While stuck in a Christmas Eve blizzard, a bus driver shares with his grandson the story of the long-time friendship of Santa Claus and Pete, his African partner, who worked together to bring the spirit of Christmas to America's earliest settlers. 150,000 first printing. Tour. This fictional story based on a young African American boy in New York City is grounded in history (co-writer Christopher Moore is the Commissioner of New York City Landmarks) and decorated with the whimsy of imagination and magic. When Terrence was seven years old, he was forced to spend Saturdays riding alongside his grandfather, a Metro bus driver, through the streets of the city. At first Terrence is resentful, but then he begins to listen to his grandfather's stories--the stories of the settling of New York, how the city belongs to all people of all races. Driving down St. Nicholas Avenue, his grandfather begins the story of "Santa & Pete." He tells how St. Nicholas was imprisoned as a spy during the Inquisition, but was eventually rescued by Pete, a former slave in Spain under the Moors. The duo found their way to New York and began the long-standing tradition of giving gifts to the needy. When Terrence eventually discovers his connection to Pete, the story suggests that all who celebrate Christmas can be the rescuers and helpers of St. Nicholas. --Gail Hudson In this biracial Christmas novel, Commissioner of New York City Landmarks Moore and Johnson, a senior editor at Essence magazine, tell the story of Pete, the long-forgotten African partner of St. Nicholas. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Commissioner of New York City Landmarks (historian Moore) and a senior editor of Essence (Johnson) team up for a biracial Christmas story about white St. Nick and black Pete, who stand side-by-side atop Terrence's Christmas tree in Harlem. Terence, now married to Cassandra, was only seven when his silver-haired grandfather took him on as copilot of his city bus on its 12-mile route and related to the boy the history of various African, Indian, and Dutch landmarks, especially thosesuch as St. Nicholas Avenuetied to blacks. Terence, raised in black culture with Miles Davis's ``Sketches of Spain'' playing in the background, has attended Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. His mother is a librarian at the Countee Cullen branch of the New York City Library. Grandfather still mourns his wife's death and doesn't attend family functions. As Terence discovers, St. Nicholas was born 1,600 years ago, while Pete, born a slave in Spain under the Moors, was a kind of all-purpose genius who earned his freedom at 18, went through various occupations and studies in Seville, and (during the Inquisition) fell in with St. Nickwho had been imprisoned as a spy. Pete, his jailer, helped him escape and joined him as an equal partner, eventually coming to New Amsterdam. Now Pete's genius is put to good purpose in helping Nick provide gifts to the needy. A mind-expander, perkily illustrated with woodcuts by Julie Scott. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Destined to become a Yuletide classic, Santa & Pete celebrates goodwill and family while restoring the true meaning of the Christmas holiday as a time to celebrate the best qualities in all of us. -- ESSENCE magazine, December 1998 Christopher Moore is the bestselling author of You Suck , A Dirty Job , The Stupidest Angel , Fluke , Lamb , The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove , Island of the Sequined Love Nun , Bloodsucking Fiends , and Practical Demonkeeping . Visit the official Christopher Moore website at www.chrismoore.com.