The HILARIOUS new novel and the year's most perfect festive gift - from million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel. A good point about consumerism is made through another Baddiel madcap adventure, with likeable characters and a very easy-to-imagine Christmas scenario. What happens when an evil corporation takes over Christmas? Ok, so it might have taken the stress away - no more last minute shopping - just swipe an app and delivery drones arrive on Christmas Eve. a screen can show falling snow or roaring hearth and you don't need to travel as you can just video call your loved ones. Who cares if this company seems to know EVERYTHING about you and the holographic Santa cannot give you a hug? Eleven year old Etta cares. She has been told stories about how Christmas used to be and is determined not to put up with this soulless facsimile ay longer. Only one problem: Her dad works for Winterzone(TM) the evil corporation in question. And Winterzone (TM) has expectations for its employee's families.

So Etta is less than thrilled about the coming season. Even though her Dad works for WinterZone and has got her the role of the 'Perfect Present Please' kid this year! She'd rather have her grandma's tinsel, baubles and more magical memories any day. But coming across a suspiciously Santa-like delivery man, Etta and her friends realise that they might have discovered a secret that WinterZone would rather they - and everyone else - didn't know. But maybe the world really needs to know the truth about Christmas. And deserves more than the one WinterZone have made them expect. He has written four novels: Time for Bed, Whatever Love Means, The Secret Purposes and The Death of Eli Gold. In yet another twist on 'finding the true meaning of Christmas', Baddiel takes an Arthur-look at the season and it's commercialisation and sets his sights on the Wall-E-like 'Buy N Large' that has taken over the planet - here calling it Winterzone. You might see a parallel with a not-too-far-away real-life corporation. Ahem.

I enjoyed the audio version, with several voices contributing to the characters, including the author. Satisfyingly evil bad guys, a plot you will guess but nevertheless enjoy seeing come to pass, and readers may even consider their own feelings about Christmas and what it means to them. Hey, you never know. Can Etta work out what happened to the real Santa in time to save Christmas? And will her dad finally stand up to the evil boss of Winterzone (TM)? David Lionel Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter. Baddiel was born in New York, and moved to England when he was four months old. He grew up in grew up in Dollis Hill, Willesden, North London. It used to be the most WONDERFUL time of the year, but for years Christmas has been taken over by Winterzone. The hilarious new novel and the year's most perfect festive gift - from million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel.

Baddiel became a cabaret stand-up comedian after leaving university and also wrote sketches and jokes for various radio series. His first television appearance came in a bit-part on one episode of the showbiz satire, Filthy, Rich and Catflap. In 1988, he was introduced to Rob Newman, a comic impressionist, and the two became a writing partnership. They were subsequently paired up with the partnership of Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis for a new topical comedy show for BBC Radio 1 called The Mary Whitehouse Experience, and its success led to a transfer to television, shooting Baddiel to fame. After studying at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, he read English at King's College, Cambridge and graduated with a double first. He began studies for a PhD in English at University College London, but did not complete it.