Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa

Why do we spend so much time and effort creating a fairytale world for our children, just to take it away from them? Author Jeff Janke faced that dilemma three years ago when his daughter started questioning her belief in Santa Claus. Like most parents, he had two problems to solve--how to gently teach his child the true meaning of Christmas, and how to prevent her from spoiling the fairytale for other children. Out of this problem, Secret Santa Claus Club was born.



Secret Santa Claus Club is a beautifully illustrated story about a little girl thinking back on the magic of each Christmas. She remembers meeting Santa at the mall and seeing her first bike under the tree on Christmas morning. As time goes on, she starts to wonder if it's all real. When she decides she's ready to know the truth--her parents help guide her to the true meaning of the holiday.

Secret Santa Claus Club was written to be a tool for parents during these challenging moments. Combined with love, patience, and compassion, SSCC will help transition the reader from believing to becoming. At the end of the story, your child will be invited to join Secret Santa Claus Club. They'll understand the importance of keeping the secret, creating the magic for believers, and helping other members of the club.

My name is Jeff Janke and I am the proud father to an amazing 12-year-old girl named River. I kind of fell into this world of children's books. I don't consider myself an author, I'm simply a dad, and just like all parents, I'm eager to be the absolute best. I want to provide the happiest childhood possible, filled with magic and wonder, but I'm faced with decisions that challenge me constantly.A few years ago, River's mom called me in a slight panic. River was hearing from other kids that Santa wasn't real. This presented an instant problem--one I had feared for years. Luckily, River still wanted to believe, so that bought us 12 months to come up with a solution. Out of necessity, I wrote a special book for River. And thanks to encouragement from other parents, I've started the author journey and am fumbling my way through publishing Secret Santa Claus Club myself. Being a single father, I look for every opportunity to spend with my little girl. Together we enjoy playing all sorts of sports and making healthy, homemade treats in the kitchen. A few years ago River started playing in a roller hockey league, and I get to be one of her coaches! I'm constantly working on self-improvement, staying healthy and being positive. I do my best to be a strong and consistent role model for other people, especially my River!

I've always loved drawing. In elementary school, I remember being sent out in the hall with my desk having been caught drawing instead of paying attention. So it was natural for me to pursue a career as an illustrator. I am grateful that I have been able to make a living doing what I love.I graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University, with a BFA in illustration. Just two years later, I found my dream job as a staff illustrator at Eucalyptus Tree Studios in Baltimore, Md. Working alongside accomplished illustrators at Eucalyptus Tree, I learned the value of versatility.Over the last 20 years as a freelance illustrator, my flexibility and versatility have kept my illustrations current in today's ever changing market. My goal in every assignment is to work closely with the designer/art director to come up with a conceptually strong and well designed illustration. I have worked for a wide range of client needs including logos, icons, package design, editorial, corporate, portraits, event posters, and web graphics. My styles and techniques include graphic, scratch board, airbrush, woodcut, pastel, paintings, watercolor, pencil, and pen and ink. My work has been accepted into Print magazine, the Society of Illustrators Annual, and the Washington DC. Illustrators Club Exhibit.