This story should have been a novel. The characters are not well developed. Sophie's new compassion for her brother is not grounded in anything that came before, and is not believable. Auntie Claus's role at the North Pole is never explained -- what does she do there?If she is Sophie's aunt, why don't Sophie's parents know what she does? Etc.etc.If Primavera had written a full length novel she would have had room to answer these questions, develop the characters more fully, and give her plot firmer foundations.This is a frustrating book because she had a good idea, but developed it so poorly.