My son got "Joey Shelf" as a gift from an aunt and the elf has been a lot of fun for him and his younger sister over the years. I'm sure I read the book that comes with the elf to the two of them at some point, but I guess since I didn't get all uptight about the jingle that states the elf is judging them and watching their every move and reporting to Santa whether they are being bad or good, they didn't pay much attention to it either. We have so many other beautiful Christmas books that we read during the season that the Elf on a Shelf book is not sought after or thought of as gospel when read. It truly is nothing more than magical and fun for our 7 and 5 year old, waking up every morning and trying to find Joey Shelf. Nothing is ever said about just what the elf might be reporting back to Santa. I guess for whatever reason our kids don't have days that are just so hellacious that Santa would be absolutely appalled and black marking them for no presents under the tree. They don't need an elf for one month of the year to set them straight. We don't look at the elf that way.