Inuvik (Dec 24/04) - For the third year in a row, Paul Doyle's Create-A-Book company and the Legion's Ladies Auxiliary got together to provide Sir Alexander Mackenzie school's (SAMS) youngest readers with a particularly special present.

Earlier in the school year, students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 were asked to submit their names and the names of two or three of their friends.

Create-A-Book then used that information to make personalized Christmas stories for each of the kids.

"They love them and I've had kids talk about them for years," said Kindergarten teacher Jane Dale. "They see their names in the story and they like that - I've had parents tell me they are still reading the books in June."

And that is the goal of the project, which is aimed at getting kids interested in reading when they are young.

"By making the student a main character in the story, it makes reading fun," said Doyle, who added that next year he hopes to get fonts to create stories in both Gwich'in and Inuvialuktun.

Making the occasion even more special, Santa Claus came in from the North Pole to help hand out the books.

The students showed their appreciation by singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas for the jolly old elf.