Customer Reviews

DK Read and Listen: A Christmas Carol (with Cassette)

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As Norman Cousins once said: Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies within us while we live. In this story, we learn about a man who has waisted most of his life starving his soul.

Andrew Sachs reads "A Christmas Carol," so children can follow along or read the details as the story progresses. The tape recreates the atmosphere of the time in which the story is set and the pictures acquaint the listener with the characters.

Scrooge values "only" money and has no time or love for any of the people in his life. It seems no one cares about him either. The spirit of Christmas is a contrast to his selfishness and lack of love, joy and care for others. His business partner Marley has passed onto the next life and Scrooge was his only friend.

"The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue." pg. 11

Not willing to make merry at Christmas, he heads to a melancholy dinner in a melancholy tavern where he reads the newspaper and then heads home to bed. When he arrives home, to his horror he sees Marley's face in place of the door knocker. In the house he sees Jacob Marley in chains and he explains how he is wearing the chains he forged in his life, link by link. He tells Scrooge he at least has time to escape this fate and that he will be haunted by three spirits.

That night the Ghosts of Christmas Past, of Christmas Present and of Christmas Yet to Come appear to him. Through his journey he learns why people:

1. Need to take time off from work and have some recreation.
2. Take time to love and have a family.
3. Decorate and dine on Christmas fare.
4. Feel the need to help those who are less fortunate.
5. Decided to change so they can live a more fulfilling life.

The features in this book include lovely color pictures throughout and all the intricate details that make a story so much more alive. A special section all about the author tells of his life and why no one who ever met him ever forgot him. Scrooge fortunately lives to see a brighter day and learns to view the world in a positive way.

A story to lift your spirits, and maybe even provide you
with some ideas for your New Year's resolutions.

~The Rebecca Review