After eagerly waiting to recieve her gifts, one young girl is very disappointed when they are stolen, but when a miracle occurs, she realizes the true meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with presents, in a charming tale set during the Great Depression."
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3. This story set during the Great Depression is short on originality but long on sentimentality. When the tree adorned with mittens and treats for the children are stolen from the church before the Christmas Eve service, the holiday is almost ruined. The service goes ahead anyway, with the young narrator's parents being cast as Mary and Joseph in the manger scene. The pastor brings in live animals for the pageant, but when the mule refuses to budge, the child gets the idea to use Star, the family's horse, instead. When she and her friend go outside to fetch the animal, they see "a man in a cap and coat and big black boots" (clearly depicted as Santa in the illustration) putting a sack in Star's sleigh. It contains mittens, candy, and fruit. Although the girls believe it is magic, the scene is not effective enough to be convincing. The whole idea is so glibly stated, in fact, that it will take a great leap of faith to accept the resolution. Himler's glowing paintings contrast the warm, golden interiors of the church and stable with the cold blue exteriors of the countryside and aptly reinforce the sense of place. They are the high point of this less-than-stellar effort.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
From High (Hound Heaven, 1995, etc.), a Christmas story set in the Depression features an element of mystery that may leave readers more puzzled than uplifted. Mama, Papa, and the narrator hitch their horse, Star, to an old-fashioned sleigh to make the Christmas Eve trip to town for church; Star has a pair of antlers tied on for the occasion. The child looks forward to the tree at the church, where gifts of mittens, oranges, and candy await, but when they arrive, they find that someone has stolen it all. The church service proceeds, stoically, but when the manger scene is set up, a mishap with a donkey sends the girl and her best friend, Emma, into the night to get Star. Outside they see ``a man in a cap and coat'' (portrayed in lackluster watercolors as Santa) heaving a large bag into the sleigh. Whatever readers surmise from the text--that this is either the person who has stolen the gifts and had second thoughts (along the lines of How the Grinch Stole Christmas) or another person entirely returning stolen goods--it's more odd than magical. (Picture book. 4-6) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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I'm an author of books for children and teens, and I teach writing workshops and do author presentations. For a LOT about me, please see www.lindaoatmanhigh.com
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