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DeStefano ’ s book based on real-life Santa
SANTA , from Page 1
playing and trees swaying , but one house-and one man-stands out . With a chuckling belly , sparkling eyes , and a beard as white as snow , this peculiar neighbor ignites the boy ’ s wildest imagination : Could he be living next to Santa Claus ?
“ The journey that unfolds is nothing short of enchanting . As days turn to nights and seasons change , the boy grapples with the delightful yet challenging notion that the world ’ s most beloved gift-giver might just be his neighbor . From peeping through windows to discerning mysterious sounds , he becomes a little detective , all while wrestling with the
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idea that every innocent mischief might land him on the dreaded naughty list .
“ Santa , My Neighbor takes readers on a whimsical adventure through a child ’ s boundless imagination , capturing the essence of innocence , wonder , and the age-old yearning to be good . Along the way , the tale serves as a gentle reminder that life ’ s most magical moments are often found in the most unexpected places . Whether you ’ re a believer in Santa or simply in the magic of childhood , this story promises to touch hearts and rekindle the joy of life ’ s simple wonders ,” the book ’ s overview on Barnes & Noble ’ s website read .
Last year , Hayes dressed up like Santa Claus and visited DeStefano ’ s family .
“ He actually did dress up like Santa last year and he came over and hung out with the kids for a little bit ,” DeStefano said . “ They were scared . He ’ s enormous . He ’ s like six foot five .”
His 2-year-old daughter , Giada DeStefano , also makes an appearance in the book .
When DeStefano told his son about the book , he was thrilled .
“ My son ’ s pretty thrilled about
Wednesday , November 22 , 2023 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
it . He thought it was pretty cool when I showed him the pictures because I sent the artist pictures of my kids , and it resembles them ,” DeStefano said . “ So , I was like , ‘ Oh , this is you ,’ and there ’ s a picture of the classroom and he was naming his friends and saying , ‘ This one is Hudson and this is Tina !’ so it was pretty cool .”
DeStefano was also a cre-
Courtesy photo
The book cover of Santa , My Neighbor by Hammonton resident Steven DeStefano .
ative writing minor at Rowan University .
“ I was a creative writing minor in college , so I used to write a ton . When I have an idea , it comes to me in story form . That ’ s just how it comes to me ,” DeStefano said .
Santa , My Neighbor will be DeStefano ’ s first book , and will be published by Palmetto Publishing . Illustrations are by Poornima Madhushani .
The hardcover version is $ 22.99 and paperback is $ 13.99 .
Santa , My Neighbor will be available on Nov . 28 online on Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million . The Golden Feather and Casciano Coffee Bar & Sweetery will have some physical copies available .
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