The Christmas Child: A Story of Coming Home [Hardcover]

Max Lucado (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 9, 2003

A Chicago journalist finds himself in a small Texas town on Christmas eve. Lonely and alone, he encounters old faces and new facts…a hand carved manger, a father's guilt, a young girl's faith. The trip into the past holds his key to the future, and a scarlet cross shows him the way home.

This Christmas treasure, formerly titled The Christmas Cross now repackaged and redesigned, is quickly becoming a Christmas classic.

The book takes place in three different settings with four main characters. The film has expanded to include nearly 69 locations, 347 set-ups, 34 speaking parts and over 300 extras.

The Christmas Child is directed by Bill Ewing, the former Senior Vice-President of Sony Pictures, whose last films included Men in Black II and Spiderman. The film is produced by Tom Newman of Impact Productions and Penelope Foster, producer of Free Willy, Rosewood and many more.The main character, Jack, is played by William Moses (of Perry Mason and Falcon's Crest). His wife, Meg, is played Megan Follows (of Anne of Green Gables). Also features Steven Curtis Chapman as the town's minister.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

'Tis the season of repackaging, and Max Lucado's popular short story The Christmas Cross, which has sold more than 340,000 copies, has gotten a face lift. Under the new title The Christmas Child, Lucado's heartwarming tale about a Chicago journalist who discovers the meaning of Christmas now features full color interior pages with shots from the new movie based on the book.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849917689
• ISBN-13: 978-0849917684
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 7.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,097,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In just under two decades of writing, Max Lucado has accomplished more than most writers hope for in a lifetime. Most of his books have appeared on one or more best seller lists, including those published by the "New York Times," "USA Today," "Publishers Weekly," and the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA). Aside from hardcover books, Lucado's writings have also been published as children's books, videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs, music CDs, mass paperback booklets, apparel, giftware, bookmarks, calendars, study Bibles, workbooks, curricula, and plush products. In spring 2003, Hallmark/Dayspring Cards launched a new gift card line featuring excerpts from Lucado's writings--and has already sold more than one million cards.

All this success has drawn more than a little attention to a previously low-profile Texas author and minister. Lucado has been featured in a wide range of media, including "USA Today," "Larry King Live," and "NBC Nightly News." He has spoken at the National Prayer Breakfast before the President of the United States. He has traveled with internationally renowned musicians as a special speaker on their music tours, such as the highly successful "Come Together & Worship Tour" (sponsored by Chevrolet) with Grammy Award-winning artists Michael W. Smith and Third Day.

Journey to the Top
Lucado was born in 1955 in San Angelo, Texas, and raised in Andrews, Texas, the youngest of four children. His father was an Exxon oil field mechanic who, Lucado remembers, always smelled of grease cleaner. "It makes it easy for me to see a God who is loving and kind--because my dad was," he says. His mother was a nurse who grew up working in the cotton fields.

Lucado went through a period of rebellion against his parents' values and their God during his teens and into college. But it wasn't long before he found himself drawn back to his roots, back to God. He married, spent time serving as a missionary in Brazil, and returned to the States, where he began working as a church minister and writing on the side.

Secret to Success
From all accounts, Max Lucado is not a man consumed by sales, awards, and achievements. He often turns down media interviews since they impede on family and ministry commitments. He spends the bulk of his week serving as senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And he is truly surprised by his own success--more impressed by his one-in-a-million wife and three amazing daughters than by his successful writing career.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Healing for the soul, December 31, 2004

By 

Marty Williams (Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Christmas Child: A Story of Coming Home (Hardcover)

This book was purchased as a Christmas gift, but of course, I had to read it to make sure it was a good book. I loved the story and cover. It was a soul touching story about a man that found the grandfather he had never known. The miracle of the whole situation was uplifting. I love small, beautiful coffee table books and this is now on MY coffee table, along with three others I had purchased to give as gifts. I just couldn't part with it. It moved me. If you love stories about miracles at Christmas, you need to purchase this book.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read With A Kleenex Handy, November 14, 2003

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Christmas Child: A Story of Coming Home (Hardcover)

Max Lucado's THE CHRISTMAS CHILD is a retelling of an earlier work, THE CHRISTMAS CROSS which is now out of print. The new edition is illustrated with photographs from a movie version of the work

If we look at what works and does not work in fiction, THE CHRISTMAS CHILD should not work. It is sappy, sentimental, and predictable. One of these characteristic in a book meant for an adult can work, two of these characteristics would be a maybe at best; all three would be fatal flaws for a book. Yet this work has all three characteristics and all three work together rather well. When a person reads this story about redemption and forgiveness, it is easy to be moved to tears. Lucado has a gift at touching the heart through his writing, and in doing so teaches the essential message of Christianity. The author of this little volume understands the miracle of the Christmas story, but knows that human nature has been weekend by sin, an ever present reality even at Christmas, and that the true miracle of Christmas is the redemption offered through the child born in a manger. Lucado demonstrates this through two very human people: a Chicago journalist who has been having marital problems and a church maintenance worker who has known great tragedy through mistakes he has caused.

Some could call THE CHRISTMAS CHILD a CRIPPLED LAMB or JACOB'S GIFT (two Lucado books intended for children) for adults. To put this work in the same category as THE CRIPPLED LAMB and JACOB'S GIFT is a compliment. All three works move the heart and retell the wonderful story of Christmas and how the Christmas message applies to our lives all through the year.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comfort and Joy, February 26, 2004

By 

Gary Eastin - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Christmas Child: A Story of Coming Home (Hardcover)

Entertaining, comforting and joyous. Leaves the reader feeling good.