

  Santa climbed into his sleigh. Dasher pulled with all her might.

  Then, suddenly, the load felt lighter. Dasher looked down. . . .

  They were f lying!

  All night, Dasher and Silverbell pulled Santa’s sleigh

  through the air as Santa guided it from rooftop to rooftop,

  delivering toys to children everywhere. Dasher had never

  experienced such a thrill. And she ate so many carrots, she

  felt like she would burst!

  She was having so much fun, she forgot all about the

  North Star.

  As the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon,

  they landed. The air was crisp and cold. The ground

  was covered with a cool blanket of white snow.

  Dasher searched for the North Star on the horizon,

  but couldn’t find it anywhere.

  Santa smiled. “Dasher,” he said. “Look up.”

  And there it was, directly overhead. “Is that . . .

  the North Star?” she asked.

  Santa’s eyes twinkled. “Merry Christmas,” he said.

  “And welcome home.”

  The North Pole was just as wonderful as Mama’s stories.

  Dasher roamed wherever she pleased, and Santa gave her all

  the carrots she wanted. But something was missing.

  “I love it here,” she told Santa. “But I miss my family. I wish

  we could be together.”

  Santa smiled. “That’s your best wish yet, Dasher,” he said.

  “Let’s go find them.”

  Late that night, Dasher guided Santa’s sleigh all the way to

  J.P. Finnegan’s Traveling Circus and Menagerie.

  “Mama! Papa!” Dasher whispered. “Everyone, wake up!”

  Mama lifted her head. “Dasher?” she said. “Is it really you?” br />
  “It’s me, Mama,” said Dasher.

  She told her family all about Santa, and Silverbell, and how

  the North Pole was just as amazing as Mama’s stories.

  “But I missed you,” she said. “You were all I wished for.”

  Dasher led her family to Santa’s sleigh, and Santa attached

  their harnesses.

  “You’re not going to believe this part,” she said.

  When Christmas Eve arrived, Silverbell watched as Santa prepared his team.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” asked Dasher.

  “I’m sure,” said Silverbell. “I know the eight of you will do a fine job.”

  Late that night, as Santa and his new team of reindeer soared around

  the world, he called them by name for the very first time:

  “Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet!

  On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!”

  On Christmas morning, after all the toys had been

  delivered, they flew back to the North Pole, where they

  still live happily today.

  There, the air is crisp and cold. The ground is always

  covered with a cool blanket of white snow.

  And Dasher has everything she ever wished for.

 

 

  Matt Tavares, Dasher

  Thanks for reading the books on GrayCity.Net